The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-29
TWO WOMEN HELD IN
BANKRUPTCY INQUIRY
Miss Belle S0senko Accused of
Hiding Assets Of Mil
linery Shop.
FACES CONTEMPT CHARGE
Miss Ettinger Refuses to Tes-
tify Regarding Samuels
Statement.
FACES CONTEMPT CHARGE

TWO Wolnen nEuTou yesterday IN tho irl-
curry which United states Attorney II.
snowden Marshall ana two Federal Grand
Jur,es are making into alleged fraudulent
bankruptcy cases
Belle Soserlko. a demure little miliiner
q Franco-R Russian birth. with appealing
brown eyes and curling hair. was arrested
on a charge OF perjury and attempted con-
oealng OF assets In the failure Of her
millinery shop at 1890 Broadway. She
vas held in $4,000 bond for examination
next week
Belle Ettihser. a slender. fearful girl,
was held by Judge Kiilets in the Federal
CRIMINAL Court In $500 bail after having
been srrnigned for contempt OF court In
railing 20 answer questions pu: TO her by
the foreman of a Grand Jury investigating
the Samueis bankruptcy case.
The dragnet investigation which Mr.
Marshall has undor way Is growing more
extensive every day and has made IL
necessary for another Grand Jury 70 go
rto the evidence More complaints of the
d!sappearanco Of assets IN various bank
rup,cles are being laid before Mr.. Marshall
and n addition the detectives and process
servers are bringing in many witnesses.
The arrest OF Miss Sosenko. made under
the direction OF United States Marshal
william Henkel promises an inquiry in
ttI Elriu ptCduse SHt
conspiracy and said she had highly in
teresting story TO tell to Edwin w. STAN
ton. Assistant United States Attorney.
Employees Tell Of RiAeA shop.
A petition In bankruptcy was filed
against her on December 10. Joseph l..
Young representing the creditors. began
an investigation. He called four young
women tha. had worked for LA Belle
Ms she termed herself. THE testimony OF
two ~ tnese girls was that on December
Miss Sosenko's mother. sister and
brother appeared In the shop. The en-
p'oyees were ordered out TO lunch or sent
10 other shops TO make copies of gowns.
As Elizabeth Fortier was leaving the
shop she heard some one say. Hurry. ge:
tuXicab" When she returned she said
she found the shop completely upset
A trunk. a handbag, hats, gowns and
feathers were gone and the charge is that
they were disposed OF for cash.
Madeleine Duren. another employee
fid that she had been hired AS book
K"eper and that four weeks prior TO the
a!.ng Of the petition Madame La Belle
Md directed her to prepare an inventory
Of the assets of the shop. She did So. she
said and complied IL total OF $4,000. In
Guiding $500 In lac,s.
When she returned after luncheon on
ne day in question. she says, she found
hats. She said also that a few days be-
fore the petition was hled La Belle
sold forty hats 10 n friend Tor $50. She
s3dd also that La Belle gave money to
"r father. 10 her sister and also left
money which she took in from sales with
q clerk IN the Hotel Somerset.
La Belle Denies Storics.
Miss Sosenko and her sister Henri
eta were examined before United States
Commissioner Gilchrist and both denied
any knowledge OF the events narrated by
ne employees.
When Miss sosenko was arraigned be-
core United States Commissioner John T.,
shields yesterday afternoon she wore q
close fitting turban hat with feather
hanging jauntly over one side She had
~ a dainty gown of mauve with "a slit
SKIRT and cloth top shoes She smiled con-
ndeu,ly. When asked IL she would make
any answer as to the charge she said:
The story Is lie. All l owe Ia $3,-
900. and what Is that? II Is only two or
three gowns such as l make. Tho whole
thing Is a conspiracy. 1t WAS started by
one man to whom l owe only $50. He
wanted me to let him take out many
things for that amount and refused.
viii get even with him.
Did I take a trunk away? No.
never took anything away. ] did sell
money TO pay the electric bill
Miss Etti.ser Refuses to Testify.
Belle Ettinger was called in the in
vestigation Of the bankruptcy of Josepf
samuels 4 Co. Involved in the failure
also ara the firms OF Abraham 4
lesser and Samuels & Lesser. She de
c.ined to answer the questions put to he
and was in tears when taken befor'
judge KilIts. Tho Judge held her IL
$500 bond
She was wanted. apparently. TO cor
Uborate certain Testimony given In {
bankruptcy hearing before Mnn9Tan'
Coke, as referee. by Harry Siegel
formerly bookkeeper for Samuels h Co
jacques Samuels, member Of Samuels
Co. Il Is said had a half interest In tn
Radiant Waist and Dress Company. ais
connected with the Samuels enterprises.
Segel testified that one day q banker
who claimed a half interest In that com
psny. called at the office of the wais
company when Miss Ettinger was presen
and asked to see statement which h.
had ordered prepared to show to credi
agencies and banks from which a. LOAF
vas desired.
u told him." testified Siegel, that tn
statement did not look good. 1t shoWe'
deficit Of $4,000. He replied "Ihi
Is no good We can't show that to my
body. Oh, we'll, We can hx that ur
There are several accounts that do no
have to he there
seisel said that Miss Ettinger wa
present AZ this time. He quoted tn
banker further as saying that not
among the liabilities for $4,000 due 70
certain bank was amply taken care OF b
himself and Samuels. 1T would make n
difference whether that note 10 on or Of
the list" the banker was quoted by Siegs
as saying Siegel said that the man dre'
line through the liability item.
I'm going over the statement Siegf
was asked, did he change any OF the ae
counts payable?'
"he did"
"Howo'
"Iip crossed out the amount Of the not
due the bank and other items and h
added about $4,000 to the accounts n
ce!vable 10 that when he finished tn
statement showed surplus Of $4,000"
Siege also testified that the banke
assisted Jacques Samuels in getting loar
from other banks.
NEW CLIPS pATR0NCSSES.