Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-30
CHICAGO CONVICT
FORGER FOR YEARS
PETER VAN VLISSENGEN, $1,000
600 CHICAGO FORGER, NOW
CONFESSEs CRIME EXTENDED
BACK FOR YEARS.

BACK FOR YEARS.
CHICAGO. April 21.-Peter Van Wis
singer. whose confession last winter 10
the forgery Of mortgages to the extent OF
| 81. 10000 caused a great sensation in Chi
cago. where he had been known for twen-
Ity years as a leading real estate man.
exploded a bOmbshell in the bankruptcy
court here today when he stated that his
confession a few months ago was ante
dated by four years by confession made
privately to men who held 100000 OF his
/ spurious paper.
Van Vlissingen's confession and his
conviction on a plea OF guilty last win
! ter. all occurred within "A hours. He was
brought back TO Chicago from prison to-
day 10 testify before Referee in Bank
ruptcy Frank l.. wesn. who is attempt
ing 20 locate the valid assets Of the pris-
cner.
Van Vlissingen declared that in 1904 he
was compelled TO confess to Maurice RIOS.
enfield. at that time a director Of the
now defunt Chicago National bank, and
Bernard Rosenberg, a real estate dealer,
that the mortgages held by them and
valued at $780, 900, had been forged.
They discovered some irregularities Of
the paper I'm that year" said the witness.
and came to my once for a conference.
admitted the forgeries and said: L will
go before the states attorney. tell him
Just what / have related TO you gentle
men about these wholesale forgeries, plead
guilty and go 10 prison like a man.
I'VE want our money they said.
~ can get IT,. told them, but 1
must dupe others as l have duped you
men"
Paid Back $4,000
I'VE had another conference soon
after" continued the witness. Final
/ " 1 proposed to settle with them. 1
I promised to pay them from $1,000 to
| IS, 900 a week. Altogether ultimately
paid them approximately $25O,OOO."
What became of the forged papers
which were held by these gentlemen
/ and which you cancelled?' was asked.
Il locked them in my safe"
Did you resell them?"
Yves. not all OF them, though"
Did they promise not to expose
you?'
..Tney came to my Office regularly
Tor the installments, but said nothing
more about my going before the states
attorney. 1 paid them interest at times.
/ also agreed that 1 would sell my real
estate and give them the proceeds.
FINALLY 1 told them that if they did ex-
| lnem."
1--WE want our money and I was
getting il as fast as l could raise ii.
We don't want to know how you
get the money Iney told me at one
! conference held in December. 1904"
Maurice Resented is a we'll known cap
| italist and real estate dealer with otnces
| at III LaSalle street. He has been en-
gagged in the real estate business I'm Chi
IA u
the Chicago National bank and the Home
Savings bank. two Of the John r. Walsh
! institutions which failed some years ago.
He was vice president of the United He
brew Charities and director of the Chi
cago Relief and Aid society. In 1900 he
/ served a term as county commissioner
and is a prominent member OF the Stand
/ ard club.
Pale and Haggard
Van vlissingen's face was pale and his
hands trembled as he told his story on the
: witness stand. His every act plainly
| showed the strain under which he labor
ed His eyes were bloodsl1ot and his lips
| twitched as he faced counsel and recog-
nized former friends among the specta-
/ tors in the crowded court room.
The witness stated that his forgeries
/ had continued for twenty years, but that
/ he did not know the extent of them.
II was always afraid to sit down and
| figure just how much they amounted 10"
/ he said. -r
"wm they aggregate million dollars?"
Surely"
And may be more?'
/ Yes"
/ Asked when his marriage occurred,
/ tears came to his eyes. "Only two years
| ago" he said.
| The witnes brought the story of his
mlsdoings down to last November when
concealment was no longer possible
Then" continued witness. now talk
ing rapidly. II knew 1 was done for. This
was November IA. 1905. The next day,
! Sunday. I called several of my clients ia
and went over the records with them
on Monday they left me. That was the
end
Have you any property or other as
sets not accounted for at PRESENT."
mo. except my clothing. l had about
$50 when l reached the prison at Joliet,
but I sent that back to my wife"
At the mention of his wife the witness
seemed on the verge OF collapse, but with
\ great effort managed to control himself
Came Like BOmbShelI
Van vlIssingen's statement concerning
his private confession to Rosenfeld and
Rosenberg Occasioned the greatest sur
prise in the court room. No hint that
such a condition of affairs as he alleged
Il with reference to private settlement had
/ ever before reached the public.
II am serving a term in prison for my
\ crime" said Van Vlissingen. land it is
right and just that l should. 1t feels
good to have the whole thing of my
heart, and I will tell the truth, no mat
ter who its Affects
KEPT ON FORGING
TO PAY UP DEBTS
; CHICAGO. April 2S.-Peter Van Wis
singer, the former real estate man.
brought back from prison TO testify in