The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-09
READING HIS BIBLE.
Stevens Alias Gilmore ct al. Posed
Before His Victims as a Very
Religious Man.
He Has Swindled Women All Over
the Country-Bound Over at
Fergus Falls.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal,
Fergus Falls. Mimi May s.-Frank H.
Stevens, alias H. P. Gilmore, alias Arnai-
tage, alias Delmer. alias Mnburn. alias
Porter, alias Hargrave. these being some
of the names under which it is known to
a certainty that he has operate had his
preliminary hearing to-day on the, charge
of swindling Mrs. Janetta Berg, of Bat
tie Lake out of $1,000.
Mrs Bergs story on the witness stand
was to the effect that he came to her
store in Battle Lake. appearing to be
responsible travelling man, and appointed
her exclusive agent for the sale of some
small articles. for which agency she paid
him $13. In further conversation he dis
covered he was a long lost cousin. and
on the strength of the supposed relat ton
ship offered her large reduction on a
stock of ladies' ready made furnishing
goods and other articles He agreed to
bring the goods to this city and that she
should come here to select them.
When she arrived here she found him
at a hotel. reading his bible and awaiting
the arrival of the stock which for some
unexplained reason had failed to come on
schedule time He explained that the
, company which he represented-a large
Chicago concern which has no existence
was not in the habit Of doing business
this way, and would make it exceedingly
interesting for whoever was responsible
for the delay.
In his brief acquaintance with Mrs.
Berg he had spared no pains, to impress
upon her that he was deeply religious
man, and finding there was possibility
of, the goods arriving during the day he
finally persuaded her to pay him the
money-an even 81 .OoO--and allow him to
make the selections. When she turned
over the money she asked for a receipt.
but the reqeust seemed to hurt his feel
1ngs to such an extent that she did not
press the matter The difference put in no
testimony and the prisoner was bound
over to the grand jury bail to be fixed
by the district court. a
Since the arrest, the county attorney
has received letters from the prosecuting
officers In several other counties where
similar operations have been carried on
and while the hearing was in progress he
was called to the telephone by the Stearns
county sheriff who stated that in case he
was not bound over here, he would like
to take him to st. Cloud. to answer a
charge. The county attorney at Vermil-
lion, S. D., where he recently broke Jail
writes that he has been making some in
vestigations and finds that the fellows
swinding operations have been carried
on from the gulf of Mexico to the British
possessions, his victims in almost all in
stances being women.
An attempted suicide took place at
disreputable resort just outside the cit.
last night, one Of the inmates taking
dose of carbolic acid. A physician wa
summoned and it Is thought the woman
will recover.
A carnival. consisting Of drills. panto
mines, electrical displays and poses plas
ttque. was given at the Lyceum theate
under the auspices of the ladies of thu
Presbyterian church last evening AM
proved very successful.
Alfred Sletto has begun the erection o
a handsome new residence.
The Northern Pacific put on an extr
freight crew this week and will here
after run the mixed train on this branc
thru to Minor, n. D. ."