The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-29
HAD A BIG PLUMBING SCHEME.
WAS GOING TO INTRODUCE SOME
AMERICAN METHODS IN NEW
MEXICO.
ALL HE NEEDED WAS THE CAPITAL
His Effort to Secure That Led 10
His Arrest Yesterday After
noon.


spector of the department of Chicago,
nipped in the bud an alleged confidence
game and saved Mrs. Margaret Fitzger-
aid from being f1eeced of $1,000. r. d.
Coleman, temporary resident of Min
neapolis, is the man taken into GUS
tody, and it is claimed that he has ad-
mitted his fraudulent purposes.
Mrs. Fitzgerald resides in neat cot
tage at $50 East University avenue,
and in the absence of her husband lives
alone. Last April Coleman and a
woman, supposed to be his wife, visited
Mrs. Fitzgerald upon the recommended
ton of a local renting agency, and eX-
pressed a desire to rent portion of
her house. Both Coleman and the
woman appeared eminently respecta-
BILE, and thinking they would be desir-
able from the point of companionship,
as well as for the pecuniary benefit to
be derived from the rent of the house,
Mrs. Fitzgerald accepted the couple as
tenants, giving up the lower floor of
the cottage for their use.
AS the acquaintance between Mrs
Fitzgerald and her tenants progressed
she more than ever congratulated her.
self upon so pleasant an acquisition to
her household, and wrote to her hus-
band telling of her good fortune Mr.
Fitzgerald replied that he was very
glad that his wife was so pleasantly sit
uated in his absence, and all went we'll
for period of two months, during
which time Coleman claimed to be rep
resenting plumbing firm in ST. Louis,
Mo.
About the middle of June Coleman
told Mrs. Fitzgerald that if she had $50
on hand he could invest the money for
her in such a manner that it would
double itself in a very short time. By
his solfcitous concern in her matters of
business on previous occasions Cole
man had entirely won the confidence of
his landlady, and, believing in his hon
esty, she gave him the $50, with the
hope of soon receiving a 800 bill for
her investment. Later Coleman told
her he had invested the money in wheat
and that a turn in the market had
| swallowed the investment Then he
proposed the plan by which he hoped
to secure $1,000 Of his trusting land
lady's savings, which was to the effect
that he was about to start a plumbing
business in New Mexico, where the
could become a partner, with a third
interest, upon the advancement of
$1,000. When Mrs Fitzgerald told him
that she did not have that much ready
| money, Coleman suggested that she
could transfer the deeds on some of her
property and raise it in that
manner. There was no hurry, he said
only it would be a splendid investment
and she had better think it over.
After discussing the matter on sew
| eral subsequent occasions Coleman. on
| the 10th Of this month, informed Mrs
| Fitzgerald that he had received a sud-
| den summons to Chicago, and, together
| with his supposed wife, left the house.
| Before going, however, Coleman gave
| Mrs. Fitzgerald Chicago address, tell
| ing her that if she decided to go into
| the New Mexico deal to write him i'm
mediately.
| Soon after Coleman left, Mrs Fitz-
| gerald became somewhat suspicious of
| his proposed plan and consulted with
! friends regarding the matter with the
result that quiet investigation, dis
closed the fact that her former tenant
had not gone to Chicago, but had, the
same day he left her house
| taken apartments at No 81
Thirteenth street south, Min
neapolis. Anxious to secure the $50
which she had given Coleman and
which he had promised to return. If
! she consented to engage in the New
| Mexico proposition, Mrs. Fitzgerald
wrote to the Chicago address given
| her by Coleman. In due time she re-
received reply ostensibly from the
windy city stating that all the arrange
ments were completed for the venture
| and that Coleman would come to St
Paul yesterday for the purpose of sign
ing contract and receiving her 81 600
The letter also stated that Mrs Cole
man was in Milwaukee taking care Of
very sick child ola sister Later a
letter signed by Mrs. = Coleman and
| mailed from Milwaukee was received
by Mrs. Fitzgerald, telling of the illness
| of the child and relating the success
which was sure to attend the plumbing
enterprise in New Mexico.
] Knowing that Coleman and the
woman who passed for his wife were
| in Minneapolis during this correspon-
dence, and thinking she was being
made the victim Of a swindling opera
ton, Mrs Fitzgerald reported the mat
ter to United States District Attorney
Stringer, in that she believed the mails
to have been used fraudently, and to
Chief Schweitzer. When the latter
learned that Coleman was to come to
! st. Paul yesterday he Immediately con-
ceived plan for his arrest. Post Office
Inspector Farrell, who is in the CITY.
was called into the case on behalf of
the government and he and Detective
| Werrick, accompanied by Detective
Doyle, of Minneapolis secreted them
selves in the Fitzgerald home to await
| Coleman's arrival Mrs Fitzgerald
had been instructed what to do and the
| detectives took a position where thew
could see and hear everything which
| transpired.
At IL o'clock Coleman arrived true to
his appointment. He was ushered into
the parlor and Immediately began to
expatiate upon the partnership which
he was about to form with Mrs. Fitz-
| gerald. He went into all of the de-
tails stating that no plumbing had ever
been done in New Mexico and that be-
ing the first in the field the new firm
would have monopoly on a vast
| amount of business. He said he had
just resigned position in Chicago and
had completed the purchase of tools
| and such accessories as were necessary
to carry on a first class plumbing bust
| ness, concluding his enthusiastic re-
| marks by presenting a formal contract
| which he requested Mrs. Fitzgerald to
sign. She told him, however, that she
did not have the money ready to turn
/ over to him then but that If he would
call today she would complete the deal.
Coleman said he would do as requested.
AS he started to leave the house few
minutes later the detectives placed him
under arrest.