The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-05

Salina almost without a dollar. In
less than three years his companies are
presumed to have sold more than two
million dollars of stocks. from which
Broker received enormous commits
sions. Thousands of dollars worth of
the stock was placed with banks
collateral and stock notes were dis
counted until the transactions totaled
hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While Brceker displayed wonder
full organization ability he did not
play to form as a real dnancier. Easy
come; easy CO." seemed to have been
Broker policy He is believed to
have left Salina almost without a dol
lar.
Among his friends BROKER was
most generous and unselfish. He
spent money lavisilly. He insisted on
nothing but the best, and large con-
signments Of such as he ordered.
From a country school teacher in
Mitchell county, Broker. in a short
time, became a financier in the dis
trict. For time Broker sod pickles
for Topeka factory. Then he sold
insurance. Revenues came slowly.
money. He wanted place. He planned
and dreamed. He was chock full of
self confidence.
Virtue of a Slow Train.
One night, SO Broeker recently told
an intimate friend. he was liding on
slow train thru northwestern Kan
sas when he conceived the idea of or
at Salina. He managed to interest
capital to the extent of $4,000 in the
original project. While the first stock
was being sold, Broker borrowed $50
with which to pay his grocery bills. A
few months later Broker was one of
the directors of the bank. At one
time the bank is said to have carried
Broker company paper and sales
notes to the extent of s2s0,0oc.
Being German and only eleven
years from the fatherland, Broker
worked extensively among the rich
German farmers in central and west
ern Kansas. Large blocks OF stock
were placed among the wealthy Ger
man wheat growers of Saline, Russell,
Mitchell, Lincoln, Ellis and Ellsworth
counties. Broker was always conf
dent he would win. Possibly that was
the reason he pyramided the resources
of the Globe Life to aid in promoting
the National Bonding & Casualty
Co. And the bonding company was
built around the Okla-Queen Oil Co.
Dabbling bit in the revenues of all
of these com panies, Broker is said to
have financed the American Drug Co.
No One Knows Where He Is.
Now state officials are looking for
Broker on an embezzlement charge.
He is directly charged with a shortage
was found to be $106,00O. But the
shortage grows. Now it is something
like $4,000 and going up. A syndi-
cate has been formed which pledges
to raise quarter of a million dollars
| to wipe out the shortages. Some of
the men in the syndicate are among
Brokers former business associates.
| All declare ignorance concerning
Brokers location at this time. Yet in
the judgment of Attorney General
| Brewster, there is reason to believe
| that a further inquiry is warranted.
! Brewster has written to Walter E.
| Wilson, state bank commissioner. and
| to the state superintendent of insur-
ance urging that information be pro-
vided concerning the insurance and
| banking records. Broker was as
| ISOLATED with the Traders State bank
| of SaIina as a director. The bank at
| one time carried large blocks of the
stock notes of the life insurance COM
| pany. While Brewster has not made
a positive statement, there is belief
| in state house circles today that
further arrests may be made in con-
nection with the Broker affair.