The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-01-18
SAY 9Th AYE. GEM
AUCTION WAS BOGUS
Commissioners Of Accounts Ac-
cuse .Ieweller Of Having Cap
pers' to Boost Bids.
WHITMAN TO INVESTIGATE
Establishment Near Waldorf
Astoria Closed After Many
Complaints.

Mayor Gaynor mas turned over 10 tne
District Attorneys ONCE for investiga-
ton report submitted to him by Com
missioners OF Accounts jeremiah 7.
Mahoney and Harry NJ. Rice concern
ing the operations of an auction sale
which was conducted for several months
in the Fifth avenue jewelry shop OF
William Reiman The auction stopped
suddenly one day last November. when
inspectors from the office Of the Com
missioners of Accounts locked the
doors OF Reimans csta ahlshment. at 1928
Fifth avenue. just south of the Wal
dorf Astoria. and served John Doe sub
prnas on everybody in the place.
Assistant District Attorney Mosko-
witz has already questioned several al
legged "shHlabcrs' or fake bidders as TO
the methods employed in bidding up
diamonds and jewelry. One OF the men
accused OF acting as "capper" or fake
bidder Is Montague -. Jacobs, who un-
der oath before the Commissioners OF
Accounts and later before Assistant
District Attorney Moskowitz. said that
he frequcnted the Reiman auction for
the purpose OF running up bids on ar
ticles of jewelry which he had no in
tention Of keeping for himself and that
he gave valueless checks in payment
when it became necessary to knock
down the articles to him.
Last August. according to informa-
ton in the District Attorneys posses
sion, Reiman, who has been for years
one Of the best known jewellers in Fifth
avenue. decided to sell out his stock
An auction sale WAS arranged and an
auction flag was displayed from the
shop front. a sign informed passersby
that 100000 worth Of diamonds and
precious stones would he disposed of
no reserve. no limit. absolute" The
sale began on August 10. II wasn't
long until the Fifth Avenue Association
decided that the Reiman sale was last
ing rather a long time for closing out
sale. The association didn't like the
idea OF auction flags being displayed in
Fifth avenue anyway.
Then Il was that complaints began
10 pour into the office OF the Commits
sioners OF Accounts. Paul d. worcee-
ter who wrote on the letterhead OF
clifford r. Harmon & Co and VITO lives
| at 3l5 Madison avenue. informed the
Commissioners thar S12 bracelet watch
guaranteed to he OF IA karat gold was
only plated and that a pawrbroker who
had tested the trinket was willing 70
offer only 81 or SO on H. This and other
complaints caused Commissioners Ma
honey and Rice 10 send a sqIad OF
Investigators 10 the Reiman aucribn
The inspectors attended auction sales
assiduously and one Il the first things
they observed was that several very i'm.
posing and we'll dressed men bid con.
stantly on all sorts Of things hawked
at from 81 10 $500. They reported later
also that these customers made a habi,
| OF running up bids whenever they oil
| the auctioneers twho were importe
| from Chicago) saw that somebody was
getting interested In an article up for
sale. Here is the report the !nveAi.
gators made on one case:
on November l3. 1912. this man David
Goldberg. an alleged friend OF the house
was present between the hours OF 30
and + NJ. and he bid $3.50 on a small
gold watch knocked down to him by
| Auctioneer Briggs Later scroll shaped
| diamond ring was offered for sale which
was knocked down to David Goldberg
| for the sum OF s96 hy Auctioneer Briggs
Then there was an emerald ring that was
put up by Auctioneer frIggs at the re-
quest OF three young spanish gentlemen.
and the bid was started at 5000. one OF
| the Spaniards bid s225, and II was then
raised by a fy bid "a fake ofrer) TO s:75
The Spaniard bid $3.50 and another f,y
bid was taken by the auctioneer for the
| sum OF ScS5 At this time Auctioneer
Briggs began hollering "s2s6." "s2s6'
He then approached the Spaniard. calling
! $3.50" and asked him To bid soS7. bu,
he refused to do SO. and after calling
out for some time the auctioneer deliber-