Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-02
MISSING ATLANTA BROKER
IS CAUGHT IN NEW YORK
R. N, Berrien, Jru Wanted for
$4,000 Shortage Due the
State, Arrested by Pinker-
ton Detectives

r. Noble Berrien, Jr., the former
Atlanta broker, who has been want
ed since the middle of November on
charge of Incorporating about
$4,000 of the proceeds of state
school warrants turned over to him
for discount, was captured late Tues
day afternoon in a brokers' office -
New York, according to a telegram
received by the Atlanta office of the
Pinkerton detective agency.
At the office of Governor Hard.
wick, who was Immediately notified,
it was stated that requisition
would be issued Immediately for the
return of Berrien to Georgia. The
governor had offered a reward or
$3.50 for his apprehension, which is
the limit he is allowed to offer in
cases of less magnitude than capital
felonies.
Sheriff James I. Lowry, who
heard the news by telephone, said
he would be ready to start deputy
to New York on the noon train We'd
nesday, if the papers could be got
in shape by that time. The sheriff
holds a warrant charging Berrlen
it'll embezzlement, which was
sworn out in the municipal court
Immediately following Beriren's de-
parrure from the city.
During 1920 and 1921, Berrien Top
Grating under the name Of "R. N.
Berrien, Jr.,, Company, Private
Bankers'O, was discount agent for
the state in handling school war
rants. The law authorities the
drawing of deferred warrants on
the treasury to meet monthly pay"
ments of the school appropriation.
They are issued from time to time
during the current year and dis
counted, and the state pays them in
the foil wing Febr''"''-- after tax
collections are finished.
The arrangement with Berrlen
was to turn over to him deferred
warrants made payable to the vari-
Gus school boards, after the war
rants had been sent to the payee
for Endorsement and returned 10
School Superintendent Britain.
They were discounted by Berrien
and the proceeds distributed by him
to the payees in their respective
amounts. Early in November it was
proceeds of warrants turned over to-
Berrien had not been paid to the
school boards. That is to say, Ber-'
rien's checks sent to them had been
returned unpaid for insufficient
funds.
Berrien asked for time to make
them good. Pinkerton detectives
were employed to keep him him un.s
der surveillance. He managed to
elude their vigilance one Sunday
night about the middle of Novem-
Der and left the city. A few days
later he wrote the governor letter
saving he would repay the money
if let alone so that he could make
it. which he believed he could in
a canneetion he had formed. The
letter wds sent here to some friend
ana IC-uldllcu W lllC SoONSA iiCA'
The immediate return of r., y.
Berrien, Jr., to Atlanta to stand
trial on a charge of embezzling some
$4,000 or more Of the proceeds or
state school warrants turned over
to him for discount was planned by
state and county authorities. We'd
nesday, following the announcement
of Berrier's capture in a brokers' Of
flee IL tie financial district in New
York City.
A requisition for the return OF
Berrien was issued by Cover
nor Hardwick, and Sheriff Lowry
announced that Deputy Sheriff Lee
Whatley would leave at o'clock
Wednesday afternoon for New York
on the Birmingham 0pecTsy1," tax
ing the requisition with him. The
sheriff expected Deputy Whatley to
return with Berrien not later than
Sunday.