Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-30
TAKEN In BY A SMOOTH MAN
Council Bluffs Business Men Dupsd by an
Enterprising swindler,
JEWELER GIVES UP THREE GOOD WATCHES
Young Woman Left stranded with
out Cent, While Her Gay De-
ceiver Leaves for Parts
Unknown,
JEWELER GIVES UP THREE GOOD WATCHES

A plausible stranger giving the names of
Charles w. Allen and Charles Wesley
struck Council Bluffs last Tuesday and be-
tween that time and Saturday night sue
ceedng in buncoing a large number of the
most prominent business firms of this city
out of various sums of money. One jewelry
| firm is mourning the visit of this enterpris-
| ing stranger to the tune of three gold filled
| case watches, while others are losere in
amounts varying from 81 to So. Allen, or
| Wesley, as he styled himself at different
| times, left town suddenly Saturday night
| when he learned the officers of the law
were upon his trail, deserting his young
wife, who is now stranded at a Broadway
hotel without a dollar to her name.
Tuesday evening last Allen, accompanied
| by young woman, registered at the Revere
house as c. w. Allen and wife, Helena,
| Mont. The next day he called upon Manager
| Harrington of the opera house and outlined
a plan for putting on military spectacle
with local talent. He inquired as to terms
for renting the opera house for one or more
nights and secured from Harrington the
names of business men and others who
would in his opinion be likely to take an
interest in such an entertainment. Allen
suggested that such an entertainment at
ought to prove popular affair and money
maker. Manager Harrington told him the
terms on which the opera house could be
rented and Allen said he would see him
again in few days after he had conferred
with the business men of the city.
/, Gets in His Work.
It was then that Allen commenced to get
his work in. With prospective program in
J blank of the military spectacle in which
! the High school cadets were to figure promi-
nently Allen called on a number OF bus-
ness firms and explained his proposition.
Although. not overwell dressed he was a
! plausible talker and in almost every in
stance succeeded in inducing the business
: man called upon to place an advertisement
in the program he was to get out in three
colors. From those who placed advertise
ments he found little difficulty in securing
: part IL not all the price in advance, just
: to pay the printers, as he was careful to ex-
o plain.
Having succeeded thus far so we'll he
e decided to fly a little higher and Saturday
0 afternoon appeared at the jewelry store o.
I C. B. Jacquemin Co., on South Mali
n street Here he unfolded his proposition
n and explained that he intended to offer at
an inducement to people to patronize th'
= gold watches, chance on the timepiece
e going with every ticket purchased. HI
r looked over number Of watches and Sc
e lected three, the aggregate cost OF whicl
was s54 Would Mr.. Jacquemin let MN
u have the watches, as he wished to plac
e them in a store window announcing the en-
e tertainment and that they were prizes U
% be given away. He would leave his checl
d for their cost on the condition that II
e failed to get sufficient support to produc
5. the entertainment he could return tn
- watches and get his check BACK This wa
,e agreeable to Mr.. Jacquemin and Allen wrot
st out a check on the First National bank Q
55 this city, signing himself as O. w. wesley
If With the three watches In his pocket II
l. left the store and this was the last tina
" has been seen OF him.
In all his representations to the busines
men whom he induced to advertise in tn
nrogram. he stated that the cadets ha
volunteered their assistance and were drill
ing nightly. whereas in fact, the matter
v taking part in "the military spectacle ma
e. never been broached to them.
Woman is HeartbrOlken.
~ ~ The Young woman whom he deserte
when seen at the Revere house, was heart
~, broken, as she realized that she had bee
W terribly deceived She refused to state Wha
her name was before she met and marie
Allen, but said that she had a brother wh
would spend thousands of dollars to brin
70 him to justice If it should turn out thf
~, he had deserted her. She said she had bee
. married to Allen less than week, the wee
IN ding having taken place at Lincoln. A
&c though she refused to confirm 1T, 1T is bt
re lieved the young womans home is in Cret
I'd Neb. She appears to be about
be years of age and from the country. 81
a said Allen bad left her without doll'
an and shortly before he disappeared had bo
cd rowed what little money she had ALLIE
er left behind him grip, but managed to g
adj away with it's contents. The proprietor
Of the hotel is keeping the grip as securi
he for Aliens board bill
,c When Jacquemn discovered that the chez
Iy given him by Allen was forgery and n
he worth the paper it was written on he place
the matter in the hands Of the police, b
Allen had by that time left for other part
OF Allen appeared to be a man about fort
uf five years Of age with light hair and hea'
light moustaehe. He wore fake diamol
ring and heavy brass watch chain al
ow posed as a theatrical man.
RECEPTION OF THE FIFTY-FIRS