The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-11
REALTY SCHEME NIPPED
"COL. OLIVER VI. WALLACE" WAS
ABOUT TO BORROW $4,000.
Detectives Saw Him Make Affidavit as
TO Ownership and Then Ar
rested Him.

Like the thrill tales of the late Old Seuth
was the method Of Detectives Stout, WeibIe
and Kinney, directed by Captain Colbert, IN
arresting Oliver NJ. Wallace, who styled
himself colonel" He viii have prelim-
mary hearing in Police Court this morning
| OF the charges Of perjury and forgery. He
attempted to borrow $500. giving as secur-
ity a mortgage secured by seven notes. on
eight lots at Illinois and Twenty-ninth
| streets, owned by DR.. Ernest A. Wehrman.
The scheme was that so often used by the
old~time confidence men. Men who attempt
big things in a criminal way are put in
one of two classes by detectives-eith old
timers or "broken-down professional men,"
and the local detectives cannot decide in
which class to put Wallace. He is sixty
seven years old and has white beard. He
is dignified and does not tell all he knows.
Detective Gerber said last night Wallace
looked remarkably like Doc" Gibbs. con-
fidence man of the old days of the "levee."
Wallace came to this city three months
ago and rented a room above Wirt's bak-
cry, on Indiana avenue. A letter found in
Wallaces valse yesterday, from the head
quarters of the Union Veterans League, at
Washington, speaks of the commander go
ing to see the first assistant postmaster gen
eral and speaking to him about some busi-
ness Wallace wanted done for Writ. THE
request will no doubt be granted" the let
ter says. 1T was your letter that mado
me jump" The letter was addressed to
MY Dear Colonel and Friend" The de
teclives presume that Wallace had written
to further some request of Captain Wirt's.
Writ did not care to talk about the matter
when questioned by Captain Colbert yester-
day.
Monday morning Wallace went to the real
estate office of John Minor, in the Union
Trust Company building, said he was Col
Moore and that he represented a friend Of
DR.. Wehrman, who wanted to contract a
loan for the physician. Minor took Colonel
Moore to Charles w. Small. who has an
office at Delaware and Market streets
Moore described the property. Small ar
ranged with Henry NJ Stanton to procure
the money Moore was then told to call
at Smals office in the evening Moore"
said it would be necessary to take the pa
pers to a DR.. Wehrman's room for him to
sign them, because he was ill.
After he had left the office, Minor, who
mad become suspicious, notified Captain Col
bert lie advised against SmalPs taking
The money to a room with Moore" be-
cause. ne said, it looked too much like a
strong-arm game and Small might be
rathia out pr Wehrman said he knew
Stout, Kinney and Weible were set to
watch for him: When he returned in the
evening he made the disclosure that he him
SELF was Dr. Wehrman, and had kept his
identity a secret because he did not want
the public to know that he had mortgaged
ms property. Another engagement was
made between the men for yesterday after
noon when the loan was to be made. Small
and Minor acted as il they had no suspicion
OF DIR. Wehrman" The detectives followed
DIR. Wehrman," as he was called. from that
time on and found out where he lived. When
ne ne le1t ms room Yesterday morning the de-
tectINes shadowed him again. He went
to Smalls office and asked if it would be
necessary for him to be identified when he
made affidavit that he was the owner of the
property. He was told that it would be
necessary. In the office at the time was a
CLERK CLERK WORKING busily with his coat off.
his coat and followed him. Behold, it was
Detective Stout! Weible and Kinney were
up DR.. WehrmansP trail. He went to the
office of II. Waddell. a notary public in the
Lemcke building. He remained for a short
time and then went out, saying he would
return He did return at l o'clock in the
afternoon. In the meantime the detectives
made arrangements with WaddeH and when
DIR Wehrman'' entered the Office Detec-
tive Stout, again clerk in shirt sleeves,
was sitting a a desk his feet higher than
MS mead, reading newspaper and smoking
DR.. Wehrman" took the oath. Stout
watched him sign the papers When he left
the office Stout followed him, and at the
entrance to the building Weible. Kinney and
Stout closed in on him and led him to the
police station.
From that time until o'clock in the even
ing Captain Colbert talked with DIR Wehr-
man, as he still insisted he was. He said
that he had come here from New York
where he had been In business. He traded
some New York property that he owned for
the eight lots at Illinois and Twenty-ninth
streets. Superintendent Qugley took a
hand He told the man that he could find
out in forty-eight hours who he really was
by sending his measurements and pictures
about the country. what is your real
name?' asked the superintendent.
Col. Oliver M. Wallace" confessed the
old man.
Wallace had a letter addressed to Mrs.
j. NJ. Wallace. Nichollsville, KY, who he
said is his niece. The letter instructed Mrs.
Wallace to go Immediately to Cincinnati and
register as Mrs. o. NJ Spencer" He would
send porter to her who would lead her to
the place he was staying II do not think
it advisable to stop at a hotel,' the letter
said. The latter was in an envelope di-
rected and stamped, and it is supposed that
Wallace intended to send it as soon as he
secured the $4,000 He would then have
gone to Cincinnati to meet the woman.
Even when Wallace was taken to the
cellroom he said he owned the property and
that he had acquired it under the name Of
''Wehrman" He gave the turnkey the
name, Samuel Moore, salesman, New