The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-09-15
HOW DR.. FLOWER
FLEECED HER
Promoter" Obtained S5OO,OOO
From Rich Widow.
MANY DETECTIVES HUNT HIM

Mrs. Theodore Hageman, the Latest
Victim Of the Notorious swindler.
Tells Her Story-Gsve Him Money
and Jewels to Invest For Her. and
When He Got It Left Her For An
other Woman - She Supported
Gang Of Thieves and Confidence
Men.
Richmond. Va. Sept. 12.-Through
the confession of woman now under
arrest the police are seeking Or r. G
Flower. notorious promoter and swim
der who is now accused of being the
head OF a darng gang OF trunk thieves.
Tor whom reward Of $4,000 is Of
fered.
Only when Mrs Theodore lIageman.
now known as Mrs. Sudzcy." widow
of broker who died mystcriously in
New York six years ago. told the po-
lice that she had been duped out OF
100000 by the smooth and oily
Flower did the detectives learn that
Flower and Horace Courland We're
one and the same.
Unwiilingly she told that she had
supported a gang Of thieves and conf
doncc men through the money left her
by her husband. but finally Identified
a picture of Flower as Court.and. the
man who had obtained the bulk OF her
fortune.
Mrs. Lindsey" came here from
Philadelphia with Courtland and later
he took apartments with another wo-
man whom he represented as being
his wife.
In her story 20 the police Mrs.
! Lindsey" insisted at first that her bu-
siness relations with Flower We're en-
tirely confidential. and that she gave
her money 90 Flower or Courtland To
invest
When ne got most OF It. it seems
that he LEFT her.
II was while railroad and local de-.
tectivcs We're hunting for trunk
thieves that they learned the woman's s
story. Mrs. Lindsey" said:
My relations with that man were
confidential They began soon after
The death of my husband know that
he had been in trouble. and / know
that he was innocent OF the charge
made against him.
Il had fortune OF about 81 600 600
when | first met him. He Interested
me in some Of the gold mining
schemes which he had on hand. and
as knew nothing of the business and
believed the investments would pay. I
gave him money from time to time.
suppose that have given him at least
half million dollars in various ways
and at different times.
we have Travelled a great deal IN
Mexico and in the west When ! left
Philadelphia this spring. having spent
the early spring at the Hotel Walton.
my trunk checks were sent to VIII
mingtOn. Del. being mailed 10 that
place by Clerk Whaley. who was at
the hotel. Mr. Courtland got the
checks. for they were sent to him. he
having told me that the trunks could
not be sent through from Philadelphia
to this city, but would have to go by
way of Wilmington.
Since l have been here Mr.. Court
land has come to see me often. | have
disposed of much valuable jewelry
and many diamonds since | have been
here, and he has got the benefit of
them. At this time | am almost pen
niless and have had to pawn some OF
my valuables to raise money
Il have here a necklace which nv
husband gave me. I have taken some
Of the stones out of it and given them
to Mr.. COurtland | had confidence in
Mr.. Courtland. ana I believed that he
would make a good investment of my
money.
Il do not know where he Is now.
He was in TO see me Monday and said
nothing about going away. He often
goes away for two or three days at a
time. and as soon as he gets back here
he comes to see me-"