The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-15
"PRINCE" CARL IS
NOTED SWlNDLER
Vretman's Criminal Record
Stretches From Copenhagen
TO the Pacific Coast
His Threat of Startling Expos
ure Followed by Tracing
of His Career

a NGERED at his constant threats
"A TO make startling exposures IN
= san Francisco social circles OF
the former acGuaintances Of the self
styled Prince" Carl w. Vretman of
Sweden quietly put the Pinkerton de-
tectives on his trail with the result that
q mass Of information has been secured
that he has criminal record stretching
from Copenhagen to the Pacific coast.
Shortly after Tretman's Incarceration
n oakland, accused of passing bogus
checks. he gave out a statement
through his attorney saying his ar
rest was brought about by his enemies
who wished to prevent his marrying
a certain heiress. but finding her i'm
movable in her wondrous affection for
him. they had gone to the last resort OF
conspiring to put him in jail on a
trumped up charge. He promised that
unless the charges were dropped he
would make public the whole story.
with fun names and details. and in
so doing would bring to light a SEN
sationaI state Of affairs in the ranks
OF san Francisco society
Sentenced as SwindIer
Whereupon one of his former ac-
ouafntances put the matter in the
hands of the Pinkertons. and, accord
ing to the information secured by the
latter. Tretman has been twice SEN
fenced TO Jail. is noted as swindler
and mas a reputation as one OF the
cleverest confidence men in the coun-
try. The man is said to come Of
IoyIy swedish family. his only wealthy
relative being an uncle in the real
estate business in Sweden, who for
some time has refused TO recognize
him.
lie married Miss Alice Sharpe,
daughter Of d New York banker, in
May. 1905. and Immediately departed
with her TO Copenhagen, putting up at
the Hotel d'Angleterre. While there he
= said 10 have swindled several per-
'sons and for these onenses was sen
fenced TO one year in prison.
His imprisonment caused his wife
10 90 back TO her father in New York
- being released he is said TO have
bkc0me involved in a furniture swim
ding proposition in Gutenberg, and
was again imprisoned for a short term.
Other. accusations against him are that
he was mixed up in a fake diamond
game. a bogus whisky business and in
several monetary transactions OF a
shady character.
FIees TO Portland
Returning to New York he is alleged
To have made lucra tive living in
rather risky ways and that city finally
becoming too warm for him he fed to
Portland where he Travelled under the
name of Willard From Portland he
came to san Francisco and entered into
the employ Of g. H. Umbsen & Co. as
real estate agent
- do not know anything more Of
the man except that he was in our
employ for about six weeks" said
Harry Umbsen. AT the end OF that
slime we were forced TO discharge him.
le was an excellent seller when he
cared TO work. but we found that we
could not depend on him, for instead
81 attending TO business he would be
Off on some society whirl"
Nretmsn's threats to create an up
heavai in society's ranks are taken as
one Of the biggest bluffs he has put I'D
In all his operations and as q last effort
10 free himself from the entanglements
surrounding him. In case the charge
On Oakland falls II is expected that he
VIII be prosecuted on others Of a SINH
laT nature in San Francisco.