The Washington times., 1902-03-10
LAH2HON, ONCE RICH.
IS now PlUPER
Career of Noted 7Swindler
Reads Like a Romance.
WORKED IN THE OLD WORLD
Fled From Russia to America, Where He
Was Induced to Return to His Evil
Life-Had Long List of Victims to
His Credit.

| \ unique. puzZling character, for many
| years wanderer. whose lifetime has
been devoted to crime, is Nathan Laht-
mon There is a detective in this city
who remembers Lahtmon, for the latter
once visited Washington. The story of
his career is that of an adyenturer; of a
| clever swindler the victim of deplorabIe
| circumstances and of evil associates. The
| tale reads like romance. 1t is the
| story of disappointment. disgrace. and
| crime. Once worth half million dollars,
| Isahtmon. when last heard from, was
| practically pauper
The photograph of Lahtmon may be
found in the gallery of the National
| Bureau Of Identification, recently moved
| to this city from Chicago. In February.
| 1899. having been arrested on suspicion.
| Lahtmon was photographed and measured
4 by Captain Evans, Chief of the Bureau.
| By the latter, also, his past was dug up.
| at least SO far as to bring about an ad-
mission of his true identity from the pris-
| oner. Then, finding no avenue of escape
| possible, Lahtmon recited the story of his
| life. 1t is supposed he still lives, al
though the local police have nothing to
show his condition and whereabouts.
Worked in Russia.
operated as swiRdler in Russia for if
teen years before he came to America.
Prior to his arrival on these shores he
had amassed fortune Of 100000. To
accomplish this he had victimized half a
hundred people, some of them high in the
politics of the Old World. Despite such
! operations Lahtmon always escaped pun
ishment so his story goes, because he was
associated with men equally high in power
as were his victims, and 1t was to their
| interest to keep him safe from prison
bars.
Back in the eighties, Lahtmon said, he
| met with reverses that cost him most of
his ill-gotten wealth, and compelled him
| to fee the country. He arrived in New
York City late in the fall Of 1898 with less
| than $1,000 in his possession, but with his
| journey had come determination to re-
form and lead an upright life. His wife
and two boys had accompanied him to this
country, and with them he settled in a
little back street. and not far away start
ed a secondhand book store.
Met Evil Companions.
AS is usually the cage, however, Laht-
mon soon fell in with man who was
conversant with his former crimes.
Though he had not actually before met
this man. Lahtmon finally agreed to give
up the book store and go into a scheme
to defraud. He did not do so, however,
without a protest, but threats to expose
his history, says Lahtmon, drove him to
obey his new acquaintance.
This man, according to Lahtmon, was
named Gabovich, who soon became the
leader OF clique with which Lahtmon
identified himself. Another Of this gang
was detective of the New York force,
who dropped into headquarters of the
clique at intervals, and kept tab, also, on
the doings Of the rest of the sleuths.
With such associates. Lahtmon declares
he entered into a scheme to swindle q
wealthy man named Greenspahn, a resi-
dent Of New York. So well did the scheme
work that Greenspahn gave up S3.l00 be-
fore he discovered that the $40 900 worth
of gold he was buying was only a few
dollars worth Of brass filings. The ILL
gotten funds were hastily divided, and
Lahtmon fed from New York to Montreal
having only $500 az the result of his
thieying operations.
Victim Pursued Him.
Hardly had he reached Montreal. says
Lahtmon, before his victim was after
him. the latter having paid one of the
gang which swindled him for information
as to the others. Lahtmon. to escape
arrest. was forced to pay $3.50 to the
victim, who then went in pursuit of others
OF the gang
Within a month Gaboyich visited Mon
treal where he insisted that Lahtmon ac-
company him to Pittsburg, Pa. There.
with others, man named Simon Green
burg was victimized, and Labtmon and his
pals secured 81 700. For tris offence
Lahtmon was arrested, and he vas sent
to the Allegheny prison for two years.
On being released the convict again fell
in with his old pals. and they next Wis
tied Baltimore. Having swindled a
wealthy business man out of $500 in
the Monumental City, Lahtmon came on
to Washington. This was in the winter
OF 1893.
The local police were clearing the city
of suspicious characters about that time
and ii became too hot for Lahtmon. To
avoid arrest he fled from Washington and
again Joined his pals in Boston. From
Israel Meyers, of the Hub, the gang OBJ
tanned $4,000. working the old gold brick
swindling scheme which had been piled
so successfully before.
Hounded by Pal.
Having fed to Holden Mo, Lahtmon
was bounded there by Gabovich, who
threatened to denounce him and cause
his arrest. So Lahtmon went with his
comrade to Cincinnati, Ohio. and there
they sold some more brass filings for
$500. The next move of the swindlers
was on to Cleveland.
wealthy saloonkeeper. Max Boren-
stein, was selected as the next victim
Lahtmon was introduced to Borenstein by
another saloonkeeper named Jacobs, who
had great faith in the value of an in
vestment in brass filings. Jacobs believed
the filings were gold, so he induced his
friend to make the purchase.
Borenstein paid $ll .+39 for three bags
filled with shining yellow brass filings,
and IL was two months before the swim
die was discovered and reported TO the
police authorities. Then Borenstein
thought that Jacobs had helped to rob
him, and the latter. though innocent, was
indicted and sent to the penitentiary. His
daughter, however. had met Lahtmon, and
she started out TO run him down. She
saw him while he was yet under arrest
in Chicago. and added her story to his
thrilling tale.
In Chicago, Lahtmon was arrested be-
cause of the suspicious Of one r. Lowen-
thai, wholesale metal dealer. 5l5 Canal
Street. LahtmOn interested his intended
victim thoroughly, but the latter con-
ferred with Captain Wheeler, who detail
ed Detectives Egap. Shaughnessy. and
Keefe TO learn something about the man
with gold bricks for sale. Lahtmon
moved from 2O6 Sangamon Street in or
der to fool the police. but he was finally
arrested at II Fisk Street.
Taken to Gotham.
Early in March. 1899. Lahtmon was
taken to New York city by Detective Me
Naught for trial. No case was made
out against him in Chicago. The charge
in New York on which the prisoner was