In the 1920s he accepted a post on the board of directors of the Foreign Petroleum Corporation only to subsequently discover the company was a phony. He obtained stock in Filmland Incorporated and in the Bayside Amusement Company, and these two organizations had ostensibly earmarked property for the development of a theater complex on Long Island. He also held shares and a directorship in the Buckmoran Realty Corporation. These various business ventures failed leaving Martin with lost income and many accumulated debts. Martin's financial problems were further compounded by two household mortgages, general living expenses, and medical costs associated with the treatment of his granddaughter Audrey's heart disease. Martin himself also underwent regular hospital treatment for diabetes.