Evening journal., 1889-08-08
LAWYER COLL0M, F0RGER
He Has Confessed to Stealing
About $3oo,ooo
SPECULATION WAS THE CAUSE.


Full Particulars of 81. Paui's Great sensa-
tion-How m Attorney netrased Ills
Ciiont's Conndence-Ihe Guilty aian Has
Made Confession.
ST. PArI, Mimi, Aug. S --"Send me 70 the
penitentiaryl No mercy is due me do not
ask for any. I've bten weak and foolish and
/ can only say that deserve my fate No
one can ever know how regret that ! have
violated the confidence placed IN me by MIR.
Blaisdenn
Thus spoke j. Frank COLON, the young
and prominent Minneapolis attorney, while
tenrs rolled down his cheeks aud he shook
hke leaf, after having made confession
that viii classify him among the kings Of
forrers Of the century. He is the perpetrator
Of the most charitable swindle il the history
Of crime IN Minnesota He has forged the
signature Of John 4. Blaisdel one Of the
wealthiest and best known capitalists Of Min
neapohs, 10 checks, drafts aud notes TO the
stupendons amount Of 1894 900
How the crime Came so Light.
For long time COLON has been MIR. Blais-
del's attorney, aud although his forgeries
have been going on for about year they
were discovered only Tuesday by the merest
accident A short time ago a cashier "a one
Of the banks asked a relative OF Mr.. Blais-
dell how much paper be had indorsed for
Collom On being tdld that the amount was
$4,000 the cashier said that there must be
something wrong, as there was something
like Ss50,O00 Of It ahoal An investigation
followed aud the developments were most
~ a
the proofs Of his ruscallty aud at once ad-
mitted ALL He was called into the Office Of
Attorney T. r. Davis, where Ia the presence
ol detectives he told the whoe story.
The Amount Is Nearly @3OO,O0o.
Mr.. Blaisdea positively refused % make
! public any Of the facts In connection with
the case, but from other parties 1t Is learned
that the money which Coilum secured on the
forged notes came mainly from the banks,
and that he has raked Ia in this manner near
ly $500, 900 This money he is said 70 have
invested IN real estate, although II Is more
{ than probable that the major portion Of II
: has gone into the palatial residence on Bats.
Z dell avenue, where the young forger lives il
! fine style employing several servants) viii
Z bis charming VIE and two children.
2 Trying 10 save the forger.
At Ii a. m COLON, his father. Josial
Thompson, bis father-in-law, and Jeslal
= Thompson, Jr, his hrothei-in-lnw, he'd
consultation with view to making good ih
!, amount and saving the young scoundrel from
state prison. A meeting Of the directors Q
the Security bank, where COLON obtaine'
some Of the money, was also held IN the fore
I, noon TO discuss the situation. After HI
4 meeting il was reported that the bank hold
but $23 900 Of the paper. w. i. Clark A
!, E Merrill and Eustis Bros. are said 70 hol'
! large amounts, and much has gone 20 not
brokers m New York and Boston,
i Mr., Blaisdell, the victm has examined th
!, notes Tor IS 900 held by the Security banl
and has assumed the sole responsibility Of tn
& eutire amount, so that the bank will los
/. nothing.
/. The Cause of the Crima.
x Collom IN an interview, said he had IN
/ vested al the money in what he considere
+, good real estate speculations, and that b
e. would have pulled out ali right If the iorgeI
a les had not been discovered. The exact dat
4 on which the forgeries began is not known
u but they grew out Of business relations b.
"A tween the principal and Mr.. Blaisieh The
N were very friendly, and ia order 70 help hi
Il friend out Of certain business transaction
h Mr. Blasien over year ago readily nd
n vanced COLON $4,000 The largest note
le were forged Nnllt Mf. blhlsuel was nhN 9
\ the city The latter knew nothing about th
forgeres until he ran across a note for S94
0OO Looking into the matter he made u
astounding discoveries related above. Til
affair has created a most profound sensation
2 There WIN BE No Compronise.
Colloms lawyer has made proposition I
N settle with the cred tors at 80 cents on IL
II dollar. This the creditors refused. The
y viii prosecute the criminal to the full extel
81 of the law, and win demand his arrest
y once O. J. Rockwood, C1llom's law par
II ner said with regard 70 the actions 81 h
Is partner, ~ would have intrusted Mr.. Co
n lum, So far as honor goes, with all have
hope to have. / received my FIRST intimatic
v v Of the trouble last night. lie has lived hei
n twenty years, and during my business col
nection with him l have always found h
~ reliable. He was a hard worker He neith'
n drank nor used tobacco in any form.
II know nothing Of his business matters excel
that he has owned a good deal Of real estate