Evening star., 1932-04-04
FRAUD INDICTMENT
CITES EX-OFF|C|ALS
OF MORTGAGE FIRM
Jury Charges Statements
Were Issued to Hide Dis
sipation Of Funds.
]. C. MILLAR Is NAMED
ON SIMILAR CHARGE
False PretenSe Laid to Reputed
First Husband of Peggy Hopkins
Joyce-True Bills Total IS.


43, a puklic accountant and former
auditor for the corporation, were Jointly
indicted today on a charge of using the
mails to defraud,
They are accused Of sending to stock
holders of the company in various
places false statements of the financial
status of the corporation during 1926,
1927. 1928 and 1929 with intent to de-
fraud. The names of the recipients OF
the statements are set forth in the
Indictment.
The indictment charges the state
mentS were sent out to prevent the
stockholders from learning of improper
investments, dissipation of funds of the
corporation, the impairment of its
capital and the unsound financial con-
dition of the company, and to prevent
them from taking action to avoid fur
ther losses.
Petty and Potter both were described
as employees of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. engaging in work in the
employe of the securities concern in ad-
dition to their work with the Govern
ment.
Petty is not related to either Thomas
Edward Petty, for many years engaged
actively here in the real estate business,
or John A. Petty, secretary Of the
Washington Real Estate Board.
Losses Follow Rapidly.
The company was incorporated in
Delaware April 30, 1922, and had ac-
quired assets of $1,38l, 140.50 by De-
cember, 1926. Losses followed rapidly,
it is stated and the assets declined
more than 100000 in three years, ac-
cording to Assistant United States At
torney william A. Gallagher, who pre-
sented the case to the grand jury.
&c. Millar Indicted.
Fraudulent use Of the mails also was
charged in an indictment against Joseph
c. Millar, who operated a hotel and
hospital supply business at All Penn
sylvania avenue. The indictment was
in five counts and alleged that the
offenses began in october, 1890.
The Government charged Millar en-
tered into various contracts through
the mails under the name of j. G.
Millar Co. to purchase goods from
various corporations throughout the
country by false statements without any
intention to pay for the goods. He is
said to have sent out false statements
of his financial condition.
Sherburne Philbrick Hopkins, 40,
reputed first husband Of Peggy Hopkins
Joyce, was indicted on charge of false
pretenses by which the Riggs National
Bank lost S2,31725. Hopkins, who lives
in Charlotte, N. c., is accused Of signing
applications for the issuance of
cashiers draft for that amount when
he had presented an alleged check Of a
corporation February II, 1881. Treasury
Department officials are said to have
identified the handwriting, which led
to the arrest of Hopkins here recently.
John w. Travathan and Harry B.
Lewis, who were accused by police of
extorting several thousand dollars from
James M. Slusher, a young employe OF
the Sanitary Grocery Co., were indicted
on a charge of robbery. The indict-
ment was in two counts, one charging
that $40 was taken from Slusher Feb
ruary 10 and 500 the following day.
Slusher told of other sums of money
he had given the men through fear.
Fingerprints Lead to Charge.
FingerprintS on piece of glass led
10 the Identification and indictment
of Henry Davis on a charge of house
breaking. He was accused Of breaking
into the store of the wilkins Coffee
Co., SIS Rhode Island avenue north
east, and taking s2,299.07 December 10,
after breaking the safe. He was ap-
pretended recently in New Jersey.
A cracking charge also was
made against William Davis in an in
dictn1ent for HOUSEKEEPING. He is said
to have blasted open two safes in the
store Of the Hahn Shoe Co., Seventh
and K streets, February Is. The safes
contained only Office records.
HOUSEKEEPING and larceny we're
charged against Bernard M. Finley,
John T. Ready James r. Pennifield
and Elmer Shifflet. The found youths
are said to have broken into the Cor
don Junior High School, Thirtyfourth
street and Wisconsin avenue, March Is
and to have taken a metal cash box,
which turned out to be empty.
The grand jury declined to indict
Ernest Meile, 80, of the 1000 block of
Foote street northeast, and John Charles
Price, 35, of the 600 block of Pennsyl-
vania avenue southeast, former firemen,
on charge of conspiracy to kill Fire
Chief George S. Watson.
Other Cases Ignored.
The grand jurors also refused to in
dict in the following cases: James Leroy
Carroll and Roland E. oxford, non-
support; Sam Evans, bigamy; Raymond
Ignatius Carter, assault with intent tc
kill; Willie Paulin, alias Reds, assault
with intent to commit robbery; Viii
Hancock, Matilda Payne, John Payne
Carl E Smith, alias Carl E. McKem-
mer, and James Gray, alias Horace
Turner, robbery; Clirt Birmingham, vio-
lation Harrison narcotic act; Louis
Stone Nathan Lindenbaum, Sims Rich
ardson, Pinkney Anderson, John Ellis
Luther E. Cline, Silas Cline and William
Wells. assault with dangerous weapon,
Julian Williamson, George EmmitI
Hicks, Albert Foster, Henry Lee John
son and Casey Smith housebreakinl
and larceny; Jack Rosenberg, Noel T
HARRISON, Edward A. Johnson and Johr
r. Washington, violation national pro.
hibition act; Leroy Matthews and Rob
ert Lee Sullivan grand larceny.
Indictments and Charges.
The grand jury in making its fina
report to the court returned 68 indict
ments and ignored % cases. Other
indicted and the charges against then
include:
Arthur Clifford Wilkerson and Earl
o. KeySer, nonSupport of minor chill
dren; Edward Miller alias John II
johnson, John Francis Mack. Gerall
Ford, Sterling Landon, William
Dade, William Tasker Robinson, Alber
Z. Fenton, Howard Goding, George S
Byrd, Cecil Greer and James Cerrets
grand larceny; Joseph Henson David
son, joyriding and grand larceny; Erie
T. Brinkley and Frederick Tart, viola
ton of section 826-b, District OF Colum
bia Code; James z. Foster, James John
son, Robert P. Withers, Richard .
Miller, John E. Williams Melvin Brew
or, Joseph Turner, Charles E. Schramn
Charles Johnson and James Seay, JOY
riding: Dorothy johnson, larceny afte