The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-15
M0HAMMEO NO !
FAk|R, He Says
Man Arrested By Pastor Magoon De-
clares He Has Credentials From
Mississippi Bishop.

Charged with obtaining money
under false pretenses from church
people TO whom he represented him.
self as an African missionary, late
from Morocco. John Mohammed.
Moor, was turned over 10 the police.
Wednesday night, by the Rev. Ii. A.
Magoon, assistant pastor OF Central
NJ <. church, after some detective
work and long-distance sprinting by
Pastor Magoon.
Mohammed, who had been enter
tanned In the residence OF the Rev. j.
w. Saunders, of the Ebenezer A. M. Il.
church, had obtained $40 from Mr..
Magoon, last Sunday. but the latter
became somewhat suspicious when he
found that Mohammed was unable 70
indorse the check for $40. In view OF
the fact that Mohammed had claimed
TO be a graduate Of Dickinson college.
The next day, Mr.. Magoon learned
that Mohammed had obtained small
sums of money from the Ebenezer
church, the Bethel A. M. <. church.
and a colored church In Windsor.
Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. Saunders,
wife OF the pastor OF the Ebenezer
church. telephoned to Mr.. Magoon that
Mohammed had packet his effects and
was preparing TO take hurried depar-
ture.- He was about TO board -Four
teenth car, she said. Pastor Magoon
raced out OF his study and watched
for the car to approach Adams-ave.
and Wi.herell-st. 1t rounded the cor
ner just ahead OF him, but he saw
Mohammed on the platform and gave
chase Running like q deer. along
Witherell.st. and through broadway.
he finally overhauled the car, and
boarded it. He demanded an explana.
ton from Mohammed, while they rode
around the loop to Bagg-st. Then they
left the car, and Mohammed started
explaining, while Mr.. Magoon kept q
lookout for a policeman. He finally
met Truant Officer Jordan. to whom
he turned Mohammed over.
Pastor Saunders visited police head
quarters. Thursday, and declared that
ne would swear out a warrant against
Mohammed.
Mohammed, a picturesque charac-
ter. wearing ministerial looking
black buster coat, says he isn't guilty
of obtaining money under false pre-
lenses.
You unnerstan'?" he asks. plain.
lively. in his broken English. Il am
all right. | have gold seal from Bish.
CD Lampkin, Of Greenville, Miss. This
Negro minister, Saunders. has seen
gold seal, and my credentials. he
knows | am all right. l take no col
lection, and | borrowed no money ex-
cept from Magoon. And l paid him
back.
THAT other money l get from Wind
sor church and from Bethel church,
and Ebenezer church. l don't get Dy
collection, or by charge at the door,
or by false pretenses. l sell souvenir;
my picture How much for picture?'
/ ask them. Give Ave cents, ten cents.
| what you like, for railroad fare and
expense. This Negro minister, Saund-
ers, give me $3.50, but l give him my
souvenir back. That's square, no?
You unnerstan'?"
Mohammed says that he has been
in this country 10 years, during which
time he has been back to his home In
Morocco, once.
He says he can't write English. but
that he can read and write in Italian
or French, in which he was educated
at home. He says he Is a member Of
the Masonic lodge in Gibraltar. and
he wears Mystic Shrine pin. He
was chary about discussing the Shrine
pin, however.
Mohammed was born In Tangier.
Morocco, and says that his father,
who owns big silk worm industry
I'm Fec, Morocco sends him money to
help support him. His sale OF souven-
irs, he says. are merely to pay his
travelling expenses.