Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-11-07
Remarkable Record Of a VET
eran Criminal.
OPERATORS AGREE TO ARBITRATE
Catholic Golden Jubilee Being Held
at Cleveland, Ohio.
OHIO TEACHERS HoluIxs CONVENTION.

Chicago, ILL.,, Nov. 7.-Advices from
Australia tell of the arrest there of
Arthur Bentley Worthington on the
charge of obtaining a large sum of
money by false pretenses from a wo-
man who had become interested in his
teachings and work as leader of
spiritualistic movement called "Stu.
dents of Truth"
These advices give the local police
their first information as to the where.
aoouts of man who, quarter of
century ago, was one of the best
known criminals in the United States,
but of whom nothing has been heard
or known for many years.
Worthington was variously known
in this country as lawyer, banker
political orator, real estate operator
spirtualist. literateur, mining specula.
tor and organizer, bigamist and conf.
dence man generally. Many of the
confidence games now well known to
the general public were originated by
him and he Is. known to have made
thousands of dollars out of his many
schemes. Bhe police records of thirty
Or forty years ago show that he operat-
ed extensively in New York, Pennsyl
vania, Massachusetts,, Ohio, Illinois
Wisconsin. Texas, Utah. Kansas. Cali.
fornia, West Virginia, Georgia and
Washington
He appears to have been born In
New York state, in 1S47 or 1S48, his
real name being Samuel Oakley Craw.
ford. He enlisted in the union army
in 1864, reappeared after the war was
over as temperature lecturer, stud,
ieu law for short while, but in 1867
professed religions and preached as
Methodist minister in New Jersey. In
1868 he married his first wife, jose
phine Ericsson Moore. The following
year he deserted his wife and infant
daughter. and shortly after turned up
in Albany. There he obtained largo
sum of money from an ignorant farmer
and was arrested and in 1870 was SEN
fenced to three years in the peniten,
tiary. When he was released he was
fairly launched on his career of
crime.
In 1874 he married No. in Chicago
the daughter of a Boston clairvoyant
whom he speedily deserted, for later
In the same year he was in Ohio get
ting married to No. 8, who was the
daughter of well known Judge. whose
name he forged to a note for So. 600
Kansas City afforded him, now as "Eu.
gene Bonner" a brief refuge from
these complications early in 1876. but
he left his shelter with a reward of
$50 offered for his capture. A brief
period of law work in Peoria. under
the patronage of leading light of
Christian association, was interrupted
by the expostulations of wife No. 2.
which ended in his flight to San Fran
cisco Here marriage with a wealthy
widow, of whom he had borrowed
trifle of $4,000, was dramatically frus-
trated by the receipt of telegram as
the ceremony was beginning. and the
baffled but persevering bridegroom
sought a more congenial sphere in Salt
Lake City. where he became a Mormon
and is said to have preached in the
temple and got away to Texas in 1875
with great expedition and the best
part of $4,000 lent by the confding fol
lowers of Brigham Young.
In 1878 the apostle of truth found il
well to move to Detroit. where he
Joined travelling company of actors.
In this city. again, in the same year,
he married No. 1, Miss Eliza Hun
toon, under the name of "Bannerton."
Abandoning the stage he settled in
New Lisbon, Wis, where he practiced
as a lawyer for some time, gaining
great confidence in the place. but bor-
rowing money and forging a number of
bonds and checks. When an indict-
ment for forgery was found against
him his partner stood bail for him. and
the prophet escaped. leaving wife No.
4.
During 1882 and 1888 the records
show that ''Worthington" Travelled the
northwest as an English tourist. visit
ing many towns on the Northern Paci-
flc railway. and eashing drafts for
unknown amounts, which proved
worthless. In 1883 he went to Boston,
where he entered into partnership with
a lawyer, and lived in great style
Here he made the acquaintance of a
Mrs. John p. Sargent, married wo-
man, with a leaning to spiritualism,