Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-12
ALONzO ]. WHITMAN, FELON
Once Mayer Of Duluth and Senator Now in
New Y'rk Penitsntisry.
RACE FOR CONGRESS HIS WATERLOO
With wealth, Education, Talent
Power outweiEhed by Ambition,
He Becomes Most Versa
tile of Forgers.

votes. II 1 had known $4,000 was not
enough L would gladly have spent another
$4,000
Seated in his room at a prominent hotel
Alonzo j. Whitman, once mayor of Duluth,
Mimi, made this statement to a reporter.
But the hotel was the Ryan, in st. Paul,
the time was about 1901, and Alonzo j..
Whitman instead of being a candidate for
office or a figure of any sort in politics, was
fugitive from JUSTICE one OF the most
notorious forgers in the United States, the
object Of search by the Pinkertons and
the much-sought man of many states.
And that interview that night secured
his arrest.
The 1906 report of the Pinkerton Detec-
tive agency devotes much space to Whit
man, to whose conviction at Buffalo,. N. Y,
1t refers as the most important achieve
ment during the year" Upon that con-
viction he was sent to the penitentiary at
Auburn for eight years.
There are men in Omaha who knew
Alonzo ]. Whitman; knew him when he
was not a felon, not the most notorious
forger in the United States; knew him
when he was mayor of Duluth and knew
him when he was spending that "$25, OOO'
to get elected to congress from the old
Fifth district of Minnesota, and knew him
when he was a leader on the floor Of the
state senate in the North Star state. And
the reporter to whom whitman made that
remarkable statement 10 now in Omaha
Crime for which He is Paying.
Here are a few notes from the Pinker-
ton report concerning ex-Mayor,, ex-Sena-
tor, ex-Candidate for Congress whitman;
December IL. Alonzo J. Whitman was
taken to Auburn IN. ~ state prison to
begin his sentence of eight years and Ave
months to which he was sentenced October
~ ~ 1870. at Buhalo' N: T. where he had
first degree. Joseph Boothman, also con-
victed at Buffalo, N. Y, was October "a
sentenced to five years and eight months
In Auburn IN. " state prison, was taken
there on December 8. After Whitman and
Boothman were sentenced their attorneys
applied to Judge Lambert for certificates
Of reasonable doubt, which were refused
Meanwhile, pending Justice Lambert's de-
cision, attorneys made annother applica-
ton to Justice Dtckey of Brooklyn, and
were granted a hearing on December Z,
but on Assistant Attorney Ryan of Erie
county then explaining that Justice Lam
bert had refused to grant these certificates
Justice Dtckey did likewise
From the time of the forgery, June q,
1904, until Whitmans conviction, October,
gathering evidence and assisting the dis-
trict attorneys Office at Buffalo in Whit
Whitman was tried on one indictment
/ and acquitted; then came a missrial on
another Indictment, because the wife of
$50 by mail, with a promise Of $3.50 more
should her hush ~ remain sick long
enough TO cauS mistrial, but he was
tnally convicted N October and sentenced,
as related
The crime for which whitman and Booth
man were convicted was as follows: June
q, 1904, Whitman caused to be purchased
! from the National Hudson River bank,
Hudson Y, a draft for s51, payable to
raised to 5000 On July 2, a messenger
appeared at the Fidelity Trust company
lmember), Buffalo, N. Y. with the raised
ing that an account be opened in his name.
Joseph Boothman, posing as f. H. Hub
bard, began checking out the money, but
quaintance with a $50 check to the bank,
/ which was paid and delivered to Whitman.
This, This a os tn at the time, did not
at Whitman's trial was one of the best
witnesses.
January 20. 1905, Joseph Boothman died
at the Auburn IN. " prison.
CuImination of Long Train.
| But this crime for which Whitman is
now serving a term is but the culmina-
ton OF a long train of them, some far
more spectacular. For years he has been
regarded as the most versatile of forg-
ers. He has done time in other penlten-
tiaries. For years he had BEEN hunted
by many states and at one time he stood
convicted in one state while the officials
in other states were waiting for a legal
opportunity to seize him. At the same
time he was a fugitive. He has had nu-
merous formal charges in numerous states
pending against him at the same time.
Alonzo Whitman was a child of for
tune. He had wealth, education, talent
and these gave him power. He came
from a good family in New York. He was
graduated from Hamilton college. His
father was rich and the son ambitious
To crafty that ambition best and to use
the money his father gave him TO the
greatest advantage he decided to go west
In Duluth. Proctor Knotts Zenith City
by the unsalted sea- Alonzo whitman
cast anchor. He then boarded the shiI
of state, walking up the gang-plank Oh
politics. Sure enough, he was right-tht
west was the place for ambition and
wealth. In 1884 he was elected to thu
state senate. carrying the city of Duluth
by the largest majority ever given a can
didate there for an elective ONCE. Tn,
young man was an accomplished orator
urbane in all his manners and his cam
paign fairly swept people on their feet
Though a democrat he simply wrecked tn,
republican organization in that republican
stronghold. In the legislature he be
came a leader. He drafted and had car
ried what was called the whitman cleo
ton law: and this law remained in efrec
in Minnesota until 1t was superseded b!
the Australian ballot system.
Elected Mayor of Duluth.
The people OF Duluth were proud of tn
record their young senator had made an
In 1886 elected him mayor Of Duluth. Il
this office he increased his popularity. H
had passed the bounds OF a local POLITICAL
and became a state leader. In that herc
national campaign of 1888 he was Chairman
OF the democratic state committee havin
been TO the national convention as a dele
gate from his state. His management o
the state campaign was signally success
full. and TO reward him still further, hi
party In the Fifth district nominated hir
for congress in 1890. That was the cam
paign In which he sought TO pave his wa
to the national capital with $4,000 Blu
he lost-lost by 1873 votes.
Whitman was a good winner, but poo
loser. That defeat, so far as the work
which was ignorant OF his lavish system c
bribery in his vain race for congress, knew
was the stepping stone downward to hi
ruin; IL marked, It seems, the beginning {
his criminal career. Whitman was a gan
| bier. His losses at that game and at III