New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-25
MYSTERY In WAKE
OF v. W. THORNE
Mortgage Brokers Ten
Days Absence from
Office Unexplained.
VARIOUS INTERESTS
EMPLOY LAWYERS
District Attorney Investigating
and Clerks Wear Saddened Air,
but Nobody Tells Why.

Considerable speculation ha. been
started by the absence from his Office
since Wednesday a week ago Of Van
Wyck Thorne, mortgage broker OF
$50 Broadway. Until that date Mr..
Thorne conducted business in a suite
Of rooms on the fourth floor, the en-
trance being through Room a.
In the same suite, occupying room
- MS his special sanctum, is George
c. Pointer. In the co-partnership d.
rectory Mr.. Pointer is shown as presi-
dent Of the Metropolis Mortgage Com
pany Of which the other officers are
Irving Zimmerman, treasurer, and Miles
A. Stndler, secretary.
What little could be learned Of Mr..
Thorne's absence came from Mr. Pom
ter. He was busy last evening pack
ing up his belongings as though about
TO quit the Offices. He wore the sad
expression Of one who had suffered a
great disappointment. He was very
precise in making it plain that he was
not associated in business with Mr.
Thorne.
Mr.. Thorne's name appears on the
hall door of Mr.. Pointers Office and
also along with the Mortgage Com
panys title on the door Of the main
entrance. Despite this juxtaposition,
however, Mr.. Pointer asserted positive
ly that he was not associated in any
business with Mr.. Thorne.
at was like bolt from the blue,'
he said. speaking OF Thorne's uneI
claimed absence. There has been no
business trouble Of any kind in these
Offices. | have not seen Mr.. Thorne
since Wednesday a week ago or heard
from him. ! don't know where he Is.
40 one has been attending to MS bust
ness since he stopped coming here"
II was learned that since Thorne
gave up appearing at his Office Mr..
Pointer engaged lawyer and has been
in almost daily consultation with him.
This legal adviser is Addison s. Pratt,
Of 81 Broadway When asked why he
had an attorney Mr.. Pointer said that
ne idQ Ndlltu MIN III " huNiNN HAIA III
a very peculiar situation. Neither he
nor Mr.. Pratt would explain what the
situation was.
II was also learned yesterday that
during the last ten days an inyestiga-
ton has been made by the District
Attorneys Office involving a sum Of
$4,000. Interests other than Thorne's
or Pointers have also engaged counsel,
l II q 10 ~
night.
At Thorne's Office 1t was learned that
he had three clerks in his employ.
Three young men, looking about as sad
As Mr.. Pointer, were there last night.
They gave the impression that they DID
not expect to continue TO work there
and that new Jobs would be acceptable
to them, beginning next Monday.
Mr.. Pointer said that Mr.. Thorne's
full name was Richard Van Wyck
Thorne; that ne was married and had
a son. Richard Van Wyck Thorne, jr.,
about eleven years old. In 1909 Rich
ard Van Wyck Thorne, a mortgage
broker. of $50 Broadway, was divorced
.bv Mrs. Sybilla Cornelia Thorne. who
later was married 10 Charles II. Pope,
a cotton broker. She was an actress.
She and Thorne figured subsequently
in a picturesque court proceeding over
the custody of their child, Richard, jr.,
who was finally AWARDED to the mother,
the father receiving the privilege Of
seeing him several times a week.
At Mrs. Thorne's home, 120 East
Sixtv-fourth Street, It was said last
night that he was not there, and that
Mrs. Thorne could not be seen. IL was
learned that he had married again. He
is said to belong TO one Of New Yorks
oldest families.