New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-10
Addressed Mrs. Mackenzie
as "OWn Sweetheart
and His "Dearie."
RUSSIAN MILLIONS
PROVE ONLY MYTH
Letter Produced Showing How
He Obtained Possession OF
Woman's Steel Stock.

Richard j. hartman s"Nn
in his own defence again yesterday IN
his trial before Justice Weeks in th@
Criminal Branch of the Supreme court
on the charge Of swindling Mrs. Cnar-
lotte L. Mackenzie o. OF sI3S'Voo
worth of stocks.
developed yesterday that Hartman
had written Mrs. Mackenzie literally
hundreds of endearng letters, IN l..
he addressed her usually as Dearest
or Sweetheart"
Nhen asked what stops he had taken
10 assure himself that Mrs. Mackenzie
was getting dividend on her stock ior
which he was responsible, Hart nan
tried to shift the blame to former As
sistant District Attorney hl.an. -, -,
Nature whom he engaged as attorney
IN helm handle Mrs. Mackenzle's aHalIs'
81 relied absolutely Oh all McGuirg;
soid Hartman testified. 81 know l
vas n fool, but still had implicit con-
fidence in him. -, nib
Under cross-examination. the WIZ
moss admitted that he owed numoer
that no had passed were unpaid. lie
eoid that he had put about S6O,OOO OF
bie own money in Russian investments
and had lost about $4,000 OF MIS-
Nackenzie's in the same way. Inc
money for his share Of these invest
rents. he said, he secured from the
sale of oil lands, for which he got $751;
600. u,-,,
Assistant District Attorney. waller
mt in evidence letter showing that
Kaufman had borrowed $500 from
friend within a week after the date on
which he testified to having received
this $4,000.
Hartman was forced to admit that
he never owned stock in any such Rus
sisn enterprise as he represented 10
Mrs. Mackenzie in letters, and never
had a contract with the Russian gov
eminent.
In one letter to Mrs. Mackenzie, whom
he addressed as "Dearie," Hartman told
of meeting the Russian Financial or
Consular Agent" .,
~ know you will be glad to learn,
he wrote, chat the mission was glad
one for me, as he (thc AGENT had IN,
formation to the effect that my OIL
interests in Baku, with General Neck
srdt, had proved great success: over
forty wells have been brought in and
we have been offered what amounts to
30 900 900 roubles (sl5,000,00O) for
half of only four companies. NY IN.
terest alone in this is nearly s3,OOO,O0V;
The letter was not signed, but ended.
with devotion as always Hartman
admitted writing it and several others
that were submitted as evidence:
The defendant testified TO having re,
ceived 100 shares of preferred steel
stock from Mrs. Mackenzie on ne
strength of letter he wrote her from
the Hotel Belmont in March, 1910 This
was the letter:
INV Own Sweetheart: Have been up
an hour. Had my breakfast and must
soon get to work. | have oeen terrloIy
worried over my business affairs ne
mast few weeks. Saturday and last
week were times of peace with you
should not be worried as | have been
and | certainly should not worry or
annoy YOU, and you know there is no
one else | would tell my troubles to.
You certainly have my fullest CONN.,
dence.
"If YOU trust me as do you, there
il a favor you can do which will bring
this situation around, that will help me
greatly and will enable me to make
great success, and will cost you. moth
ing, but, on the contrary, VIII make you
n whole lot Of money IN very lie"
months. If you would let me use your
Steel stock for time to let me estao-
lish a bank credit here, it would be as
safe as in YOUR own vault. / will give
YOU 6 per cent interest while | use 1t,
and will give you in the st. Louis car
matter, if concluded, 100000 worth Of
the common stock of that company.
"As soon as | get to London and the
matters are closed there | will be easy,
and | will return this to you. 1t will
not be sold. only left with the bank
temporarily as credit until l COM
plete my business. You don't know
how great relief this would be.
"If you think you are taking an I'M
reasonable chance, don't do 1t, sweet
heart. / had a long talk with ST.
Louis last night and there is an I'M
portant matter that must be met be-
fore the banks close to-day, and II |
cannot meet il | am ruined and will
have to commence life all over again.
"Please don't misunderstood this
letter. | appeal to you as the one
person | would trust. Am | worthy OF
such confidence?
your own r.
please destroy this"
1t developed in the cross-examina-
ton that Hartman received about
$50 700 from the stocks which he OBJ
tanned from Mrs. Mackenzie and de-
posted with Van Schaick & Co. Mrs.
Mackenzie herself got no return from
them. Hartman also admitted that he
had given Mrs. Mackenzie a $1,000 au-
4o...oLila G..hinh mid for frnnn