The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-18
New York Banks Set Sleuth
on Trail of the Entire
Musica Family
RARE COMBINATION
GETS HALF MILLION
President of Company Grad
uate of Elmira Reforma-
tory--Attachment
Is Issued

detectives employed by several New
York banks have been engaged since
last Friday in trying to find the MEM
bers of the Musica family, who dis
appeared on Thursday. and behind
whose disappearance is loss to the
banks which may total up over the
$500, 900 mark. One OF the sons of
the family. Philip Musica. a graduate
of EImira reformatory, was president
of the United States Hair company,
the father. Antonio Musica- was
director In the company, and the
other two sons were employed In
minor capacities by the same COM
pany.
With the male members of the
family, the two daughters. Louise and
Grace, have disappeared. Detective
William J. Burns. who is personally
in charge of the search being made
by his agency. liz hopeful OF being
able to find at least some of the mem
bers OF the family within few days.
Charge is Forgery.
III get any of the men / will ar
rest them. and charge them with
forgery" said Mr. Burns today.
The case against them was laid be-
fore Assistant District Attorney Emu
hree and Perkins today. by Charles
NA&AkA7iGfe. VIZ ttiC I'd" AAt III Va
Rushrnore, Bisbee s. Stern. who II
acting in the matter for the Bank
Of Manhattan, and the foreign bank
ing house of aehn Munroe a. Co.
Philip Musica. president Of the
hair company. had an apartment at
the Hotel KnicAerhocker. The rest
of the family lived in Bay Ridge The
house IL now in the care of the watch
man, and very few of the personal or
household effects OF the members OF
the family have been taken.
Imports Cheese and Hair.
Antonio. the father, came To
America from Italy years ago, and
soon took his rank as one of the lead
ing Italian importers lie dealt in
cheese. hair, etc. The first blow that
fell on the firm was In 1903. when
the federal government arrested An
tonic and Philip, and charged them
with undertaking. importations of
cheese. The amount lost by the gov
eminent through the undervaluatious
was thought to be about 81 900 or
$4,000. Antonio was declared inno-
cent, hut Philip pleaded guilty. and
was sentenced to pay fine Of $4,000
and to spend a year In Elmira
BY degrees the firm abandoned the
cheese and other Italian products, and
began to do bigger business in hair.
Finally. last December, the United
States Hair company was incorporat-
ed to take over the hair business of
A. Musica & Son. An issue of pre-
ferred stock of 100000, and COM
mon stock OF a like amount. was au-
thorized OF this amount 100000
Of each stock was issued. and the rest
kept in the company. The stock began
to have an active sale on the curb.
Credits Are Questioned.
The business of the company com
sisted principally OF importing human
hair from China and Italy. putting ii
through a process which makes II a
finished product and then selling 1t
either here or abroad
The credits of the Musicas here and
abroad had never been questioned
until last Wednesday, the Bank of
Westminster, Of London. refused pay
ment of credit for $4,000. and sent
word TO that effect to the Bank of
Manhattan. Philip Musica was sent
. for and declared that there must be
some misunderstanding. and gave n
check for $50. 200 to settle the mat
ter Meanwhile came a query as to
the credits of the company from the
Bank of Montreal This resulted in
an investigation.
Philip Musica insisted that every
thing was all right, and to allay any
suspicion the banks might have. he
gave 100000 worth of hair as col
lateral, and some bills of lading for
cases waiting to be shipped to Naples,
Cases of Rubbish.
Because of some suspicion a rep
resentative of the Bank of Manhattan
was sent to the dock of the Fabri
line Friday, and many cases were
opened. Instead of the, cases con-
tanning between $l.700 and $500
worth of human hair each. they con-
tanned only what is known as hair
rubbish Then the bank officials tried
to locate the Musicas, but they could
not be found
Detective Burns has had many
operators trying to run down the
Musicas, and is confident of success
soon.
The affairs of the United States
Hair company on the curb market
created a large scandal recently, be-
cause OF some wash sales in it, and
1t liz said that a member of the stock
exchange may lose his seat for his
part in it. The stock had been in
active on the curb. when suddenly.
about four weeks ago, 1t was bid up
from a low figure to 10 SIS. fraction
above par Sales OF six thousand or
seven thousand shares were reported.
Suddenly the stock slumped to q AS
result a stock exchange house had
to buy ten thousand shares in the
open market The stock exchange
house has since changed its name to
free itself of the scandal.
Supreme Court Justice Davis grant
cd an attachment today against the
property OF Antonio and Philip
Musica for $l34.6S7 in a suit brought
by the Anglo South American bank.
The attachment was sent to Sheriff
Hamburger to be served on the prop
erty in the Office of A. Musica a. Son.
4or ON. any banks and corporations