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TRA
Rill
V O L . XXX. N o . 2 6 . Publisbed Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteentn Street. New York, June 30,1900.
Strange Experience at Behr's. Looks Like Colossal Swindling.
NOCTURNAL VISITORS TO THE FACTORY USE
REVOLVERS ON FIREMAN AND
WATCHMAN.
TWO MEN WHO RECENTLY OPENED A STORE
AND PURCHASED PIANOS ARRESTED
BELIEVED TO BE SWINDLERS.
The Behr Bros, factory, recently dam-
aged by fire and water, is rapidly resuming
its proper appearance. The fireman on
duty at the building" and the watchman
had an exciting experience on Sunday
night, which is of moment on account of
the apparent incendiary origin of the re-
cent fires at this establishment.
The fireman went his rounds through
the building at 8 o'clock. Shortly after-
ward the watchman performed a similar
duty. Then the two men, who had taken
up temporary quarters in the office, settled
down to a quiet chat and smoke.
About 8:30 they both heard a noise on
the floor above. Listening intently they
learned that they were not the only human
occupants of the big building, although
they had every reason for supposing such
to be the case. On realizing fully the
situation, the fireman climbed the stairs,
closely followed by the watchman and en-
tering upon the second floor, proceeded to
the spot whence, apparently, came the
sound heard but a few moment's before.
In the semi-darkness was seen the
groping figure of a man, near one of the
cupboards or closets at the west end. The
fireman shouted and inquired from the in-
truder his name and business. The only
reply vouchsafed was a shot from a re-
volver, closely followed by a second and a
third, all apparently aimed at the two men
approaching.
None of these shots reached the mark,
and the fireman responded by using his
own revolver, sending two bullets in pur-
suit of the supposed thief or incendiary.
He then rushed toward the cupboard,
but on reaching there failed to find the
man he wanted. Supposing that an escape
had been made through one of the broken
windows, the fireman and watchman then
returned to the ground floor. A moment
later, a sound of falling timber reached
them from the lumber yard on the south.
As they started toward the yard, two
men were seen by people in the neighbor-
hood, who had been aroused by the shoot-
ing, to jump from the windows on the
north side of the building and hurriedly
escape. Naturally, the two night guard-
ians of the Behr building are, since the
event, somewhat restless and nervous.
They are wondering what luck they will
have next time with prowling nocturnal
visitors.
New York police arrested last Monday
two men on the charge of having within
the last month swindled merchants and
manufacturers out of many thousand dol-
lars worth of goods. The men gave their
names as Edward Logan and Charles
Coates. The scheme was this:
They rented a large store in Peekskill,
giving it the name of the Peekskill Bon
Marche. Then they sent out letters re-
questing thirty days' credit from many
merchants and manufacturers, giving as
their reference a bank in this city and a
bank in Peekskill where they had several
thousand dollars on deposit. They also
claimed to own other property.
Among other firms to whom they wrote
was the McPhail Piano Co. of Boston. Mr.
E. Edwin Long, their traveling represen-
tative, went to Peekskill saw the large
store that the men had rented and num-
bers of cases of goods which they had re-
ceived. All their references being satis-
factory two pianos were shipped. This
order was quickly followed by two more.
These also were sent forward. The police
about ten days ago learned that the par-
ties at Peekskill had received nearly 100
cases of merchandise. These, it is claimed
were re-shipped without opening to this
city and elsewhere to auction and storage
houses. Investigation immediately fol-
lowed and the scheme was exposed. The
money placed in the banks was solely as a
blind, the purpose being to get all the
goods possible and then decamp. The
man who had given the name of Edward
Logan impersonated an Edward- Logan of
Philadelphia, who is in the employ of
Sharpless Bros, of that city.
ia.oo PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS
Last Title Cleared.
STERLING PIANO CO. IS NOW IN A POSITION
TO ERECT ITS NEW BUILDING.
The last obstinate title, which appeared
temporarily to block the path of the Ster-
ling Piano Co. in acquiring legal right to
the property on Fulton street, Brooklyn,
occupied by or adjoining the Bank, has
just been removed. The company when it
builds will take possession of three lots,
one on which the famous chop house is lo-
cated, the second, that which contains
Hooper's art rooms, and a third back of the
Bank, on Hanover place. It was this last
mentioned plot of land which gave the title
searchers so much to do.
It seems that fifteen years ago or there-
abouts, when the present Mr. Blankley pur-
chased some land in the vicinity of his
hostelry, there was one lot on which Eugene
Berri had a deed given option. Eugene is
a brother of William Berri and his place of
business is in California. The option, it is
said, extended over a period of twenty
years, and the delay in the recent deal was
caused by the necessity of having to wait
for him to exercise it or waive his right.
The latter step Mr. Berri took, and now the
Sterling Piano Co. is assured by the Title
Guarantee and Trust Co. that the title to the
entire parcel of property is absolutely clear.
Incidentally, a great many more titles than
modern ones had to be searched by the in-
vestigators. Deeds dating back 200 years
were unearthed and examined; deeds in
which the land concerned was part of a
farm, the Prince farm, it is said, then a
long way out of little Brooklyn on the way
to the village of Bedford Corners.
The building which the Sterling people
will erect will be seven stories high and
nearly all of it will be occupied by various
departments of their business. The cost
of the building and the land all told com-
Mr. Long has been in town and has spent bined is estimated in round numbers at
considerable time tracing up his pianos
and has two located in a storage house in
Buffalo and the other two in this city.
Parsons Leaves for Europe.
The two men are now in the Tombs.
Charles H. Parsons, president of the
The detectives believe that the persons Needham Piano & Organ Co., left for
form part of a large gang of swindlers Europe on the "St. Paul," which started
who are working different parts of the on Wednesday. Mr. Parsons, notwith-
country on the same basis, as it has been standing Exposition and other attractive
proven that these two men operated the temptations, will transact his business as
same scheme in Brooklyn only a short time usual and return home within a brief
ago.
Mr. Long informs The Review the period.
probability is the McPhail Co. will repos-
organ factory at Washington,
sess their instruments without much delay. N. Alleger's
J.,
received
two large foreign orders
The case will come up for further hear-
week, one from Scotland and the other
ing July 10th, in the Jefferson Market this
from Australia.
Court.