Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-11-17
Worthless Paper Aggregating
Seven Hundred Thousand
Dollars Uttered by Broker of
Hitherto Stainless Record,
IRREGULARITIES COVER
LONG SERIES OF YEARS


VI DloCUEGIy W OIlllltr
Thy Morning journal Special Leased wIreI
Chicago, NOV 1G. Peter Van Wis
Singer. a real estate broker, for years
classcd among the first of Chicago's
prosperous and reputable business
men, today confessed to having OBJ
tanned through forged deeds and notes
more than $500. O00 and Il few hours
after his arrest, ON his own urgent
appeal to be punished, was sentenced
to the pcuitentary The arrest, the
Indictment the confession and the
sentence were the work of less than
four hours. Taken In the midst OF
business from his office desk at t72
Washington street, shortly after tho
noon hour Van Nlissingen, a venerable
looking man, appeared before the
court and in tears confessed that for
eighteen to twenty years he had hccu
securing money through the sale OF
forged documents and that though
ne had bought back many Of these
spurious instruments without detec-
ton, at least twenty-five people would
lose an aggregate Of more than $780,
000 through the paper which he has
not yet redeemed. In forging notes,
he declares, he had perfected an
unique device. This consisted OF
plate glass desk top so arranged that
by an electric light thrown IN from
beneath he could readily trace from
originals forged signatures onto the
worthless paper Throughout his ar
rest and sentence the prisoner mudo
no effort to defend himself but only
requested that his punishment he
speedy,
Asked If he had anything to say
before sentence was imposed, Van
Vlssngen bowed his head ana ro-
Piled
only that be given my punish
ment at once"
His term in tho penltontiary was
lxcd as indetcrminato from one to
fourteen years.
Van Vlissingcn Is about forty-nv0
years old and was married August
|. 1907, to Miss Jessie Roosevelt Blend
no was described at the time as "A
listant relative of the president. The
bride was a daughter of wilton G.
Roosevelt she had been divorced
from dentist named Blend. VAN
Vlissugcu had been bachelor. living
n the Calumet club He was known
rs being Of a philanthropic DISPOSE
ION giving special attention TO tho
welfare of boys. Some years ago he
unk under his protection julius VIII
raN. ten years old, whose father had
lccn accused of murder. The boy
i first had been witness against
mis- father. who was sentenced To-
.Wcnty- y-nye years In the penttculiary
'ur the alleged murder Of Paul Pas
toWski. twelve years old. Latter tho
.ouugcr WiltraN rcpudluted his t'sil-
nonv ANA the father WAS released.
rhis led Van Nlissiugcn 10 take in
crest In the lad and publicly an
louncc that ne would try 10 make ot
lm % reputable citizen.
The specific charge which led up 10
h,. sucrtaculur arrest OF Van Vlissiu-
.rn today was made By two men who
ad bought forged mortgage notes.
hey are r.. J. Lchns ana William O.
riup. who have offices in the same
uiding ass that occupied by Van Wis
ugeu. To tho notes FOR $500 held
\ them were signed the names Of j.
ana Bertha Grussmuu. AS was GUS
mary Van VissinEen copied The
,rggd papers from originals which lac
.sposcd OF to other buyers. Loiins
nd Scipp said they first became sus-
icious of the notes last Saturday but
,oll no action unit, today
Consulting with Assistant states At
,rncy Barbour. they decided to delay
% longer
The tapidity with which tho case
as handled after the consultation
ith Nj Barbour IS shown by this:
1870 %. Van Nlissingcn con-
.ontcd iu his office by detective
nd asked To- go 60 the states attor-
cy's office iu the criminal court
ulding
8 10. m-Arrivcs at states attor-
ey's office and after belng told OF
harges Confesses.
S:15 y. m.-Grand jury, which had
cen presented with the evidence, re-
arms indictment,
AIS p. n--Prisoner brooght before
udge Windes and hearing begun.
8 y. Sentence pronounced
5:I5 D. m.-Van Vlissingen locked
p in county jail. preparatory TO be-
lg taken to Joliet probably to-
borrow.
All Of Van Vlissingen's accounts
ere turned over to the Chicago Title
nd Trust company pending an IN