Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-01-12
S|LBERBERG =.
IS CAP TURED
FAMOUS SWlNDLER CAUGHT TRY
ING TO FLOAT CHILL RAIL
ROAD SCHEME,
BY AGENTS OF THE PINKERT0NS
Man who Duped Minneapolis People
Falls Into Detectives Net After
Safely Eiuding Them four
Years.


berg, alias J. Coleman Drayton, who
four years ago fleeced NJ. J. Scanlon, a
Minneapolis millionaire, out Of several
thousand dollars and welded his step.
daughter, Miss Bonnie Hinkle, besides
swindling hundreds of others through
out the northwest, has been captured
in London, Eng, by Pinkertons while
trying to raise $60,000,000 for rail
road deal in Chilli.
Silberberg is one of the best known
and greatest swindlers of the age and
has thus far managed to avoid any
long term of Imprisonment. although
he has been in the hands of the ALL.
thorities many times. His work in
Minneapolis and his mysterious disap.
pearance after feigning sickness and
getting his release from Jail on light
bonds created a tremendous sensation
all over the country at the time.
Originally Silberberg was neWspa-
per reporter, leaving this field for a
career of swindling which carried him
into every continent where he has
met and been entertained by royalty
and society and financial leaders. He
came to Minneapolis about 1905 and
opened an Office in the Minneapolis
bank building, saying he represented
some teaching method school IN the
East. He shot broadsides of circulars
at the Northwest and gathered In hun
dreds of dollars. Later he induced
Miss Grace Huebner, Minneapolis, to
invest $500 in some fake venture and
this eventually proved his undoing
here.
All this time Silberberg has been in.
gratiating himself into the good wish
es Of Minneapolis society. His mar.
rage to Miss Bonnie Hinkle, step.
daughter of NJ. J. Scanlon, a lumber.
man, was one of the events of the
year. Then like bolt of lightning
from a clear sky came Silberberg's
indictment on charge of obtaining
money on false pretenses. The swind.
Ter and his young wife fed the city
but not before Silberberg had sue
ceeded in getting a large sum Of
money from Mr.. Scanlon.
The swindler was finally captured
in Washington, D. C. and brought back
for trial. Bail was fixed at $500
For weeks Silberberg starved himself
and feigned sickness. Finally he was
taken into court and a request by his
brother, who had come to his aid from
Denver was granted and bail was low.
cred to $1,000. After that Silberberg
disappeared.
He had served time in Germany
and was wanted in California and 9th.
er parts of the country. Silberberg
also operated at Portland. Ore. where
he posed as great horseman and
amused himself with swell launch
parties and elaborate suppers at the
Hotel Portland grill. He was arrested
there on July "a, 1902, but was after
wards released.
Miss Hinkle got divorce soon af.
ter Silberberg was liberated in Min
neapolis and resumed her maiden
name. She was Minneapolis visitor
during the Christmas holidays, return.
ing to New York a few days ago.
"He was a slick one," was the way
the news of Silberberg's capture was
received by M. J. Scanlon. HE came
here claiming association with high
financial men of the East. His strik.
ing appearance and polished ways
soon won him recognition in Mime
apolis and we didn't begin to look up
his references until just before he
was forced to flee the city. Naturally.
l don't care to talk about my personal
relations with him."