The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-07
docs GIRL s FACE
HAUNT WHITMAN.
How Man Who Threw Riches
1 Away for Dishonor Bruised
q Woman s Soul.

Chicago, April WHITING Of Alonzo
j. Whiteman in the Chicago Evening
Post, II. I. Cleveland, formerly re-
porter on the st. Paul Globe, says:
When Alonzo J. Whiteman was sena-
tor from Duluth to the Minnesota legis-
lature !. was reporting the proceedings
Of that body and was part Of the
time in d the employ Of the then
wealthiest man Of the northern part of
then that Whiteman was of asperverted
nature, but it was little suspected even
by those closest to him that he would
become one Of the most dangerous con-
idence men and thieves in the country.
With the aid Of others, he framed
the Australian ballot law of the state
and was interested in much financial
quaintance Of some Of the best families
in st. Paul and Minneapolis, having
the entrance to the homes Of the Mer-
Rams, Washburns and others Of social
note. u i, ~ u ~.
In private moments he drank like "a
fish-and played poker-not scientific
poker, but the poker Of q a rich man g
fool son. -. - ~ - MI
The last year Whiteman was in the
senate there came also to the chamber
a peachy-cheeked girl, with black eyes
and hair, who had secured a committee
clerkshlp. She, too, was from up-conn-
try, of lowly origin, but wholesome fam
ily-one Of those girls who believe that
a woman can face the world alone and
not have her soul bruised, let alone her
heart broken.
To newspapermen and members Of
the legislature the girl g face was a
delight during the opening days of the
work. She was modest, hard-working,
Fl and, as everyone knew, ambitious. With
the money she was earning she was fit.
ting herself for higher education, and
you, and here g a hope you're strong
enough to beat the game.',
sWhiteman was one of the senators
who took a particular interest in the
girl, he being on the committee which
she served. No one thought much Of
this at the start, as he was supposed to
His play that winter was terrific, the
pace-killing. He sat in games with
older and more experienced men, where
amounted to between $4,000 and $751;
600. His opponents were national COM
mitteemen Of the democratic and re-
local officers OF the general government,
two railway presidents and several
prominent wholesale merchants.
He was plucked, not by trickery at
cards, but by the subtle and overpow-
ering influence. Of greater experience
with the American national game. In
variably after "a heavy loss-mosts Of
the games taking, place in a leading
hotel--he would drink to excess and
arrive at the senate the next morning
swollen-eye pale-faced, nervous andeaL
most without control. ~-.. ...
The girl-secretary Of his committee
took these ominous signs to be Of sick
ness, not of the rankest kind Of dissipa-
ton. She pitied him and the world
him and never spoke the truth until 1T
was too late. i
can remember her coming down to
the press table one morning and saying
! in the clean, innocent way she had
about her then: EDO you really think
the senator will live thru the session :
| Has he not quick consumption" ;.
turned his head away and coughed,
+ some: of US began vigorously to write
only "Bob' Fralich had the nerve to
q answer: ill.,. 1922 -
."Yes-I guess it's quick .consump.
tion.' " -
It was-consumption Of over a. mil
lion dollars 1;ss in a. years tine; breaking
4
Z friends; loss Of all political prestige,
and, worse than consumption, Of girl 8
p honor.
7 They say he loved her without right
;, to do SO. Perhaps so-we of the press
table never thought 50. We watched
!; the little girl change from day to day,
into dark corners, avoid friendly eyes
:. or+even kindly words. As her soul went
i down his kept on its mad pace, little
: caring, believe, that it had taken into
= the neshes the life Of another. ..
lieved she could defeat the world single
dhnqSa sS Some Of 9%R s ms
grained legislators ,twitted the sena-
ter men averted their faces--ashamed,
perhaps, because they had not inter
fered when it might not have been too
late -..- 80. -. Il ~...
In the spring the senator himself
cial crash came. His fortune, or. what
|had been left from the gaming table,
was scattered to many, many creditors.
He left Duluth, he put all that had been
best in his life behind him, got a firm
4 seat in the. saddle Of dishonor and be.
came thing hunted by the police from,
0tXE t. city the county tb svs soer.
|
score Of cities as the ostensiblee leader
Of the brightest combination of hotel
: "beats' and confidence game work
ers !" ever existing in this country.
A graduate Of DR.. North's dear old
college, Hamilton; later a graduate
from Columbia Law college; born Of a
\ fine family in Evansville, N. y, he hat
been indicted sixty-seven times in the
last fifteen years, arrested forty-eight
times, but never served but one term
in prison, and that in Chicago.
He went to the bridewell here for 8
year for passing forged check on the
! Grand Pacific hotel. The late Inspector
John Shea, Whiteman once said, twas
the only police officer in the United
: States I, could not buy and was really
afraid off, -
Whiteman operates with other men OIL
brains who have become criminals. TIL,
ramifcations of the system of swindlin@
he controls are said to spread over thu
entire United States. He is always
i well supplied with money and has con
federates ready to swear in any court
to his innocence.
Still wonder In all the hardness Of
his career, in his races with theS police
his leaping from moving trains to Sc
cure freedom, his legal battles in cour
/ (for he directs his own cases) if some
/ times there does not come up from th.
distant past the face Of girl will
black eyes and soft cheeks, who trustee
4 T WOW dar 80 +kn =; - - ,n,,1 4 Z