Norwich bulletin., 1921-08-26
in Notes
 Scraps of Paper''
Seized by Federal Agents in a Cleveland Safety Deposit Vault in "Swindle" Case.

Chicago. Aug 25.-At least part of the more than ss,Ooo,OOO in notes seized in Cleveland safety deposit vault yes- terday by federal agents are nothing but scraps of paper according to- Charles " French, alleged head of a S50,e00,000 "swindle ring" who is prisoner in the county jail here.
 The notes, particularly those of the Master Tire and Rubter Company of Dayton. Ohio, are neither signed, sealed nor stamped, French said today. They We're prepared under a contract which provided for their issuance as needed in the development of the company, he de- ciared. but the contract was never car ried out.
 Scouting the idea. that Colonel John Clinnin. assistant United States district attorney, has any evidence of irregu- larities against him. the 59-year-old promoter of a score or more of "big business" enterprises-which the gov ernment contends never passed beyond the paper stage-repeated former dec lara:ions that the district attorney Is an "honest but much misled man"
 French told his side of the story of | the Pacific Trust Company of Missou- ri-described by, Colonel Clinnin as a 'tin box organization whose only i equipment was metal bond box. a note for s5e000 a piece of paper signed by | seven men and the charter of a defunct company.
 According to French the Pacific Trust Company Is a financial waif which | never had home and never did 2 public business" The charter. he said was purchased for him and his asso. ciates by John w Worthington. now un. der indictment in connection with mai robberies totalling s6.0o0O0O. Denying that he Rad any connection with Worth ington'' projects. French declared tn, charter purchase was only an ordinary business deal
 Ava Harshman, French's private sec retary, who yesterday led federal agent! 1 to the hiding place of approximately 8. l 000. 900 in notes and securities a Mil l waukee is treasure of the trust com pany, French said, and on Harshman | who has turned states evidence, h. placed responsibility for the affairs O tho Missouri organization.
 The Pacific Trust Company accord ing to French. held six or seven hundre, | thousand dollars worth of the notes O 2. W DSvis. Cleveland and Canton fl nancier ard automobile company direc tor Among the notes surrendered b. Harshman, federal agents found $500, 000 of the Davis. notes. s1,250 .000 il notes of the trust company. and fou notes of a quarter of million dollar each bearing Harshman's own signatur and endorsed by him as treasurer O tine Development Securities Company o Milwaukee. another of the alleged "ti ] box French organizations.
 Asked if the millions of dollars l notes seized fro mhimself and his asso ciates-the seizures already total be
 twee ntwenty and thirty million dollar are good, French replied that was
 question Of Interest only to the banks c
 individuals who purchased them.
 French denied the existence of twent
 companies with a reported capitaliza
 tio nof s21 1,0o0.000. which Colonel Clir
 min believes he organized and sold stoc
 in T never sold a share of stock
 my life.s French declared.
 Several ,mcse arrests before the cas
 Is completed were indicated today whe Colonel Clinnin Ennounced that war
 rants had been asked for a number ( men. It was reported that the Frenc investigation has led to a band engage
 in the alteration and sale of stolen Lii
 erty bonds. and that the arrests to I
 made are in this connection.
 No evidence. however. according Colonel Clinnin, links French and. h associates with the mail and bank rol
 bery bands of which Worthington Is a legged to be the head