The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-05
SW|NDLE CHARGE
AGAINST BANTA,
REALTY DEALER
Federal Officers Raid Office
Here and Place Him
Under Arrest
FRAUDS AGGREGATE
$4,000, Is CLAIM
Year Old Indictment Is Used
Following Long Search
for Accused

Another alleged frenzied get
rich-quick' real estate operator has
come to grief in this city. Uric De
Poll, alias John ]. Banta, with Of
fees at 702 First Bridgeport Ma
tional bank building, charged with
snsing the mails to defraud persons
fof sums of money aggrega ting S 50 900
from his former offices in New York
city. s6 Broadway, was arrested this
noon at his desk, by federal off,
GERS.
Coincident with his arrest on the
New York indictment, which was
brought about a year ago and which
has caused the police to make a ma
tion-wide search for De Poll ever
since, Lieut.. E. o. ,Cronan, who is at
present preparing evidence for the
trial of William A. Halliday, charging
him with real estate frauds, has start
ed an inquiry into De Polls dealings in
this city.
Since De Poll established himself
here year ago under the name of
John ]. Banta, he has become prom
inent in the real estate business. He
was interested, he states in the de-
velopment of various tracts of land
some of them designated on maps
hung in his Office as Star Heights and
Linden Park.
Many well known Bridgeport resi-
dents have had dealings with him,
but only as an agent for property. It
Is not known that he was the owner
of any land or the development Of
land in his name, as was the case with
William A. Halliday
According to State Policeman Frank
Verelli. and Federal Inspectors o. N.
Schaffer and r. J. Pollitt, who made
the arrest, De Poll, during 1911, IL,
13, IA, founded what was known as
the Malaga Realty and Development
Co., and opened offices in Broad way.
He obtained options on, or came into
possession in some manner, Of $4,000
acres of sandy territory in New Jer-
sey, which he called Malaga city. He
then advertised the property through
out the nation in periodicals and
newspapers, carrying on a mail order
real estate business.
Hundreds are alleged to have ir.-
vested in the land and bought one or
more lots from De Poll. In return he
sent them their deeds through the
mails. Many purchases on visiting
the section, which was advertised as
a growing city, or sending their deeds
to New Jersey real estate auth critics
Tor verif1cation and investigation found
they possessed no equity, the lots in
great sections having been previously
mortgaged.
The New York authorities assert
the land was represented to prospect
I've buyers free of any incumbrance
and they assumed they bought clear
title to the property when they made
their deposit Weekly and monthly
payments were made to De Poll by
mail and in person
His exposure and arrest imminent,
the officials declare De Poll fled to
Italy, shortly before his indictment in
May, 1915. The latter today declared
he has done nothing wrong and was
ignorant of the fact that he had been
indicted and that the police were
looking for him. He stayed abroad
about nine months and then came
back to America, setting in this city,
assuming the name of John ). Banta
Since his advent here he has pros
pered and as a real estate agent had
large clientele. He was we'll known
among his countrymen in this city and
of them flocked to his office this noon
when they received word of his ar
rest, signifying their intention to aid
him in every way.
De Poll stated that he would waive
all rights to extradition and would
not even ask to be taken before the
New York Federal court, but would
go directly back to New York, with
in 1yn OH
this afternoon. Detective Frank N.
Holbrook, who arrested and obtained
evidence against Halliday, will be
assigned by Lieut. E.; o. Cronan to
investigate De Polls career in this
city.