Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-04-28
Makes Confession Involving
Prominent Men Who Are
Well Known In Chicago
A Banker and a Real Els +.
tate Man Became His
Confederates.

causing great sensation in Chica
| go where he had been known for
twenty years as a leading real es-
rate man. exploded bombshell In
the bankruptcy court here when n,
stated that his confession a few
months ago was antedated by four
years by a confession made privately
to men who held 100000 of his
spurious notes.
Van vlissingen was brought back
TO Chicago from prison to testify
before Referee in Bankruptcy Frank
l.. Wean, who is attempting to To-
cate the valid assets OF the prison.
er. Van vlissingen declared that
In 1904 he was compelled to con.
fess to Maurice Rosenfeld, at that
time director OF the now defuact
Chicago National Bank, and Bern
hard Rosenberg. real estate brok
er. that the mortgage held by them.
valued at 100000, had been fors-
ed.
They discovered some irregulari-
ties In the paper in that year." said
the witness, land came to my office
for a conference. admitted the for
geries and said. L will go before
the states attorney, tell him j1s.
what i have related to you gentle.
men about this wholesale forgery,
plead guilty and go to prison like
man.
We want our money they said.
can get IT. l told them, but I
must dupe others as I have dup I'd
you men,
I'VE had another conference soon
after continued the witness. Elm
ally I proposed to settle with them.
promised to pay them from 81 900
to $4,000 a week. Altogether paid
them approximately $250,OOO."
Further conferences were held
from time to time. AT one Of these,
Van Vlissingen said they said:
1--WE want our money" He replied
that he was getting it as fast as lie
could raise It..
1--WE don't want to know how
you get the money they told me az
one conference held In December,
1904"
Bernhard Rosenberg likewise, has
been prominent In the real estate
business and in Jewish society cir
cles for many years.
Van vlissingen's lips twitched as
he faced counsel and recognized for
mer friends among the spectators.
The witness stated that his for
geries had continued for twenty
years but that he did not know the
exact extent of them.
"Wil they aggregate a million
dollarsa"
surely"
And may be more?"
Yes"
Have you any property or other
assets not accounted for at PRESENT."
Van Vlissingen was asked.
mo, except my clothing. I had
about $50 when l reached the prls-
on at joliet, but / sent that back to
my wife,"
II told Rosenfeld at least twenty
five times and Rosenberg half as OF.
ten." said Van Vlissingen, that /
could reimburse them only through
Illegal business transactions"
II told them further" rhe wit
ness continued, that l was rapidly
becoming deeper involved, that the
number of illegal transactions were
multip ying. and that my rental tran
sactions were falling of and had al
most ceased to be profitable"
Van Vlissingen said he transferred
his life insurance policies aggregat-
ing $4,000, to Rosenfeld, delivering
them to him, and further stated
that since turning them over 10
Resented he paid the premiums on
the policies.
'Rosenfeld and Rosenberg, par
ticularly the former" the witness
stated, kept crowding me for mon
ey until ! feared the strain would
XII ! me. Finally / warned Rosen-
field that IL he did not cease / would
become so nervous that / could not
duplicate more notes and that then
could not make money to pay him.
II said feared the end was near.
that i did not intend to go to prison,
and-well, he knew what / meant
Here the witness wept but when
the referee suggested that the hear
ing be adjourned, Van Vlissingen
protested: II want to get through.
can stand the strain. Go on.
A recess, however, was ordered.
Rosenberg and Resented have en-
gagged an attorney and refused u
discuss the sensational testimony
All inquiries they referred to their
counsel, Leasing Rosenthal.
BETTER THAN SPANKING.