New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-17
FORGER 20 YEARS
CONFESSES CRIME
He OBTAINED 800, 900 BY
FRAUDULENT DEEDS.
Peter Fan 7 7liSsingen, Chicago Real
Estate Dealer, Sentenced -Four
Hours after 4rreSt.

-eaI estate dealer FOR years classed among the
H-s1 OF Chicago's prosperous and reputable bust
ness men, confessed to-day to having obtained
through forged deeds and notes than
S7neO00. and a few hours after his arrest on
his own urgent appeal 10 be punished. was SEN
rznoed 70 the penitentiary for from one TO four
teen Years
-r7e arrest tbe Indictment. the confession and
the sentence were the work Of less than four
hours. The rapidity with which the case was
handled is shown ~ the following:
so D n Van vIissingen confronted in his
Office BY g detective and asked TO 10 the
States Attorneys Office. in the Criminal Court
building
. .. N: Arrives at States Attorneys Office,
and after being told OF charges. confesses.
SO 2. n: Grand Jury. which had been pre-
seated with evidence. returns Indictment
415 ,. II: Prisoner brought before Judge
windes and hearing begun.
2 m Sentence pronounced
5.1s Z n: Van Yissingen locked up In coun-
~ jau preparatory 10 being taken to Joliet.
probably tomorrow.
Taken n the midst Of business from his Office
desk 81 No. - Washington street shortly after
rhe noon hour, Van VltssingeLl. venerable look
fnR man. appeared before the court and IN tears
confessed that fer from eighteen 10 twenty
Fears he had been obtaining money through the
sale of forged documents, and that though he
rad bought back many Of these spurious instru-
-reuts without detection, at least twenty-five
PERSONS would lose al aggregate Of more than
500 600 through the paper which he has not Yet
-e6eened
IN forging notes. he declared. he had perfected
= unique device This consisted Of a plate glass
desk top 50 arranged that by an electric light
thrown up rom beneath he could readily trace
rom originals forged signatures onto worthless
paper
40 EFFORT AT DEFENCE
Tnr5=ghout MS arrest and sentence the pris-
oner made no effort 10 defend himself but only
asked that his punishment be speedy. Asked
= - hzd anything TO say before sentence was
imposed, Van VIssingen replied. bowling his
head. only that 7 believe in my punishment
- once
Van viIssengen. who is about forty-fve years
nd. was married or February 4, 1907 10 Mrs
Jessie Roosevelt Blend who was described at
me tine as distant relative Of President
Roosevelt TIE bride was a daughter of wilton
- Roosevelt she lad been divorced from
-zrned Blend Van vlissingen had been bach
,=lor li71ng az the Calumet Club. He was known
.7s being of philanthropic disposition giving
epecisI attention &c the welfare Of boys
TIE specific charge which led up TO the spec
-zCliz- arrest OF Van VIissingen to-day was
made By Two men who had bought forged mort
zage notes They are T. :. Lefens and William
a. Seipa. vino have Offices IN the same building
as ttat occupied by Va nVlissingen- To the
notes for s4590 held by them were signed the
names Of Joseph and Bertha Grossman- As was
customary. Van Vlissingen copied the forged
rape-s from originals which he disposed OF 10
.atre- buyers. Lefens and Seipp said they first
became suspicious Of the notes last Saturday,
s1- took no action until to-day Consulting
with assistant States Attorney Barbour. they
6evided 70 delay no longer.
All Of Van Viissingen's accounts were turned
os-- 70 the Chicago Title and Trust Company,
lending an investigation Of the exact extent Of
me defalcation- Francis Lsckner. counsel for
me com2IaiEants. said tonight that it would
be impossible for several days to make COM
Glete list Of the losses.
The notes upon which Van vlissingen was in
oicred were not due until 1911. and IL was be-
heved that in many previous instances, he
Intended to pay them up before they could lead
20 disclosures.
HIS SIGNED CONFESSION.
IN NJ Barbour's Office he made a full con-
1ession and signed the following:
Chicago. Noveu Der Is 1908
This IS 10 certify that alone an responsible !
eo~ al the irregularities that have occurred in
--y Office and that TO one I n-ny employ or ever
any tine il my employ has any guilty knoWl-
~Cze Of the irregularities that have occurred at
zry tir1e. PETER VAN VLISSINGEN.
II want my punishment TO come as quickly as
possible" said Van Vlisstngen- 4 viii inter
pose 10 technicaIiry against the Indictment. ar
alignment OF sentence Let the matter be at
tended 70 es quickly as possible" Under guard
Van TIissingen vas then LED 10 Judge Windes's
courtroom, in another part Of the Criminal
Courts Building Judge windes busy with /
0rher cases at the time and the prisoner. with !
rHe witnesses and attorneys, had 70 wait. The /
court. however. soon disposed OF the cases, and /
Van vIissingen was led 70 the bar Bowing his /
head aBd neGvously shifting his feet. the pris- /
one~ frequently lifted mis- handkerchief 10 his 4
eyes, and during the silence while the judge /
looked over The documents his sobs were audi 1
bic. Among the documents before the court /
we're rhe CSrossnan notes. Lefens and Sepp. /
the holders Of the notes Hrst testified They .
sere followed by John a Vanderpool, clerk 4
II Van VIissingen's office who testified 10 hay
ing DO previous knowledge Of any irregularity in
'he Once.
Van vlissingen was then called. His testi-
Enony Ia part follows:
IN what manner was the forgery commit
1ed by y0ug"
= dc II by tracing"
Just describe 10 the Court how you traced
the Instrument
Laid ona paper on the other and had an
electric light underneath: made II transparent
mat 1sy and traced IL
That is the electric light which was under
heath The tabIe2"
Yes sir q small hole in the table
How long have YOU been engaged in for
t'res of that nature
On 7 should say about eighteen years
approximately how much win those for
kefies aggregate"
About S7O0ospo"
Where has the mgney gone tor