Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-29
SAYS CROKER
HAD INTEREST IN
BUDD LAKE MINE
He Also Purchased Formula to
MAKE" Gold, Woman Wit
ness Asserts.

That Roland d. crocker, the miss
ing lawyer and promoter, paid $4,000
for a half interest in a mine and for
formula which he believed would turn
the mine dirt into gold or platinum
was told by Mrs Elizabeth E. Chris
tie, of 632 Warren street, in the
Bankruptcy Court yesterday. She
| was witness at hearing before Ed
win G. Adams, sitting at an examina
| ton of witnesses by Nathan Bilder
and John A. Bernhard, lawyers for
Judge Cecil IL. MacMahon, receiver
for the bankrupt estate of Croker.
The lawyers are conducting an exam
ination for the purpose of finding al
legged concealed assets.
Mrs. Christie also told how Crocker
increased her fortune from $2,975 to
| $40, 200
MY husband thought he had some
kind of a mine up at Budd Lake, said
Mrs. Christie on the stand in explain
| ing the $4,000 formula transaction.
"Mr Crocker was a regular guest
az our house, and my husband finally
got Mr.. Crocker interesed in his
| formula, for turning the dirt into
| gold or platinum. Mr.. Christie let
Mr.. Crocker see him demonstrate the
| formula
Mr. Crocker wanted to buy half
share of ii as soon as he saw 1t
work. He offered my husband $4,000
IN second mortgages for ha f share.
| Mr.. Christie said he did not want to
! bother with the mortgages, but told
| Crocker to Invest the $4,000 with the
rest of my money. Croker said he
would. Then my husband let him
make a copy of the formula, and
few days later Crocker gave me a
receipt for $4,000"
| Says She Lost Receipt.
| When questioned by the attorneys,
| Mrs. Christie declared that she had
lost this receipt. Her husband is Ar
! thur w. Christie. He is in the lum-
Der business in Clayville Va. She
| left him there in 1912, she says.
Mrs. Christie testified that at DIFF
| ferent periods between January, 1907,
and November, 1911, she had paid in
! to Croeker in amounts varying from
5000 to 81, 900 total of $2,975. With
| the $4,000 for the formula, this made
total of $685. which she claims she
gave to Croker for investment. He
| paid her.. she says, $4,000 as result
of his investments for her and charged
her S100 commission.
How a11Q MT. CrOckef come 10 give
you the $4,000 after he had kept your
money for more than four years with
out returning any of 1t or making a
report?" asked Attorney Bernhard
my son, Arthur r. Christie, who
worked for him, came home one day
and told me he had heard rumors that
Crocker was losing money fast. Then
went right down and asked him for
mine, He gave it to me"
! Mr.. Bernhard objected to this an
swer and 1t was stricken from the
record. The objection was based on
technicality. The lawyer also ques-
| toned Mrs Christie about the Vic
| toria Hotel. in New York city. but
she denied that she had ever been
| there.
Mrs. Christie lays claim to a large
| part of the stock of the Central Land
and Securities Company, one of the
Crocker organizations. The lawyers
for the receiver are attempting to see
If she legally owns this stock or
whether she holds it as trustee for
Croker. 1t has been shown that
several persons acted as dummies"
for Croker and held his stock In
their names.