The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-28
VAN v[|sSENGEN
TELLS WEIRD TALE
SwearS His Forgery of Mort
cages Was Known Years Ago
to Prominent Men.
HIS CRIME CONCEALED
TO GET MONEY BACK
Declares He Confessed and
Then Duped Others to Make
Partial Restitution.

n CHICAGO, April 27.-Peter Van
: |flissengen, whose confession last win
lter to the forgery of mortgages to the
extent of Sl.0o0.000 caused great SEN
!isntion in Chicago, where he had been
[known for twenty years as leading
real estate man, exploded bombshel
IN the bankruptcy court here today
when he stated that his confession Il
ffew months ago was antedated by four
wears by confession made privately to
men who held 100000 of his spurious
>paper.
Van Vlissengen was brought back to
>Chicago from prison today to testify
before Referee in Bankruptcy Frank i.
Wean. who is attempting to locate the
valid assets of the prisoner. Van Wis.
,Sengen declared that in 1904 he was
<compelled to confess to Maurice Rosen-
Held. at that time director of the now
laefunct Chicago National bank and
BERNARD Rosenberg, real estate deal
r, That the mortgages held by them
etnd valued at 100000, had been
|forged,
Startling Statements.
They discovered some Irregularities
A q the paper i'll that year. said the
(Tltness, land came to my Office for
xonference. | admitted the forgeries,
md said: I will go before the state S
,,rtorney, tell him Just what / have re-
@nted 10 you gentlemen about these
pvholesale forgeries, plead guilty, and go
20 prison like Il man 'We want our
snoney,' they said. i can't get it, L
Did them ,fbut L must dupe Others as
!, have duped you men,
Y 's We had another conference soon
-fter, continued the witness ''Final-
y / proposed to settle with them. l |
sTomised TO pay them from $1,000 to
5000 week Altogether ultimately
= paid them approximately S250,00o.'
What became of the forged papers
-cld by these gentlemen and that you
4 aneeled?' was asked.
III locked them in my safe
- Did You resell Them.
NV'sYes, not all of them, though
Ibid they promise not TO expose
vtssThey came to my Office regularly !
'for the installments, but said nothing |
lore about my going before the state S |
ttorney.
n Just Wanted Money.
n We want our money they said. |
nd were getting it as fast as | could /
'xturu it TO them. We don t want TO
how how you got the money they
I'D me at one conference In Decem-
{3r, 1904 -
l1iaurics Rosenfeld is n well-knowu
|zpitalist and real estate dealer. He
I 8 been engaged in the real estate
fsiness in Chicago since 1887. He
mas a director Of the Chicago National
Ink and the Home Savings bank. two
a the John r. Walsh institutions, which
.riled years ago. He was vice president
II the United Hebrew charities and
rector OF the Chicago Relief and Aid
Ilciety In 1901 he served a term as
unity commissioner and is n prominent
-ember of the Standard club
pBernnrd Rosenberg likewise has been
Monument in the real estate business
I'd III Jewish society circles for many
ars.
Van Ylissengen S face was pale and
hands trembled as he told his story
the witness stand today. His eyes
IRE bloodshot and his lips twitched as
/, faced counsel and recognized former
lends among the spectators in the
divided courtroom.
y Extent of Forgeries.
The witness stated that his forpcries
|ld continued for twenty years, but
ut lie did not know the exact extent
lthem.
VS. Will they aggregate million dol.
>1s9''
rSureIy.''
. e And may be more7"
al Yes
pAsked when his marriage occurred
.lrs came to his eyes.
|iHOnly two years ago he said
|t' Have You any property or other as |
Ms not accounted for at prcsent?''
isscngen was asked.
u No. except my clothing | had
'pout $3.50 when I reached the prison {