Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-17
PREPARING FOR
CROKER PROBE
Lawyers Making Ready for
Examination of Witness in
Bankruptcy Court.

The several lawyers engaged In I'M
travelling the tangled affairs of Major
Roland d. 'Crocker, the lawyer and
promoter who has been missing from
this city since September %, We're to-
day busily engaged preparing for the
examination of the several witnesses
&, who have been summoned to appear
before Referee Edwin G. Adams in
| the bankruptcy proceedings, to be be-
gun Monday morning.
The examination of these witnesses
will undoubtedly take up number
of days, because of the number of
complicated transactions to be inquired
into. As has been told, there are
flfty-three parcels of real estate di-
rectly affected and over 500 transfers,
mortgages and other liens to be in
quired into. And this Is not the end.
There are number of Crocker's deals
that have not yet been brought to
light, but which will gradually de-
velop as the examination proceeds.
One of these deals is being inves-
tigated by lawyer who refuses to
discuss the matter of permit his
name to be used. He represents a
New York corporation that made a
number of New Jersey investments
| through Crocker's office. 1t Is known
that this lawyer is conducting an in
vestigation, at the end of which he
proposes to hand his evidence to the
| prosecutor. He expects to obtain in
! dictments not only against Croker,
! but against several men who were
associated with him in business as
well.
Several of the men concerned in
! Crocker's transactions and whose
| testimony Is needed, have volun-
teered to serve as witnesses without
the formality of a subpoena. Among
these are II; w. Morehouse, jr.. who
| has agreed to tell of Crocker's deal
ings with the III. w. Morehouse
Company, one of Crockers' invest
ment concerns. John A. Bernhard,
counsel for Judge Cecil H. Mac
Mahon, receiver for Crocker, said to-
day that he believed that Mr.. More
houses testimony would be of ma
terial aid in finding some of the
assets of the missing man.
Seek Missing $4,000.
| At the same time that Crocker's
personal affairs will be inquired into
an effort viii be made to uncover
funds belonging to the Common.
wealth Investment Company, a con.
Germ whose assets II is charged
Crocker dissipated. The lawyers will
try to locate some $4,000 Of the
funds of the company which wers
| transferred to the personal account
of the missing man and which, Il
was said, he converted to his OWL
uses.
Inquiry into Crocker's dealings
with the Four Corners Building ant
Loan Association will also be had
This association is concerned In sew
eral mortgages negotiated for il By
be worthless or satisfied and can
celed of record, although the associ
alton never received back the princi
pal of the loans.
The estate of August Loehnberg
represented by former Judge Thorna
8. Henry and Francis Child, IT.,
most vitality concerned In the outcom
of the inquiry. Crocker was attorne
for the executors of the estate, an
loaned or pretended to loan money Il
various sums, the total aggregatini
$4,000. How many of these loan
are good is still q problem, but 1t |
hoped that the witnesses will sho,
that some of them. at least, may
realized on.
Banks Secured.
, 1t was said today that the variou
banks with which Crocker dealt woul
only be represented at the hearing t
protect their interests. In all of hi
transactions with the financial insti
: buttons of this city they were ampl
! secured and their only concern Wills
: to maintain the security In thei
hands.
: While number of those who hol
3 title to properties that passed throug
l Croeker's hands have evinced will
: ingness to retransfer as soon as
4 formal order of court can be entered
some of the people insist that thei
titles are good and that they hay
5 given sufficient consideration for til
J, | properties. 1t is inevitable that litiga
ton will follow and 1t will be lon
. time before the estate IL finally eel
tied.