Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-14
PLAYS A CLAUDE MELNOTTE
Young Man from Toledo Does Rushing
Business in Dreams.
woos AND wEDS AN OMAHA MAIDEN
His Fortune, Palace and Title Prove
Pigments of His Brain and He
t. Now in Disgrace and
Jail.

.
Pigments of His Brain and He
L. Now I'm Disgrace and
Jail.
Hugh F. Meisner arrived in Omaha two
weeks ago from Toledo. o.. and since has
left behind him a multi-colored wake such
as would do credit to coal baron. His
brief but thrilling history here is founded
upon his claims that he is an heir to his
fathers estate in the Ohio city aggregating
$4,000. This claim had the effects Of win
ming him wife after a two weeks court
ship Of duping the police department into
making a fruitless but extensive search.
lasting nearly a week for his mythical be-
longings; securing $3.50 from a friend and
sending him upon a holy grail" errand in
the attempt to locate his wealth; and sew
eral merchants are now holding enormous /
consignments OF goods which he had in
spected and promised to purchase. This /
man Of the mammoth inheritance is now |
an Immediately dressed and debonar pris- !
oner in the city Jail and occupies cell No. |
10, where he is being held on a charge of
securing money under false pretenses pre- |
ferred Friday by o. NJ Cooley, VINO be- |
friended him and was duped.
Upon his arrival in Omaha Meisner at |
once began the Haunting Of his wealthy /
visions. His dreams of wealth were be- |
lieved by those to whom he told them, and |
he was Immediately shown every courtesy |
one of his position and financial standing |
could possibly command. A stylish young /
man Of p years, the possessor Of such an
estate. good looking and of fine address and
manners made him an object OF admira-
tion among those whose hospitality he en-
joyed,
Won n wife at once.
Having paved the way for his entrance
into a brilliant future, he began paying
homage at the shrine of Cupid and courted
Miss Isabella Nichols, 2533 Blonde street.
To her he told of his fabulous wealth, the
life of ease and luxury that should be hers
and the mansion which should be built to
suit her every desire and whim, where she
should roll in wealth.
Miss Nichols, the daughter of j. Nichols, !
a record clerk in the Union Pacific offices,
had chanced to make Meisners acquaint-
ance two years ago while at the home Of a
neighbor where he posed as a trained
nurse, while pursuing mythical medical
courses in the colleges OF the east. From
this meeting an attachment sprung. He left
tue CITY lhbl WluleT, anu Sne not near
from him until two weeks ago, when he
again returned. His dreams" lured her
and while he wooed, he won. She left her
position as clerk in Hayden Bros store
at his suggestion and on Wednesday, Feb
ruary 4, they crossed the river and were
married by Rev. John Aitohlson of the
Council Bluffs Baptist church, in the pres
enoe OF the PASTORS wife and o. NJ. Cooley,
with whom Meisner was making his tenn
porary residence.
Worked His Friend.
Meanwhile Mesiner had played his role
with unerrlng accuracy. He called daily
at Cooley's offices in the New York Life
building and told in detail of his wealth.
III the First National bank OF Omaha there
was on deposit S. 900 in cash, he said, while
in Toledo $4,000 in negotiable securities.
cash and gems was to be found in the safety
deposit vault of the First National bank
the balance OF his inheritance, $25, 900, be-
ing in real estate there. Confident that
Meisner was a man Of truth and veracity,
Cooley quickly accommodated his demand
for $3.50 until Meisners weekly allowance
OF $500 would arrive. Mesner's request
that Cooley go TO Toledo and return with
his wealth, which he should invest here,
was quickly accepted. Cooley was armed
with power of attorney given him by
the man of money"
Before leaving Omaha Cooley was IN
formed by Meisner that he should tele-
graph James P. Brown of Toledo, the ad-
ministrator. A message directing him to
meet Cooley in Chicago at the Auditorium
hotel brought the reply that "Mr. Brown
had gone south" Cooley, seeing the profits
to be realized upon the investment of the
cash in Omaha real estate and fully salts
fed, departed. rot investigating the de-
posit in the Omaha bank, as he hac seen
big bank rolls in Meisner's possession.
Meisner's representations in the Cooley
household during the absence OF the head
of the house we're mystifying. most allur-
ing and soon made his stock rise far above
par. The absence Of the elaborate and val
liable wardrobe which he claimed to pos
sess led him to turn his attention to the
police department He called at the sta
tion last Monday morning and reported
that two Of his trunks, one containing
81, 800 worth of Oriental goods, the other
his dress suit aud best clothes, had been
! given into the care OF an expressman, whom
he had sent to the Council Bluffs transfer
| and who, since he had driven away sew
eral days before. had not been seen. Of
! hcer Baldwin was given the case. and daily
| he walked through the city vainly search
ing for the missing eIpressman. Yester-
day the police realized that they were the
Victims of a dream and sought TO unravel
! the mystery.
oIspeIIing the Dream.
Cooley upon making a thorough investi-
CATION OF Meisner's statements discovered
that the Toledo fortune had faded into
! etheral visions. The inheritance was a
dream and his rich father proved to be a