New-York tribune., 1920-05-13
Salesman Held
AS Witness i'm
Arnstein Plot
Robert Mcdonald Detained
After Nicky's Name and
Phone Number Are Found
in a Memorandum Book
Ecrement Arrives To-day
Ex-Member of Canadian
Parliament Alleged to
Have Aided Conspiracy

Robert Mcdonald, who said he was a
stock salesman living at the Hotel En-
dicott, was invited to Police Headquar-
ters last night by detectives who met
him on Broadway, and was detained
there as witness in the investigation
into the bond theft conspiracy in which
Nlcky Arnstein is accused. Another
witness, due to-day from Chicago, is
mer member of the Canadian House of
Commons.
Detective Meyer announced that Arm
STEMS address and telephone number
had been found in memorandum book
which Mcdonald carried and that ten
or twelve weeks ago Mcdonald and
Arnstein were seen together frequently
on Broadway. Other names in the
memorandum book. according to Meyer,
were those Of Charlie Druckcr and
Jimmy Ryan, who also arc wanted as
witnesses.
Ecrement. who is believed to have
played a part in the theft conspiracy. is
to be examined this afternoon by Saul
S. Myers and Assistant District Attor-
ney John T. Dooling.
Ecrement, who several years ago was
active in French Canadian society in
Montreal, and Whose uncompieted
house, known locally as "Ecrement's
Folly" is still standing in the fashion
able suburb of Outrcmont, in the Ca
madam city, is declared by New York
investigators to have handled some of
the securities alleged to have been
stolen through the Vaccinations Of
Arnstein and Nick Cohn. In Chicago
Ecrement posed as a broker.
"Nothing new. but something big is
q nH
Wins Appeal in Canada
Montreal dispatch yesterday said
that an appeal taken by Ecrement in
the Quebec Superior Court, asking for
PERMISSION to carry the question of the
venue in his trial on swindling charge
TO the Supreme Court Of Canada, had
been granted
Raymond f. Cooney. twenty-four
formerly bellboy in a Broadway
hotel, pleaded guilty yesterday in the
General Sessions Court before Judge
Thomas c. T. Grain to an indictment
charging him with criminally receiving
stolen property Cooney was indicted
With Donald c.. Burgess, the twenty
two year o Id transfer clerk of Henry L.
Doherty & Co., of go Wall Street
Burgess pleaded not guilty
The Indictment alleges that in Feb
ruary last Burgess appropriated to his
own use 100000 Of interim certificates
of the Cities Fuel and Power Company,
which he handed to Cooney to take to
the Offices of Doherty e. Co. for OK
change for coupon bearing notes Of the
same concern. This transaction was
put through. it is alleged in the name
Of we'll known financial firm.
$4,000 in Bonds Converted
Assistant District Attorney John T.
Dooling alleges that $4,000 of the
coupon bearing bonds were given by
Burgess to Cooney to deposit to the
credit Of an account opened by the two
men under firm name which they had
adopted for the purpose of playing the
market.
When Burgess was arrested it is al
legged that $4,000 of the bonds already
had been converted and lost in this
manner. Burgess is said to have point
ed out to Dooling the deposit vault at
Mount Vernon where $1S2,000 of the
bonds were held, as we'll as another ad-
dress in Manhattan, where $4,000 was
hidden.
Samuel Maria and Arthur Weigand,
who have pleaded guilty to the theft Of
$4,000 first issue Liberty bonds from
the Title Guarantee and Trust Com
pany in December last, will be SEN
fenced on May 10.