The sun., 1918-10-26
RICE OFFICE SHORN
OF ITS GRANDEUR
Promoter in Eclipse and Bank
ruptcy Proceedings Are Be-
gun Against Him.
SWAMI, MAKING INQUIRY
Federal Attorney Interested,
for He Has Indictments for
Scheftels Ex-Partner.

Investors applying this morning at the
office of George Graham Rice, promoter
and litterateur. at 81 William street Will
find there only the head Of bull from
the wilds of Africa, the same head which
has adorned the customers room Of the
establishment for the last year and
half, regarded in that time only as an
ornament or trophy, lacking in especial
significance.
The bull persisted at tho Cape OF Good
Hope in 1915, brought down by the rife
OF some sportsman who subsequently,
presented ii TO Mr.. Rice as token OF
his esteem, neither asking nor receiving
money for It; the bull in fact being use
less as collateral, since the meaty or
disable portions OF it remained at Cape
Town. But with nothing remaining OF
1t behind the ears ~ has hung as an
ornament and symbol in the Rice office
for eighteen months.
Since It Is impossible to maintain a
promoters office with no other furni-
ture than a bulls head patrons arriving
IN William street this morning will real
!ze that the Office is no longer engaged
in business nj the same office. Moving
men appeared there at the close OF the
Stock Exchange yesterday afternoon and
removed every vestige' OF personal prop
erty but the horned head OF the bull.
Records Go skyward.
Bernard H. Sheftels, one time partner
OF Rice, stepping from this side to that
as the men pried away the carpet from
the floors OF the board and executive
rooms. announced that the furniture had
been sold and was being removed by the
buyer, saving only some fugitive pieces
and records. which were being freighted
10 the offices of the Rice Oil Company
seven floors higher up.
In law, !. not in fact, certain OF the
promoters creditors have the jump on
others who have not been at his office
recently. For Yesterday three Of them
Kuhn Co. Herbert J. VILE and Abram
Saron-filed petition asking for his in
voluntary bankruptcy. Their petition
states that they do not know the amount
OF his other liabilities. IL any, nor the
amount OF his assets. II any.
Kuhn & Co. claim s2.970 the amount
remaining due on n note. Vile asks
that s29e be repaid him out of Rice's
assets and Saron wants s126. Both the
latter claims are based on the amount
OF commissions which the claimants con-
slider are due them on stock sales Their
attorneys will ask for the appointment
of receiver at the opening OF court
to-day
shares Yielded Only S7k.
Counsel for Kuhn & Co. told NOV
ing tale yesterday OF $4,000 originally
advanced to Rice on his note to their or
der. with which was pledged a deposit
OF stock in the Appalachian Oil Com
pany and the I.ampazos Silver COMPANY
The note was not met at maturity and
the lampazos and Appalachian shares
brought only S75 at forced sale. The
demand now is for the amount of the
note with interest. less the S75.
The offices OF the Rice Oil COMPANY
on tho eleventh floor Of the William
street Office building. is the eyrle from
which so MUCH Of the well known Emma
stocks, exploited by Rice. have been put
on the market and sold A legend on
the office door offers the public it's choice
Of the following brands: Old Emma
Leasing Company. Emma Copper Com
pany, Old Emma Mining Company and
Emma Consolida ted Mining Company.
But even the oil and Emma Offices ap-
peared partly dismantled yesterday, vet
Il man who said he was in charge Of
them asserted that the statement that
the office downstairs was closing was
gross error. The downstairs office he
said was being moved 20 the upstairs
office to save space and expedite BUSH
ness, and any one who imagined that the
George Graham Rice firm lacked sta
biiity or permanency did not appreciate
Mr.. Rice at his true worth.
swami Displays Interest.
D!stric, Attorney Swami Is Interested
in the whereabouts OF Rice in so far as
he is anxious to know II Rice has left. or
is about 20 leave. this Jurisdiction. The
United States Attorney for this district
has q similar interest in the man. Five
indictments were found against him by
the Grand Jury sitting In this county
last July, all for grand larceny in the
frst degree. Two days previously he
vas arrested by Federal agents on n
charge of using the mails to defraud.
Rice's real name is Jacob S. Herzig.
and he already had served two terms in
prison when the indictments were re-
turned against him last July He is
one OF the best known gct-rIch- ouirl,
promoters in the country. He was born
in this city in 1870 was sent TO Elm,ra
RcfOrmatorN wNen he was 20. was re-
leased in 1892 and sent 10 Sing Sing for
forgery in 1875, In 1901 he set us as n
Iacetrack tipstcr in this city under the
Arm name Of Maxim Gay & Co, and was
highly successful until the Government
denied his tipping literature the Use Of
the mails and closed his offices. In
1904 he went to Goldfield and remained
In the West until 1909 when he or
ganized r. II. Scheftela & Co, with
main offices here and branches I'm n
dozen other cities.
Scheftels e. Co. was the most SUCCESS
full of his enterprises, but It was raided
and closed in 1910. and he and his asso-
ciates were tried on charges Of misusiug
the mails. After trial lasting many
weeks Rice pleaded guilty and wen, TO
Rlackwell's Island for year. Since his
release he had Contrvcd TO reengage IN
business 10 so fiourishing an extent that
he Numbered his clients by the hundred
and paid $4,000 week in salaries 70
his office force
MONROE MUST PAY ALIMONY