Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-04
OLIVER IDENTIFIED
ASESCAP
BY SHERIFF JONES
Alleged Millionaire Banker. Ac-
cording TO Mississippi Officer,
Has Eleven Years to Serve I'm
der Various Charges.
HAS WIFE IN ATLANTA,
MRS. LEROY G. HARDING,
SUING FOR DIVORCE
Especial Dispatch to The Journall

IL
BAINBRIDGE, Ga, June "A d.
Oliver. the modern multi-milionaire
Midas of the wiregrass, who is said
to have duped Georgia citizens out
Of thousands of dollars and married
one of the prettiest young women in
this section of the state, has been
positively identified as an escaped
convict with an unexpired term of
eleven years hanging over his head
The Identification. which was made
Thursday morning here by Sheriff T.
o. Jones, of Aberdeen county. Miss.
came as a climax to the sensational
arrest of Oliver several days ago.
when he was fleeing with his young
bride in a rented automobile.
Sheriff Jones reached cambridge
this morning and Immediately went to
the Jail. The moment he saw the
ex-banker, he positively declared that
the prisoner was a fugitive from the
Mississippi penitentiary, where he was
known as Charles Harding.
The sheriff stated that Oliver alias
Harding was arrested in Aberdeen
county May 80, 1908. and remained
in jail under various charges for sew
eral weeks, finally being convicted on
ESCAPED FROM PENITENTIARY.
The sheriff said that Oliver es-
capped from the Aberdeen penitentiary
on December 31st, 1908, and although
the greatest efforts were made to cap
ture him, he succeeded in making
good his escape and all trace was
lost of the man.
On the sixth day of January, this year.
exactly seven days after the alleged es-
cape from the penitentiary, oliver arr
rived in Climax, Ga, the little queen city
Of the lower Wiregrass region.
The stranger entered the little town alb
soTItely penniless, but in a very short
time, he was reputed to be worth NIL
lions and began buying banks. saw mills
and property throughout the whole section
of the state.
Oliver, in a few brief weeks became Ia
nous for his ready replies to all fropo-
tions. "TH take 1t, just wrap II up. This
applied to land. houses and stocks and IN
fact everything that was purchaseable.
He had the reputation Of never refusing
to trade and he always paid small pro-
portion in cash. insisted that the seller
deposit the money in one of divers many
banks. and thus the endless chain OF
l1iting continued. until divers trades
amounted into the hundreds of thousands
He purchased automobiles at wholesale
and gave them right and left In wanton
prodigality to his newly-made friends.
He built many fine houses and the whole
country stood aghast at his wealth ana
his napoleonic business ventures.
MARRIED MISS ROSE ENGLISH.
Oliver was seriously i'll shortly after
his arrival in Climax and his recovery
was in part due to the faithful NUS
ing given him by Miss Rose English.
beautiful young girl, sixteen years
of age. VINO tenderly administered to
his wants.
When he recovered from HIS desper-
ate ILLNESS, he courted the beautiful
girl and in a short time they were
married and he promised to endow her
with his millions. He lived like u
prince and spent money lavishly upon
his young bride. He established ele-
CANT stables and bought blooded horses
and almost weekly added to his stock
of automobiles.
He bought more banks and more
lands and signed contracts for tne
building of towns in the prairie country
and drew at will on New York banks.
His Waterloo came when a CHECK for
81, 900, given to an Albany contractor,
was returned unpaid.
Then the people became suspicious
and his arrest followed his fight in
an automobile with his bride. The
couple were overtaken at BainbridGe
and Oliver was sent to Jail pending
an investigation.
AUTO FULL OF MONEY
When Oliver, alias Harding, was ar
rested in cambridge, it is said the body
of his automobile was half-full OF cur
rency in bills of large denomination.
which was wrapped in newspape
Immediately following his arrest he
suffered collapse and was released on
bail, as his mental condition appeared tn
be serious.
Additional warrants were issued and he
was again placed in jail.
When the oliver bank at Climax was
investigated, it was fond there was only
Sc cents in the vault.
Reports from other banks recently puT-
chased by Oliver say these Institutions
have been practically looted, and the de-
posits are only fictitious.
WANTED IN MANY PLACES.
1t is said that Oliver is not only want
ed in Mississippi, where it is alleged he
has eleven years to serve in the peni-
Tertiary, but that he is wanted IN At
lanta and Birmingham by the federal au-
thorities.
1t is said he has served a term in the
Ohio penitentiary for obtaining diamonds
under false pretenses.
1t is reported here that Oliver has
wife in Atlanta.
49, ~ -zGe1