The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-26


Remarkable Luck Ia California.
The Chicago Inter Ocean has the fol-
lowing interesting story regarding Alonzo
j. Whiteman. who few years ago was
regarded as one of minnesota coming
young men:
Alonzo ]. Whiteman. who is called by
detectives the prince UE swindlers."
ought to be serving the first week of a
recently imposed Imprisonment for fer
gerry committed in Chicago. Whttcman.
however. preferred a sea voyage to a SO
jcurn in an Illinois prison, and, forfeit
ing his bail bond just before his sen
tence was 10 be affirmed, left fer Eu-
rope or some other land beyond the
seas.
Alonzo ]. Whiteman col1ese graduate.
eX-Min~es' ia state senator, ex-chairman
OF the Minnesota state Democrats COM
mittee, seX-delegate to the Democratic
national convention and ex-eand;date for
member of congress, is a man whose rec
ord stands unique. The story of White
mans 6oings in other parts of the coun-
try has been told time and again. His
Chicago doings-some of therl--hava new
er been turned to the light When White
man was a student at Hamilton college.
New York, he was known as the best
poker player in the place. While still a
freshman he dropped into the gambling
rooms of Dave Dischler, in Utica, N Y,
and broke the bank. Whiteman lost a
large amount of money in Minnesota,
and later in Chicago, on the board of
trade. His criminal career began almost
Immediately after the loss Of his for
tune which was supposed to be about
100000. The Chicago wheat and lum-
Der market turned against him, and then
he began to slide rapidly down the moral
plank In the year 1890 Whiteman be-
came a bookmaker on the race track.
but failed in the business He welsh
ed from several tracks, passed forged
checks on other bookmakers and per
petrated number of swindles by means
OF "phOny" tickets. In 1892 no less q
person that Joseph Ullman, bookmaker
noted for his shrewdness was swindIed
Dy means OF forged telegram, purport-
Ing to be signed by Dave Gideon, asking
him to pay Whiteman $780, Ullman paid
over the money instanter. Billy Pin
kerton met Whiteman some time after
THIS and accused him of swindling UI-
man. Whiten1an did not deny the i'm
parchment, and told Pfnkerton laugh
ing!y how he had destroyed the proof of
tiie crime by obtaining possession Of the
bogus telegram and destroying 1t after
1t had been presented, while Ullman's
. back was turned
STAR PLAY IN CHICAGO
Whiteman's shredwest Chicago psnna
while 1t did not net him any money. Sc
cured the immunity of pal named James
DE witt from prosecution Tor the passing
OF two forged checks. De Witt was a
cadet at the West Point Military academy
LOT a year, being discharged. from the
schoo1 for deficiency in his studies. At
one time during his cadet career he yvas.
paced in arrest by the authorities on
the charge of, making an official false
statement. 1t was the recollection Of tha
TACT IN after years that saved one of he
Wits fellow cadets, who resides in Chit
Saso' - round sum of money One day in
1esS DE Witt walked into the sChicagos
once or his former fellow student who
was newspaper man and asked bt,,, ~
get the cashier to cash a SIPS check for
niin' Inc request was civiIlyz declined
Wo hours -afterward a telegram was .ra
ceiVed oy the newspaper man from Tja,,t
James +. Sanford, OF the United States
engineer corps, stationed at st. Louis.
ASKING II DE Witt had been seen recently
In Chicago. Further telesranhinc 10
WlSn60
see DE Witt to the extent Of 500 the
money having been obtained on a forged
check. Next day 1t developed that sam
ueI Rodman, of Chicago a graduate OF
west Point had given up $3.50 to De Witt
on plI OF worthless paper. Here is
where Whiteman comes in. Rodman had
secured De Wits arrest. White,nan
who was De Wits partner and ~
1t is now alleged, forged the check called
on Rodman, and told him that he was
great friend of the De Witt family ana
especially of De Wits brother. who was
federal judge. His sole object ba sstd
was to save the family from disgrace. and
IN fife oii"iice
MEETING THAT SAVED DE WITT. u
Rodman was affected, and was Just in
the mood to stop prosecution. 1t seemed
however, that Whiteman had heard +het
81 Louis officers were after DR.. Witt. and
that the Chicago newspaper man had hoo,
communicated with by the engineer officer
victim with a view of holding De WITT
IN case he was cleared on the Rodman
charge So Whiteman asked Rodman To
20 with MIN to the newspaper office, and
see what could be done toward softening
Lieut.. Sanfords heart through the
medium of his Chicago friend and agent
Whiteman played in luck when no
sought the newspaper office, for he no
sooner had entered the editorial portals
than he was recognized by one of the
department chiefs as an old college
mate. OF course the department cbjaf
knew nothing of the launching of white
man on criminal career. This greetine.
OF Whiteman established his standing at
once with the man who was looking after
the st. Louis army officers interests
Arrangements were being made nv
means of which De Witt, who White
man insisted had never before Welded
10 temptation, was to be given a chance
to redeem himself. Late that afternoon
a Chicago evening paper stated that one
Alonzo j. Whiteman had passed a had
check at the Richelieu hotel, but that
ne mad escaped arrest by raising funds
somewhere and repaying the money.
Then the eyes of Rodman and a certain
newspaper man were opened Whiteman
did not call again, but before his Chicago
dupes could act he had secured De
Wits release on straw bail and had
left town.
GAME AT WASHINGTON PARK
Whiteman came back to Chicago about
a year after he had so cleverly secured
his partners release On June % of that
year, 1894, Whiteman went to the Wash
lngton park race track, and with a ner
fectly innocent air of business began
the collection of the $500 license fee from
each of the ninety bookmakers doing
business at the track. Whiteman had
the regulation money bag over his
shoulder and had succeeded in coIlao+in.
$500 each from three of the ordinarY
shrewd bookmakers. The fourth man
was suspicious and refused payment nm
less Billy Pinkerton, who was at the head
of the detective force there, would iden-
tify the collector as the authorized agent
Whiteman did not care to meet Pinker.,
ton, and fearing immediate arrest. he
threw the bag containing the 5000 COL
lected into the French mutual stord