Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-24

Milwaukee, July 19.-Elwyn F. Lar
SCI, the absconding president of the
defunct Universal Casualty company
OF this city, is at last a prisoner.
Through former resident at Larson's
old home at Stockholm, Wis, who
| went to Canada to take up a home
| stead, the authorities at Durand were
| informed that Larson, under the name
OF Robert Lee, had been for several
months running a grocery store at
Wetaskiwin, Northwest Territory,
Canada, and yesterday Sheriff H. E.
Austus and Dist. Atty. w E. Plummer
OF Pepin county, this state, suddenly
appeared before Larson with post
warrant from that county on the
charge of forgery and placed Larson
| under arrest. He was taken to Cal
gary, where the case was set for hear
ing today, relative to the issuance of
requisition papers.
Larson was the trusted head of the
Universal Casualty company, with of
fees in the Herman building, and dur
ing it's existence of about six weeks
he had almost absolute control of the
1000 shares of capital stock, being
himself the owner of $50 shares, while
he also held the power of attorney on
455 shares belonging to the residents
of Durand, Wis, Larsons late home.
The company's capital stock of $780,
600 had been authorized by the deposit
ton with the state insurance COM
missioner of forged mortgages on land
in Pepin, Buffalo, Eau Claire, Pierce
and Clark counties, and so perfect did
these appear that the insurance COM
missioner was completely taken in by
them, as were also tn eeXperts who
were employed by him to examine into
their validity. The deception might
have continued indefinitely, had not
Larson fed as he did.
His disappearance led to a thorough
investigation and it was then first dis
covered that a large amount of the
land mentioned in the mortgages had
never existed, while another large
block of it was located at the bottom
of the Mississippi river in Buffalo
county. An investigation of Larson's
character was started by the police
some time before his flight on charge
brought by Mary Jacobs, who filed an
attachment against Larson with the
sheriff of Milwaukee county. Larson
at about this time left the city on what
he gave out was visit to his father,
who was i'll at Durand.
This was early in February, and he
returned shortly after only to leave
again, this time for good. The inves-
tigation which was at once started re-
vealed that Larson had taken with him
all the premium money that had been
collected and that he had withdrawn
all deposits from the bank and left the
company in bad shape. An attempt
was made to reorganize the company
and to continue in business, but the
inability of the other officers to replace
| the worthless security in the hands of
the insurance commissioner with good
security to the same amount caused
the concern to be closed. The policy
holders were protected from loss
Larson had been in the insurance
and real estate business at Durand for
many years, and he had also for some
time been deputy register of deeds for
Chippewa county. Thus he was we'll
prepared, with a thorough knowledge
Of real estate and property, to draw up
in detail the forged mortgages which
so completely foiled the persons whose
duty it was to ascertain their anthem
ITCHY.
Larson had been married but a short
time when he went into business in
this city and he lived with his wife at
719 Hackett avenue. His wife left the
city shortly after he did and she also
has not been heard from until the dis
covery of her husbands whereabouts
was accidentally learned
AS soon as requisition papers can be
secured, Larson will be brought back
and made to stand trial at Durand.