The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-29
DETECTIVES GET
VH|TEMAN AGAIN
Alleged Bank Swindler Ar
rested Once More.
CAUGHT AT MOTHERS HOME
Escape Was Cut Off and He Slipped
Down a Rope Only to Be
Nabbed

BUFFALO. n. Y, Jan. 2S.-Alonzo ].
Whiteman, under Indictment in this city
for bank swindling, is again under ar
rest, he having been captured at the
home of his mother in DansvilIe at an
early hour this morning.
Whiteman was arrested in St Louis
last September, but escaped from the
Lake Shore detectives who Were bring
ing him to Buffalo. at Dunkirlz, and has
since eluded his pursuers.
When they learned that Whiteman
was at his mothers home detectives,
four in number. hurried there. Two
were admitted under protest by Mrs
Whiteman. The other two remained
outside and stood guard.
Detective Newton and the Pinkerton
man. after searching the rooms of the
house and not finding Whiteman.
climbed to the attic, which proved to
be the fugitive's hiding place With
the aid Of a rope he climbed to the roof
The detectives followed him and made
a rush to secure him, when they were
astonished to see him disappear down a
| rope at the side of the house.
The detectives on the roof shouted TO
their colleagues below and Whiteman
| was nabbed before his feet touched the
ground.
After this he made no resistance.
Got More Than $4,000.
| It is charged that Whiteman was a
| member OF a gang who from October,
1903, to July. 1904, get from banks al
| lied with the American Bankers Asso-
citation more than SO, CO.,
The scheme was to buy drafts on New
York in small towns. which Knox would
| alter with acids and other devices, to
call for thousands A third member OF
the band. through confidence methods,
| would obtain introductions to banks and
open an account with these raised
drafts, gradually checking out almost
the entire amount before the fraud was
| discovered.
Robert E. Knox, the head of the gang
the penman and raiser OF drafts, is
serving sentence in the Michigan City
Qnd) penitentiery. a. l. Andrews, ALA:
E. NJ Witherout. is in Sing Sing
Thomas F. Kennedy and Joseph Booth
man are in the Erie county jail.
Whiteman's Career.
Alonzo ]. Whiteman's life is a 70
| nance of crime. His college history ii
| a tradition among the students at Ham
: iIton. He belonged to the Delta Kapps
Epsilon fraternity. He came from Dams
vile, where his father was a wealth,
: banker, manufacturer, and Representa-
: tive in Congress.
! ! Whiteman was known in college a
Merry Dick because of his remark a bl
skill as a gambler. As beardles
) youth he trimmed the best gamblers o
1 central New York. and the anecdotes O
(, his " ak at cards are related today o.
r College Hill at Clinton.
After Whiteman had been graduate
e from the Columbia law school he wen
4 to Michigan and Minnesota and mad
profitable deals in timber and mimi
lands. Then he settled in Duluth an
0 went into speculation. In six weeks on
summer he cleaned up SOC, 900 In wheat
O Elected State Senator
{ Whiteman was elected To the Mime
f sofa State senate as a Democrat whe
k but twenty-five years old, and made a
h excellent record. He is the author G
d the Whiteman election law which
/. now in force in Minnesota. Hosts {
II friends were saying that Whitema
II would be governor when he ran fe
il Congress in the Duluth district. 7
split the Republican vote White.nan G.
gagged a man TO run as a Popurst. Tt
election looked like a cincn for Whit,
: man when, very much TO his surpris
Il the POpulist was elected.
= His Fall From Grace.
N Whiteman served tor a time as chat
l. man OF the State Democratic conlmittt
It and was a delegate 70 the national co,
l. venticn of MS party IN 1885, In 1890 /
lost his fortune in wheat speculate
st and his downward career began
.e became g bookmaker, and is said
ID have been ruled off Western tracks fl
i Welching
~ Between 1882 and 1894 he was arrestt
ar many times III New York for passir
re worthless checks and drafts He wei
N 10 Europe in 1894 to escape arrest, ar
RS became mixed up in financial irregular
n. ties in London and Paris. Returning
- New York in 1895 he was arrested f.
he forgery on a warrant from San Fra
cisco and was sent there for trial I
in Q-as convicted and sentenced TO nj,
W years in prison. but obtained revers
r, OF the judgment and WAS liberated
re On March 6. 1897, he was arrested
III New York for swindling the CoIumb
s. Bank. Edward NJ. Crout defended hi
he and got him off. He was mixed up
~ some later cases in New York, and IN,
he professed q change of life al
= claimed he had reformed
Whiteman went back TO his hor
town TO lead a new life. so he sal
q Many OF his old-time pals would e
II into trouble, and in the story of The
arrest and doings, the deeds of Whit
III man would be recounted Whitem
~ always took exceptions to such narr
5 tives. complaining that everybody W
3 bounding him
ir
TT He APOLOGIZED PROMPTLY.
Smithers IS rather suspicious D.