The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-06
MILLIONAIREIS
REVEALED AS
AN EX-CONVICT
Adolph Pricken's Past Is
Barred as Cost for Aiding
Government.
WON WEALTH ON REFORM
Admits Old Lapses as Lawyer
for Accused Attacks His
Credibility.

Adolph Prcken left Sing Sing Prison
In September. 1918, after serving three
years for grand larceny. Previously he
had passed four years in Moyamensing
Prison. in Philadelphia. for forgery. He
was 81 years old when he left Sing Sing
Back In this city no detectives bounded
him. The police and the people In BUSH
ness with whom he associated, and who
knew his history left him alone or
helped him to prosper. He borrowed
$4,000 on his unsecured notes from a
bank whose officers knew he had been
In prison. He rose to be a millionaire.
The war came. Automatically the
mans status became that of an enemy
allen. He was born in Germany. He
was Investigated by agents of the De-
partment of Justice, the Army and Navy
Intelligence bureaus. the United States
Marshal and the United States Attor-
ney's office. He told all there was TO
tell about himself without reserve. He
was not molested, and his IS per cent
OF the stock of company that made
taxable profit of $4,000 in 1918 was
not seized by the Alien Property Gus
todian. He is 80 now, and looks older
There are lines across his forehead and
he is nearly bald.
Thought His Past Forgotten.
Having successfully passed the crisis
In his fortunes caused by the war. the
man had reason to hope that his past
was safe from publicity at this late day
Yet he sat all OF yesterday In the
Federal District Court as a witness for
the Government. giving under pitiless
cross examination the story of the past
he thought he was through with for
ever when he left Sing Sing. He said
that when he engaged to aid the Gov
eminent in an effort to trap alleged
conspirators against the income tax law
he was promised that he would not be
brought into the case publicly
Pricken Is vice-president of the Coast
wise Warehouses. Inc, 5s4 Washington
street The trial was that of Abraham
lincoln Samuelson, Morris Rachmil and
Bernard Jaffe of the Sterling Accounting
and Audit Company, 366 Fifth avenue
before Judge Rufus e. Foster and a
jury. The defendants are alleged to
have manipulated the accounts of the
Coastwise company and to have pre-
pared a false income tax return that
would have caused a loss to the Gov
eminent of $4,000.
Pricken explained the alleged conspir-
+.
De Witt. Assistant United States Attor-
ney. on Monday. AS soon as court con-
vened yesterday his cross examination
was begun by William ]. Fallon, coun-
sci for the defendants. Fallon went at
once to an attack on the credibility of
the witness. The questions throughout
were based on the theory that Pricken
bookkeeper and accountant who had
been In prison, was guilty principal
who was trying to shift the blame to
others.
You went to Jail in Pennsylvania for
falsifying accounts-forgery. did you
notT' asked Mr.. Fallon.
yes"
THAT involved a defalcation from the
company by whom you were employed of
how much money!"
'Thirty-three thousand dollars"
when you left the Pennsylvania pris-
on what was your purpose in life?"
ITO do what was right"
You adhered to that determination
for how long?"
"A year and a half"
There was a debate between lawyer
and witness about the latter's quaIifica-
tons as an accountant and bookkeeper
The aim of the lawyer was to cause
Pricken to admit that he was expert
enough to falsify accounts without aid
from others The witness maintained
the opposite He said II he had been an
expert he would not have been caught
In the Philadelphia forgery and detail
cation. II made a bad job of it," he
said.
Admits $4,000 Theft.
Pricken admitted that he stole goods
worth $4,000 from Park & Tilford. This
led to his imprisonment in Sing Sing
The examination proceeded.
In order to escape punishment this
time you wanted to marry a girl and
lead decent life. did you notr"
You are going too far. That is not
true"
Did you make a proposition to Judge
Mulqueen to marry anybody
Nobody"
Did you ask permission to marry any
body while in the Tombs?'
There was an objection. It was sus-
tanned.
Pricken admitted that he filed an un-
true report of his personal property
liable to tax by the city after he had
entered into negotiations with Rachmil
and Samuelson regarding his Federal in
come tax. In this report his personal
property was listed as worth 100000
He said that Rachmil prepared this re-
turn. He paid Rachmil $500 for the
work.
Pricken explained that he thought II
necessary to work with Rachmil in a
scheme to defraud the city SO that Rach-
mil would not suspect him In connection
with the Federal tax enterprise.
The Coastwise Company was oriRi-
nally the joint business OF Pricken and i.
man named Cole. Pricken bought Cole
out and came into possession of IS per
cent OF the stock in February. 1918. He
financed the purchase by borrowing $780,
900 from Levenson a Co. He said that
while the contract was being signed OBJ
lection was made to his signing for the
company He protested. One of the
lawyers took him into the hall and ex-
planned that II would be wise for him
not to press the matter because the
bankers knew he was an ex-oonvict.
The lenders stipulated that their 40
countants should have aooeea to thu