The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-11-19
DEEDS WERE FORGED
CHICAGO REAL ESTATE DEALER
MAK:.s STARTLING CONFESS
SION IN OPEN COURT.
CARRIED ON CRIMINAL WORK 20 YEARS
Peter Van vllsslnsen Obtained More
Than 100000 by Selling Forged
Observation-Disclosures, Tried, Con-
vleted and Sentenced Within Four
and a half hours.

Chicago. Nov. l7.-Peter Van Wis
sengen, real estate dealer, for years
classed among the first of Chicago's
prosperous and reputable business
men, Monday confessed to having OBJ
tained through forged deeds and notes
more than 100000. and few hours
after his arrest, on his own urgent
appeal to be punished, was sentenced
to the penitentiary. The arrest. the
indictment. the confession and the sen.
tence were the work Of less than four
hours. Taken in the midst of bust.
ness from his office desk at 172 Wash.
ington street shortly after the noon
hour. Van Vlissingen, a venerable
looking man. appeared before the court
and In tears confessed that for from
Is to 20 years he had been securing
money through the sale of forged
documents and -though-be-had
bought back many Of these spurious
instruments, without detection, at
least 25 people would lose an aggre,
gate of more than 100000 through
the paper which he has not yet re,
deemed. In forging notes, he declared
he had perfected an unique device
This consisted of plate glass desk
top, so arranged, that by an electric
light thrown up from beneath he could
readily trace from originals forged
signatures onto worthless paper
Throughout his arrest and sentence
the prisoner made no effort 10 defend
himself, but only requested that his
punishment be speedy. Asked if he
had anything to say before sentence
was imposed. Van Vlissingen bowed
his head and replied
only that | be given my punish
ment at once"
His term in the penitentiary was
fixed at indeterminate from | to IA
years.
The specific charge which led up to
the spectacular arrest of Van Wis
singer Monday was made by two men
who had bought forged mortgage
notes. They are T. J. Lefens and
William c. Seipp. who have Offices in
the same building as that occupied by
Van Vlissingen. To the notes for
$4,000 held by them were signed the
names of Joseph and Bertha Gross
man. As was customary Van Vlissin
gen copied the forged papers from
originals which he disposed of 10 other
buyers. Lefens and Seipp said they
first became suspicious of the notes
last Saturday but took no action until
Monday. Consulting with Assistant
States Attorney Barbour they decided
to delay no longer.
The rapidity with which the case
was handled after the consultation
with Mr. Barbour is shown by this:
1870 p. m. Van Vlissingen confront
ed in his Office by a detective and
asked to go to the Office in the Grim
inal court building.
ney's Office and after being told OF
charges confesseS.
3:15 p. m. Grand jury, which had
been presented with evidence, returns
indictment.
Ais p. m. Prisoner brought before
Judge Windes and hearing begun.
5 p. IN. Sentence pronounced
Sis p. m. Van Vlissingen locked
up in county Jail, preparatory to being
taken to Joliet, probably Tuesday.
All of Van Vlissingen's accounts
were turned over to the Chicago Title
& Trust company, pending an investi-
cation of the exact extent of the de.
falcations. Francis Lackner counsel
for the compliments. said Monday
night it would be impossible for sew.
eral days to make a complete list of
the losers.