The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-26
FORGER In A PULPIT
CAPTURE OF THE REV. DIR. PAR
IRISH WHILE HE WAS PREACH
ING A SERMON
WROTE EULOGIES OF HIMSELF
Bank-As the Rev. Mark ThOmD-
son He Cashed Worthless
Check and Puzzled Detectives-
Search Lasted Three Years
Letter Praisfng Himself.


Search Lasted Three Years
Letter Praisfng Himself.
NEW YORK, Oct. 25.-With the ar.
rest of the Rev. DR.. George r. Parrish,
pastor of the First Congregational
Church of Marshailtown, Iowa, on Mon
day last for forgery, there comes to the
surface an unusual story of Implicitly
ON the part of the accused man and
keenness on the part of those who
traced him.
The finish was dramatic While this
Rev. DR.. Parrish was exhorting all evil
men to repent Of their sins, one Of hia
auditors, an elderly clerical looking
man, who had studied him closely, said
to a detective beside him, THAT is he;
that is the forger." And after the serv-
ice the pastor, for whom detectives had
been searching for more than three
years, was arrested.
Oddly enough the Rev. DR.. Parrish
was formerly prosecuting attorney at
Wichita. Kan. Perhaps this Is the rea-
son why he did not resist his extradi-
ton to Sandwich, Ill.,, where he is to
be tried.
Reporter, lawyer, district attorney
clergyman, forger-such in brief is tbs
career Of Parrish as the PinkertOns
made it public at their Eastern head
quarters, No. 81 Broadway, yesterday.
OLD MYSTERY CLEARED UP.
The arrest Of Parrish was hailed with
peculiar satisfaction here, because it
cleared up mystery which has troub-
led the detectives long. The American
Bankers association, in July, 1895. ask
ed the Pinkertons to arrest the Rev.
Mark Thompson" who swindled a bank
at Sandwich ILL.,, out of $500 at that
time. The Rev. Mr.. Thompson left no
trail and his name remained on the
books Of the detectives as reproach
to them. Noted criminals were caught
and sentenced, but the clerical forgef
went his way in peace.
But now it appears that Thompson
and Parrish are one; that 1T was Par.
IRISH who swindled the Sandwich bank.
with the unwilling aid of fellow
clergyman. Moreover the PinkertoHs
say that in October, 1897, the Rev. DR.
Parrish, under the name Of the Rev
Edward E. Aiken, attempted to cash q
forged draft for $500 at Watcrtown
Wis, and about the same time at
tempted a similar swindle at Elkhorn,
Wis, but in both instances was unsuc-.
cessful.
It went we'll with the Rev DR.. Par.
IRISH until the Pinkertons obtained one
of his letters and compared the hand.
writing with that on the check signed
by the Rev. Mark Thompson. Then
the end was In sight
REPORTER, LAWYER, MINISTER.
Parrish is now about forty years old.
He was born in Kewanee, ILL.,, and was
admitted to the bar IN Iowa. He was
a reporter for a time, practiced law,
Nd 49,,
a minister of the Gospel. Tall, Of fine
figure, handsome and a. clever speaker,
he easily won his way. but a certain
uneasiness appears to have kept him
always on the move.
His operations at Sandwich, while
involving a small amount, were re-
markable for effr0ntery., In July, 1895,
the sandw.h bank received a letter.
purporting to be from the cashier of
the Lucas County Savings bank, To-
ledo, O., inclosing a draft for $500, ap-
parently issued by the Illinois Home
Missionary society, of Chicago, in ia
vor Of the Rev. Mark Thompson. Ac-,
complaining this draft was a letter,
stating that Mr.. Thompson was the
pastor of the Central church, Toledo,
O.; that he was then on his vacation,
and was undoubtedly stopping with
the Congregational minister at Sand
witch, H., the Rev. j. M. Lewis, and
that he, the cashier of the Lucas Coun-
ty bank, wanted this remittance paid
to the Rev Mr.. Thompson through the
Sandwich bank
A man of clerical appearance ap--
peared in Sandwich at this time and
called upon the Rev Mr.. Lewis, intro
ducfng himself as the Rev. Mark
Thompson, Of Toledo. He was, he ex-
planned, on his vacation. They talked
Of religious matters, and Mr.. Thomp-
~, oR
the church and such an interesting
companion that the Rev. Mr.. Lewis
pressed him to remain over night. The
ST. anger, with seeming reluctance, con-
sented, as If pleased to promote agree
able acquaintance, although he should
have been proceeding on his Journey.
The following morning Mr. Lewis in
troduced his visitor to the Sandwich
bank, which paid him the $500, as re-
quested by the Lucas County Savings
bank.
1t was soon learned that the Lucas
County Savings bank was a myth, and
that the Rev. Mark Thompson was I'M
known to the missionary society in
Chicago.
The Pinkerton detectives. began to
look for Thompson. They might never
have found him if the Rev DIR. Parrish
(Thompson), desiring a new field, had
not written a letter purporting to be
A4NiA1 JdllIeS Lee Barton, treasurer or
the American board of commissioners
for foreign missions, addressing 1t to
a deacon of a congregational church
at WanwatoSa, Wis recommending
the Rev. DR.. Parrish as a paragon
Of clergymen and one nobly fitted to
fill Wanwatosa's vacant pulpit
LETTER THAT LED TO CAPTURE.
This letter was dated Chicago, where
Mr.. Barton had not been for a year:
but Parrish foresaw possible trouble
and mentioned that he-oste nsibly Bar
ton-wrote while travelling, and there
fore no reply was required. He knew
that if the deacon wrote in reply to
the real Mr.. Barton exposure would
follow. Here is the letter, which the
Pinkertons consider a gem:
My Dear Brother: While lettering in this
city (Chicago) I learned that your pulpit,
which / consider one Of the most important
doubtedly your applicants will be many, but
feeling the vital Importance of having our
strongest churches capably manned, and be-
lieving in the efficiency Of young men, beg
not yet widely known but who. in my judg-
ment, Is destined to be q power In min
istry. I refer to the Rev. George R. Parrish,
Phi. D., who for the last six years has been
in charge at Constantine, Mich.
Mr.. Parrish, whom I have known from his
boyhood, educated for the bar Is a
broad minded scholar and a natural orator,
in fact of the ablest speakers to whom
executive qualities he excels. being, in short
just such "all round man" as to fit him
for service In such field yours.
l write this without opportunity for con-
he desires and deserves a broader field for
work than he has vet had. and because /