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ALLEGE SWINDLE
Change of Venue Papers Filed at Oshkosh in the Case of the State vs Louis DE RYDER -- Important to Sheboygan
(Oshkosh Northwestern)
Clerk of the Circuit Court John H. LAABS today received the papers in the case of the State of Wisconsin vs. Louis DE RYDER, alias George SMITH, which is to be tried in the circuit court of this county, on a change of venue from Sheboygan county.
This case is of local as well as general interest from the fact that the defendant is said to have stayed in Oshkosh for a time, during which he is alleged to have done a part of the criminal proceedings for which he is held. It is charged that DE RYDER, or SMITH, conspired with Charles MORAN, alias Chappie MORAN, O. C. MAXON, alias O. C. JENNINGS, and other persons to cheat and defraud Charles VOIGT of Sheboygan out of $6,300 and that they succeeded in so cheating and defrauding VOIGT out of that amount.
This occurred in December, 1910, it is alleged, and DE RYDER and MORAN are said to have roomed here for a week at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth SPIKES at 129 Light street about that time. Mrs. SPIKES was a witness for state at DE RYDER's preliminary examination, held in the municipal court on August 29, and identified the defendant as one of the two young men who had rented a suite of rooms from her in December, 1910. They said they were brothers and their name was SMITH, she testified.
Mr. VOIGT in his testimony at the examination declared that he was brought here by MORAN, whom he had previously met in Sheboygan, and introduced to DE RYDER or SMITH at the latter's rooms at 129 Light street. MORAN, he said, had retained him as attorney for the purpose of endeavoring to purchase outstanding shares of stock in a smelting company near Denver; that DE RYDER or SMITH held some of this stock and that MORAN secured an option to purchase it for $700, paying $50 for the option, with the understanding that is the $700 was not paid the certificate was to be returned to DE RYDER.
MORAN, VOIGT testified, claimed his father was a practicing physician at San Francisco; that he had several sisters and a brother; that the brother was a private secretary to the general manager of the smelting company, which was doing a very successful business and that the general manager and other members of the board of directors desired to buy enough of the outstanding stock to secure control of the company; that he had engaged MORAN to help purchase this stock and finally agreed if VOIGT would advance $6,300 to aid in securing options he would be given a third-interest.
VOIGT furnished the money after he and MORAN had visited supposed stockholders at Decatur, Ill., Madison and other places. At Decatur an ostensible stockholder was O. C. MAXON, alias O. C. JENNINGS. After VOIGT had paid over the money, MORAN, MAXON and others implicated in the alleged swindle "flew the coop," as Mr. VOIGT put it, but DE RYDER or SMITH was arrested later and is now held for trial as noted. Mr. VOIGT is a practicing attorney at Sheboygan and was formerly district attorney of Sheboygan county.
At the preliminary examination of DE RYDER, District Attorney COLLINS of Sheboygan county appeared for the prosecution and Attorney W. B. RUBIN of Milwaukee for the defendant. The only witnesses examined were Mrs. SPIKES, Mr. VOIGT and the chief of police of Sheboygan. The defendant offered no testimony in his own behalf and was held for trial. Bail was fixed at $5,000 and in default of furnishing it he was committed to the Sheboygan county jail.
It is declared that the game worked upon Mr. VOIGT had been successfully played upon a number of others in various parts of the country by a gang of rascals and their "stool pigeons," of whom the defendant in this claim is claimed to be one.