Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-09-03
CROOK VERSATILE
MarshaIltown Sheriff Tells More
About Record of F. E.
Meyer.
OFFICE WITH COUNTY ATTORNEY
Aud Plans Big Christian EndeaVOr
FunctiOn-HOw He Got an
OvercOat.

+. L. Myers, alias Maison, Marston,
etc, the smooth individual who held
forth here and at Moline last spring,
yesterday was taken from Muscatine
to Marshalltown, where he Will be
prosecuted for obtaining money under
raise pretenses.
do you know said Sheriff Shoe
maker, of Marshalltown, IF the pris-
oner proves to be the man | want.
that you have been dealing with one
of the craftiest' men that ever wore
shoe leather We, in Marshafltown,
know him thoroughly and the people
there are awaiting my return to gaze
again upon the features of the sleek
est of rascals.
"A. F. Maison. as he was known in
our city, seemed to come from no.
where in particular, but all at once
appeared in our city in the role of an
evangelist. He ingratiated himself
with the Congregationalists and with
in few weeks was the whole works.
The town went wild about him and
his good deeds and seemingly relig
ious sanctification were known and
admired by everyone. He possesses
soft tenor voice and his songs were
remarked upon for their soulfulness.
Starts IN BusIness.
''When he had been working the
church act for some time, he appear
ed one day at my office at a time when
l was not at home, and after making
an inquiry as to where the county at
! tOrney's Office was located, was shown
to the place by bailiff.
! Would YOU believe me-" continued
the sheriff, that fellow actually open
ed up an Office in every way similar to
the one opened in your city and il
was located right in the Office of the
county attorney. Talk about monu-
mental gall. The fellow not only en-
gagged Office room of our county at
torney. but employed his stenogra-
pliers, and when few days later he
had received $15 from each of Il num-
Der of young men he was missed and
to this day has never been seen.
Was Ready to Decamp.
From what l can learn / believe
You fellows got your man just in the
nick of time. for l fully believe he in
tended leaving the night of the day
/ he was arrested. He did not want to
get money from the local representa-
| tive engaged in each town, but con-
| tended himself with the money secur-
ed from the young men whom he had
lengaged in this town. While he adj
vanced some OF them money which
he had obtained from others, he new
ertheleSS expected the bulk of the
boys to pay him Wednesday after
noon. The big reception which he
planned for the Christian EndeavOr
would serve his purpose admirably.
and while the preparation for the big
| event diverted the minds of the peo-
pie from his company scheme, he
would be enabled to get out of the
city that evening, just exactly as he
left Marshalltown and under very sim
liar circumstances"
How He Got an OvCrcOat
The Muscatine News-Tribune has
the following: According to Bert
Mark, this is Myers second visit to
the city. During the time Mr.. Mark
was assistant secretary of the Y. NJ.
&c. ~, one particularly cold day a
stranger called at the rooms where
the business college is now located
and greeted the young men grouped
about the room. He called Mr.. Mark
|
not see something peculiar about him
and was answered in the negative,
again asked the same question. Mr..
Mark states that the fellow had cloth
ing which was much worn, and locked
pale and weak. and that the actions
of the stranger were mysterious. After
looking Mr.. Mark in the face for some
time he pulled a paper ont of his pock-
ct and handed to the secretary. 1t was
a parole from the Minnesota state
prison at Saltwater. He wanted cloth
ing said he was cold and wished aid
and sympathy. He told pitiful story
of having had to serve time for a
crime another had committed. and
stated that he was alone in the world,
his wife and child having died in Yer
mont, his old home, during his inn
prisonment. Mr.. Mark was touched
4 by the appeal. and when the fellow
left town he had been given food,
was warmed, and the proud possessor
of n warm, comfortable overcoat.
How strange it is that this same fell
low would return to the same city
yes, even the very room where he had
been extended such hospitality, and
within the walls which at that time
gave him warmth and sheltered him
from the days wiTtry blasts, build up
a scheme with which to fleece the
people"
FOSTER PREDICTS SOME