Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-11-17
Reputable and Aged Chicago eusl'
less 1an uakss Amazing
Disclosure a1d Appeal.
AMOUNT uvolvtD OVER 100000
Taken from Desk In Midst Of Busi-
ness and at His Own Request 10
Sentenced to penitcntiar. -Had
Unique Forgery Dcviee-operated
For IS or 20 Years.


CHICAGO. ILL. Nov. lG.-fct"r
for years classed among the first OF
Chicago's prosperous and rcpu'apic
business men. today conft sscG to hay
ing obtained through forged deeds
and notes. more than 100000. and
a few hours after his arrest. on his
own urgent appeal to be- punished.
was sentenced to the penitentiary.
The arrest. the indictment. the con
fessicn. and the sentence. were the
work of less than four hours.
Taken from Desk.
Taken in the midst of business from
his Office. desk at II: Washington
street, shortly after noon. Van Wis
singer. venerable looking man. ap'
peared before tn court and in tears
confessed that for from IL to 20 years
he had been securing money through
the sale of forged documents and that
though ne bad bought back many OF
these spurious instruments without
detection. at least Is people would
lose an aggregate Of more than 300
600 through the paper which he has
not yet redeemed.
Perfected Unique Device.
In forging notes. he declared. ne
hsd perfected q unique device. THIS
consisted ,of. o plate glass desk and
70 arranged that BY an electric liShi
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 to de-
rend himself. Ask d II he had any
thing to say before sentence was i'm
posed. Van V1issir gen. bowling bis
head. replied: only that l be given
my punishment a; once"
His term In the penitentiary was
fixed as indeterminate. from one to
II years.
10 Old Man.
Van V1issingen is about G5 years
old and in February 1907. was mar
ried 10 Jessie Roosevelt Blend. who
was describ d at the time az a dis
tant relative Of PresidenI Roosevelt
The bride was a daughter OF W'ltor
c. Roosevelt. Van Eiissingen had beer
bachelor. living at the Calumet
CLUB. SHe was known rs being Of
philanthropic disposition giving spe
Ga. attention to the welfare Of boys
The specific charge which led NJ
to the spectacular confession OF Val
vlissinsen today was made by two
men who had bought forged mortgage
notes. They are T. J. Lefens ans
William c. Scipp. who have ohices II
We same building occupied by Val
VlissiDgen. To the note for $3.50
held by them were attached th'
names of Joseph and Bertha Gr2si
man.
Dispos.s Of Originals Too.
Van vlissingen copied the forget
napers from originals which he dis
posed OF to ether buyers.
Lefens and Seipp say they becam'
suspicious Of the note last SATURDAY
Consulting with Assistant stat
Attorney Harbour, they decided TO dc
lay no longer.
Complete List Unavailable.
Francis I.ackner. couns1l for III
co.npiainantS said tonight II woui'
. bc impossible for several DAYS. =
make n complete list Ct the iossrN
TIE notes or which Van VlissinSei
vas indicted were not due until 1911
and IL was believed that. as in man
previous instances. he intended to pa
IN m UP before they could lead TO dis
closures.