Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-15
Man Whom Laura stickley
Risked Life to Escape Grim
inal of Dangerous Type
LATEST EPISODE HIS UNDoINe
History of His Life for Last Ten Years
is Black With Crime and Perfidy-
EmbezzIement, Bisamy, Criminal
Assault, Abduction, Desertion and
Many Other Charges Preferred.

Chicago, May Recommending as a
pickpoeket at Dayton, Ohio, ten years
ago. John Lepger, alias Harold c. Mills,
Harold c. Reed, and Homer c. Reed,
to escape whom Miss Laura Stickler
jumped out of a third story window in
the Newport hotel has run the gaunt
of crime. He is now confined in n
cell at the Harrison street police sta
ton under charges of abduction. at
tempted criminal assault. and wife
abandonment. Bigamy and embeZzle-
ment will undoubtedly be added to the
charges today.
From Miss Florence Reale, who mar
ried the man last October. supposing
his name to be Mills, his true name
was learned, and also a number of facts
concerning his criminal career. Ii has
established beyond doubt that he has
served term in the Ohio penitentiary
for picking pockets. and that he has
been married to women in various parts
of the country, without going thru the
formality of securing divorce.
The man whom 1 supposed to be
Harold c. Mills, and my lawful hus-
band, is John Lepger, an ex-convict of
Ohio said Miss Beale yesterday. He
has been married to three women be-
sides myself. l kno wthe name of one
of these wives. He was married to her
in St. Louis in July, 1899, and deserted
her in September of the same year.
after securing about $4,000 of her
money. She learned of his convict
record and secured dicorce. 1t was
from her that l obtained these facts,
but am under promise not to divulge
her name or address at present.
He also married young woman in
Detroit, March rs, 1902. and deserted
her April IL, of the same year. A
tritle over six months afterward he
me. A few months ago he went
thru a marriage ceremony with a wom-
an in Pittsburg. His marriage to me-
and the Pittsburg marriage were both
bigamous. The facts are we'll in hand
ana will be proven. Whether he has
any more wives turnout the country
do not know. The detroit wife secured
a divorce about three weeks ago. II
was in the Detroit papers at the time.
She supposed her name to be Mrs. Har
old c. Reed"
Lepger started his criminal career
so far as known, in Ohio. about ten
years ago. He was convicted OF pick
ing pockets in Dayton early in 1894,
and served one term in the peniten-
-.
Convict No. 25640. Upon his release he
assumed the name of Harold c. Reed.
and opened livery stable at Lima.
Ohio. He remained there about year
gaining the confidence of number of
people, and left a large number of un-
paid bills.
He next went to Cleveland, Ohio. and
formed a building and loan association,
number of prominent men IN
that city to lend their names and in
fluence to the concern. He abSconded
with all the assets in a few months. and
yictimized, besides the stockholders,
of others whom he had induced
to advance him money. Lepger' was
not heard of again until the summer
Of 1899, when. he appeared in ST. Louis
mad induced a young widow with whom
he became acquainted, to marry him
and put part Of her fortune in a picture
business. 1t was known as the II. G..
Mills Art Institute, and was located in
rooms 303-304 of the Benoist building
in that city.
1t was in reality only a picture en-
larging scheme on small scale. but he
to her that 1t required a
large sum of money, and got her to adj
vance him about $4,000. She afterwards
gave him a deed to some property IN
Illinois, which he disposed of. securing
about $1,000 more. He deserted her
IL, 1899 Upon institutng
inquiries she learned of his convict
career. and secured divorce the fol-
lowing year.
Lepger next appeared in Detroit, and
founded the Provident Home Company.
similar to the enterprise started in
Chicago, which failed last December.
While in Detroit he married his stem
ographer under the name of Harold Z.
Reed. ell deserted her soon after.
Arriving in Chicago in May, l9o2.
Lepger Immediately started to work or
ganizing the Guarantee Home Purchas-
ing Company. He again assumed the
name of Harold c.. Mills and represent
ed himself to be a relative of Horace
C. Mills, wealthy lumber dealer OF
Buffalo, N. Y. His operations in this
CITY are we'll known. He made the ac-
ouaintance of Miss Beale shortly after
coming here, thru a visit to the home
of her uncle and aunt, on business con-
nected with the Home Purchasing
Company.
After absconding from Chicago leav-
ing the stockholders of his company IN
the lurch, Lepger was next heard from
in Pittsburg.
Other things have heard about the
man are he has a bad record in num-
Der of small towns in Ohio, where he is
said to have operated under various
aliases. In one of these towns IL is
said, he married young woman or
good family, and deserted her after a
few months.
Laura Stickler, the young woman
who Jumped out of the hotel WlnaoW'
claiming that Mills threatened her with
a revolver, is in a fair way to recover
from her injuries.
A Little Early Riser
Now and then. at bedtime, will cure
biliousness and liver trou-
bles. DeWitt's Little Early Risers are