Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-06-10
FIND BOGuS CROEsus IS
IN ESCAPED CONVICT
D. OIive1 Who Duped GeoTgians
Gut T Thousands, identified.
BOUGHT BANkS AND LANDS
Arrest Follows His Flight With Bride
sn Auto Laden With MOney--Has
Eyexen Years Still to Serve in
the Mississippi Penitentiary.


BaTnbxidge, Ga.-A. D. Oliver, who
posed as 4 mu1ti-millionaire, duped
Georgia citizens out Of thousands OF
dollars and married n OF the pref
EIest young women in this section OF
che State, has been positively ident1-
fled as an escaped convict with an I'M
expired term of eleven years hanging
over his head
The Identification was made, by
Sheriff T. O. Jones, of Aberdeen Coun-
t., Miss, and came Is a climax to the
arrest of Oliver seyeraldays ago when
he was fleeing with his young bride in
an automobile.
Sheriff Jones after reaching Balm
bridge 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, Miss, May 80, 1908, and re-
manned in Jail under various charges
for several weeks, finally being con
victed ON all counts brought against
him. The Sheriff said that Oliver es-
capped from the penitentiary on De-
cember 81, 1908. Several days after
his escape Oliver reached this section
penniIess, bat in a very short time he
was renuted to be worth millions and
began buying banks, sawmills and
property throughout the whole State.
Oliver In a Few weeks became famous
for his ready replies to all PROPOSE
Eions.
This applied to land, houses and
stocks, and, in fact, everything that
was puYehasable. He had the reputa-
ton of never refusing to trade, and he
always paid a small proportion in
cash, and Insisted that the seller de-
post the money in one of divers
many banks, and thus the endless
chain of kiting continued until Oil
ver's trades amounted into the hun
dreds OF thousands
He purchased automobiles at whole
sale and gave them away right and
left to his newly made friends. He
built E1any fine houses, and the whole
country stood aghast at his wealth
and his business ventures.
Oliver found time to court Miss
Rose English, daughter of a promin-
ent family, and married her, giving
A1CL I1ShdS l @4VSOOO aO
wedding present. He lived like a
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 the
building OF towns in the prairie oun
try, and drew at VIII on New York
banks. His Waterloo came when a
check for $4,000 given to an Albany
contractor was returned unpaid. A
warrant was issued for Oliver, and
his arrest followed his flight in an
automobile with his bride. When
Oliver, alias Harding, was arrested
In cambridge 1t is gaid his automobile
was half full OF bills of large denom-
nations, wrapped in newspapers.
Immediately following his arrest
he Suffered a collapse, and was re-
1eased On bail, as his mental condition
appeared to be serious. Additional
warrants were Issued, and he YVES
again placed in Jail. The four banks
bought by Oliver have been looted.
Oliver is not only wanted in MISSISSIPPI
pi, but he Is wanted in Atlanta, and
Birmingham by the Federal authori-
ties.
1t is said ttES|. he has served a term
in the Ohio veniteHtiaTy for obtaining
diamonds Under false pretenses. 1t
rs said ESQ that he has three other
NNIsGS%/ -~ - n.y.