The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-18
George Wilson. the Young Man, Was
Spending Money Like Million
aire About City Resorts.
ARRESTED BY A DETECTIVE
WILSON PROMPTLY TELLS THE PO-
LICE ABOUT HIS FUNDS.
Mrs. Catherine Presser Confirms the
story-she Tells Why She Gave the
Boy So Much of Her Money.

"You show me a man in Indianapolis who
is not looking for good thing said George
Wilson last night TO the detectives who
were questioning him. Wilson lived at No.
614ta Virginia avenue and had been arrested
for lettering which at present is the only
charge against him. For several weeks
Wilson has been living high, frequenting
saloons and other resorts, and the manner
in which he spent money caused much COM
ment, even among those in the habit of see
ing lavish expenditures of money. His prin=
cipal place of amusement was Stouts gar
den, on West Market street.
The attention of Detective Holtz was one
day attracted to Wilson, and, being unable
to learn anything of him, Holtz kept his eye
on the young man. who is but twenty years
of age. He was surprised at his manner of
spending money, treating strangers to all
sorts Of drinks and dinners and ordering
drinks unknown to the experienced drink
mixers of the city. Holtz thought Wilson
was crook and was spending ill-gotten
wealth.
Wilson finally became aware that Holtz
was watching him and Thursday went to
the police station and complained Of 1t.
After hearing his tale Clerk Stevenson told
were not in, but if he would come on Friday
he could see them and probably secure some
redress. Yesterday afternoon he again Wis
tied police headquarters and was taken in
charge by Captain Kinney and Holtz and
Stout. After questioning him for some time
Wilson was locked up on a charge of loiter
ing. He was questioned as to how ne came
into possession of the large amount of
money he had been spending recently. He
replied that il had been given TO him. When
Wilson said it had been given to him by a
woman who was not related TO him in any
way it further surprised the detectives and
questions were put to him thick and fast.
Wilson finally told in substance the follow
ing:
SANG IN A QUARTET.
About a year ago he was singing in a
quartet. Early last spring he was invited,
with other members OF the quartet to the
home of Catherine Presser, 1i25 Union
street. where her two nieces were visiting
He became acquainted with Mrs. Presser,
and visited her several times. During his
visits he learned that she had some prop
erty, and also had some money coming TO
her from her husbands estate. He wanted
20 open up a machine shop, and one day in
May asked Mrs. Presser if she could let
him have money to start his shop. She did
not have the cash, but he induced her to
mortgage her home for $780, he accompany
ing her while the deal was made. She gave
him the proceeds of the deal, about $40
Later he explained to Mrs. Presser that
he had squandered the money, and asked
for more. She was obliging enough to put
second mortgage on her home for $500.
of which he was given the net proceeds,
about s270. This he also squandered, and
about two months ago he asked her for
more money, and she borrowed 500 from
her brother-in-law, giving all to Wilson. He
also said she had at frequent intervals CIV
Ell him So so and so at a time, making, in
this manner, about $50 he received. In all
she had given him about 81, l00 When
searched he had on his person IL cents, and
this, he said, was all that was left Of The
money given him.
liberal with her money and given IL TO him,
he explained that they were in love, and
were to be married as soon as he recovered
from an illness which was troubling him.
He protested at first to love the woman,
but last night, when further questioned by
the detectives, said he did not, ard only
wanted her money. The detectives cid not
believe his story and a visit Was made to
Mrs. Presser, who confirmed what Wilson
had told.
CAN'T GIVE HIM UP.
Last night Mrs Presser admitted that she
loved Wilson very much, saying: That
dear Wilson! / don't see how / can give
him up. We were to have been married this
winter, but if what you say is true-well,
/ can't give him up-I don't know what to
do. do love him. Such dear. good boy!"
She said her attachment for Wilson began
at his first visit with the quartet. She in
vited him to the house. and he frequently
ate dinner and supper with the family. Mrs.
Presser is the widow of SEVERN Presser
who died several years ago. She has five
sons and one daughter She is forty-eight
years of age and her oldest son is twenty
two years, old. two years older than Wilson,
her sweetheart. When asked why she took
up with one so young, she said: We'll,
couldn't help it. He was such dear, sweet
boy. OF course. he's young, but that don't
What does your son and other members
of the family think of your affection for
wilson, was asked: oh. she replied
They know L like Wilson, but they don't
suspect love him like do"
What do they think of your giving Will
son so much money!"
"Oh, they don't know anything about that
either. | wouldn't have them know it for
the world. / never told them.
Has the love feature of this affair been
conducted so clandestinely that the men,
bers of the family know nothing OF it
Il don't know how much they know
some time ago Joe came TO me and said he
thought this thing with Wilson would have
to stop, but L can't say how much he
knew"
a LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
Mrs. Presser said Wilson first secured the
500 from her TO start machine shop. The
next thing she heard of him he wrote her
a letter from Fort Slocum, n. Y, explaining
that he had gone there TO look after his
brother, who was in the army and had
been injured. He wrote her several letters
from there and returned some time in June.
Upon his return he had no money and asked
for more. She said: Il loved him and
thought he would be all right. and so 1 bor-
rowed $500 more and gave IL TO him. When
he told me about squandering that l talked
to him and he promised TO do better, and
then / borrowed 500 from my brother-ln-
law and gave that 10 him"
When asked whether or not she would
prosecute Wilson upon any charge she
studied for a moment and said: Il don [
know love the boy. but IL he's that kind
of a fellow-I don't see how L can give
him up
Wilson is not an attractive youth. but has
an agree able address, and the police think
he has simply profesSed love 10 the woman
in order TO secure her money, and. in fact
he admitted much last night. He said
he had eaten supper with the PreSser family
Thursday night and intended going back for
more money. Mrs. Presser said he would
not have got IL, she thought he was
travelling too fast a gait, though he had