New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-05
Indicted First After Trib-
une's Expose of Endless
Chain" Scheme.
PROMISED 42,200
PER CENT RETURN
Charge of Petty Larceny Was
Based on "Wizard's" ST a
Week Coupon" Deals.

John F. Linton, president Of the Man
haitian Mutual Realty Company and
other concerns, whose wizard-like
promises of a 42.20O per cent return on
his 81 a week Home Coupons were
exposed in The Tribune in March, 1913.
was convicted yesterday Of petty lar
ceny before Justices Forker. Moss and
Fleming, in Special Sessions, at st.
George, Staten Island.
The charge arose out Of his Home
Coupons" on five of them he had col
lected S195 from Robert Shields, a
salesman, of Post avenue, West Brigh-
ton, Staten Island. on the understand
ing that when Shields had paid 500
he could choose a lot wherever he
would, and the Manhattan Mutual
would build him a $500 or $1,000
house nit. Linton was paroled in the
custody of his attorney TO be brought
Up for sentence on March %.
linton's Agent Acquitted.
Linton's agent, J. Seney. who effected
the original sale of the five coupons to
Shields, was acquitted.
a year ago Linton spent a night In
the Tombs when John Schneider,
Pittsburgh man, had him arrested on
charge Of misappropriating s1O4, but he
was released on bail the next morning
and finally discharged, Schneider fall
ing to appear against him.
Following The Tribune's exposure Of
his amazing scheme Of getting ten
spots from poor dupes, who were led
TO expect a harvest of s4,220. District
Attorney Albert c. Each, Of Richmond
County, where there were said TO be
sixty victims, all of them very poor
people, brought Linton before the grand
Jury and called him IAN artful artist
I'm rainbows." Linton was then indict-
ed. but ne succeeded in escaping con-
viction.
Shields left off paying after reading
The Tribune. He had bought his five
shares in May, 1912, and was looking
around for his site for the fine home he
expected when the exposure appeared.
He then demanded his money back, as
provided In a clause in his contract.
Linton. he testified yesterday, put
him off with promises that he would
pay up or build his home as soon as
the trouble Of his Indictment was dis
posed Of Tired of waiting any longer
for his refund Shields complained
three weeks ago to District Attorney
Each. who at once gladly began a sec
ond assault upon the alleged swindle.
About 600 "Home" Contracts.
In addition to the Manhattan Mutual,
Linton is also president OF the Brlgh-
ton Heights Development Company and
the John +. Linton Realty Company,
and is a director of the Read Consrruc-
ton Company. He had elaborate Of
fees at No. 241 Broadway.
Lintons fantastical scheme was OF
the SNOWFALL" variety. At the time Of
his indictment last year, it was said
that about six hundred Of the home"
contracts had been entered into.
Under the endless chain" system
es ch OF these contracts would bring in
ss,420. and Linton would have had
s,O52, 900 persons paying him 81 week.
and would have needed a capital Of
about 100000 900 at least to erect
the houses he had undertaken to build.
II was shown that ne owned then no
real estate and had about 500 in the
bank.
District Attorney Each said yesterday
that Linton owns so per cent of the
stock I'm the Manhattan Mutual and 80
ner cent of that of the other concerns.