New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-18
Other Charges IN the Ar.


ca. in alleged frauds of nearly 500"
ma, hc taken to-day. according 10 tho
law firm of Rushmort N.sb"e stern
attorneys Tor the Bank of tho Manhattan
Company other banks were also in
tcrcstcd 10 vas said.
Henry r. stern Of tho law arm.
went To- the District Attorney Office
Yesterday and asked that warrants he
issued for tho Nusicas BEFORE IN" cvi-
dencc could be- presented in concise
form the grand jury adjourned Later
an important witness was found and he
WiI testify this morning.
According 10 the attorneys \. Musica
& Son dealt with the Bank of tho Man
haitian Company. the Ang.c-South Ameri-
can Bank. tho Bank ~ Montreal. and
several private bankers, among them the
Seligmans.
The exact amount Of money nh" MI
sicas are supposed 10 have obtained is
not known" said Mr.. Stern. we have
been working al. day securing evidence
from many unexpected sources. All told
the amount may be two .r three hun
drcd thousand dollars perhaps half Il
million. We cannot tell now how high
tho figures will rum
The firm OF A. Musica q Son had en-
.,ecd I'm large foreign trade FOR tho
last two years. and their dealings with
New york banks had been satisfactory
until last week. ON Thursday one OF the
banks had occasion 10 compare "A ship
ment Of hair goods which the Musicas
intended sending abroad with bill Of
ladlug deposited with them. on which IL
was said 10 be- probable the shippers in
tended To obtain draft
\ discrepancy i'm the dimensions OF the
shipment Was found on the bills OF lading
and the bank was led 10 investigate
Agents went Ia "A steamship pier ana
cases supposed OF contain human hair
goods were found To hold articles Of
little value The Investigations were
continued with further disclosures. The
Musicas became acquainted late Thurs
day night with the banks suspicious. and
are said 10 have lcft the city.
Antonio Musica had been an importer
and dealer IN Italian products aud hu-
man hal goods. In this city, for more
ing with the banks with whom he did
business he hal dealt with the Bank Of
the Manhattan Company twenty-five
years.
Last year the Musicas Developed an eN-
tcusiNc business In the importation ana
expectation of human hair goods. organ
ling Il corporation to which they oh
tanned subscribers to the extent of $50
600 and more than $500. 900 in merchan-
disc. An appraisal of their business was
made and proved satisfactory to various
banks
II was explained at the time tho Mu-
sicas' business underwent sudden cNpan-
sion that they imported human hair
from China and Italy and after 4 had
undergone certain processes in this coun-
try shipped II ABROAD as the finished
product They sent the goods to Lon
don, Paris and Naples and exhibited To
the banks contracts with dealers IN those
places and credits with banking houses
abroad whose reputc was unpuestioned.
They drew against these credits and
had The bills of exchange cashed AT the
banks
The Musicas conducted business IN this
manner six or seven months. all the
drafts having been accepted or promptly
paid by the London or Paris banks
against which they were drawn. In view
of the recognition of similar credits the
New York bankers supposed the present
trouble over the dlshonorcd drafts arose
through some misunderstanding in Lon
don with the house there with which the
Musicas were dealing.
The Bank of the Manhattan Company,
however. notified Antonio Musica that
the London bank had refused To pay the
drafts, and Musica promptly drew "A
check and paid the amount he had OBJ
tained. Investigation was made by the
New York banks, but suspicion was al
iayed until the developments last Thurs