New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-08
LEGAL CREW SEEK
MUSICA SALVAGE
Trv to Learn How Creditors
May Share $4,000 Found
on RunaWayS.
FAMILY IN COURT
AS WITNESSES
Philip on Stand Describes How a
Part of the 100000 Was
Obtained on Invoices.

Half dozen lawyers. representing no
many different creditors or trustees io'
creditors tried Yesterday To find out now
much they could get for their clients "i
tho ESQ COO or $4,000 found on the persons
nj the Musica family when the iattci
were arrested I'm New Orleans last Marc"'
They had before them as Witnesses
Philip NJ Musica formerly presiueHl VI
the United states Hair Company anu
now a Tombs prisoner. ana MISS i'"0'
Grace Musica. his sister. Inc M"H'''''
II will be remembered. including Ahtoih"'
rho father. Philip. George and arthur
the cons and Lucy and Louise. the daugh-
ters fled from New York last Marcn
after the bows had obtained about >SV''"V
from banks here and abroad through the
bvnothecation Of false invoices.
The hearing took place before Peter b.
oInov referee i'm bankruptcy, at No es
william, street Philip attended IN the
custody OF Il court officer ana remained
TO hear the testimony OF his sister 10
whom he had intrusted part OF the caSh
with which the family fed and VINO aite'
her father and brothers had been extra
dited and sent back from New orieai''
was obliged 20 pawn her Jewelry t'a' sie
might return. Her eyes constantly sought
those of her brother during her exam
ination. and every time. 1t seemed she
bit her under lip to keep back the tears.
Miss Musica. rather pronounced
blond. stylisnly but very simply dressed
dressed I'm a brown suit and black vel
vet hat. with the inevitable straight
feather protruding at an angle. testihed
that the police authorities OF New Ut
leans. who had relieved her of her cash.
had failed 10 account for 5000 OF H. She
had in her Jewel case. in her satchei she
said, 1900 Of her own money, $50 belong
ing 10 her brother Arthur, Sl,04o belonging
to her mother. and approximately Sl0O
intrusted to her FOR safe keeping by
her brother Philip.
She was arrested. with the other mem
beers of her family, on board a United
Fruit steamship about TO sail from New
Orleans for Honduras, and taken 10
police station. where the matron searched
her The matron, she said. Mrs. flem-
ing took the Jewel case out of her bag
and stepped out of the room with 1t.
Later. when Miss Musica appeared before
the lieutenant at the desk, the matron
and chief of detectives, she said, handed
up only $500 as the amount found on
her. She explained that the 2l,0o when
her brother had handed TO her consisted
OF four 5000 bills and others of smaller
denomination. 1t was one of these o,wo
bills that was missing. she charges.
II appears that one Of the creditors
seeking to recover her share of this cash
is Mrs. Asunta Musica, the mother, who
did not accompany her husband and chill
dren in their flight. She was represents
ed yesterday by Leo Leventritt, who also
represented Philip. Henry r. Stern, Of
No. 40 Wall street, looked after the in
terests of the Bank of the Manhattan
Company; Edward #. Rice and Robert
b. Lewis represented Ezra p. Prentice,
trustee for the creditors OF A. Musica *
Son: George w. Seligman represented ).
G. W. Selgman. the bankers, and Her
man Aaron was present as attorney for
b. w. b. Brown, trustee for the creditors
Of the United States Hair Company. Mr..
Aaron and Mr.. Seligman did all the direct
examining.
Mr.. Aaron nad Gnilp MuSlcd ueociipe
how btained $1,000 on checks drawn
agafi Bank of the Manhattan Com
pany .. the First National Bank, of
Bayonne. which recently suspended
through the discounting of bill of eX-
change Mr. Seligman had him tell how
he swinded j. W. Seligman out of
SAG through a false draft on the Banque
FRANCHISE pour la Commerce ct indus
trie. With this bill of exchange Philip
presented to the Seligman bank an invoice
covering nine cases Of human hair, valued
at sliss7. and a certificate OF insurance
covering $4,000 in value. Philip admitted
that the nine bags contained each "a few
wisps of Chinese hair" valued in all at
approximately $27."
None of the lwyers was able to define
yesterday just what part of the cash re-
covered in New Orleans belonged to his
client. The hearing was adjourned unit!
January II, at 3 o'clock In the afternoon.