El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-04
This Time He Has Been Pos
ing as an American Pro
moter and Has Victimized
English Peers.

Craig, the PIANIST. is in trouble
again The man who arrived in Ell
Paso in 1902 In a private car, adver-
tised himself extensively in the news
papers, and entertained lavishly-the
man of Craig diamond fame-is up
against it again.
This time it is London where the
clever confidence man has been fish
ing for big suckers among the no
bility. He has been under arrest so
many times. has SO many aliases and
has been concerned in so many shady
schemes that it would take a good
sized volume to tell all of the doings
of this man.
Under the alias of James Jeffries
Williams. Craig'S latest adventure was
the promotion of a Chilean railroad
scheme among the nobility of England.
forming a syndicate among the peers
and prominent business nor of T.ca-
don with approximately 60,0OO,000 in
volved in the deal Williams alias
Craig, alias Silverberg and with a
number of other fictitious names. was
exposed by judge a. P. Cayne, of New
York. who had been hired to investi-
gate the affairs of the syndicate by
the London investors. The judge soon
discovered that J. J. Williams, the pro-
moter. was the same man as Harry
Silverberg. of Columbus. Ohio, who had
been arrested and imprisoned for i'm
personating J. Coleman Drayton. a New
York millionaire. in Baden Baden after
he had eloped with an Austrian coun-
tess, who deserted her husband for the
smooth American
The smooth awindler operated in
Ell Paso under the name of Craig He
was a good looking chap and soon did
a big business as 4 clairyOyant and
palmist He had diamonds to the value
of S25.000-they belonged to a woman
who came to Ell Paso with him and
pawned them in London in an effort
to secure his release from prison in
Baden Baden Her name was Teck and
a New York millionaire had given her
the diamonds He succeeded in getting
an FL Paso widow to return to England
with him and bring the diamonds back
to this country He pawned these dia-
monds for $4,000 with Silberoerg broth
ers and afterward left for Mexico and
is said to have defrauded the Ell Paso
to get the diamonds out of pawn in
England. She married him in St
Louis and was divorced from him in
Ell Paso after his flight to Mexico
He was later arrested in New YORK
for attempting to sell fictitious mining
stock in fake mine in Arizona. He
also married a woman In Houston and
another in Dallas after leaving here
He also married wealthy Wisconsin
girl, whose father was a lumber king.
All his wives got divorces.
Silverberg is considered one of the
cleverest swindlers that ever operated
in any country. He was concerned in
number of shady transactions and es-
capades in different parts of the world.
including deals in which he secured
concessions from the king of Siam and
the emperor of Japan. He is well
known in Ell Paso where he was the
center of interest while he spent his
money. gambled and entertained his
friends.
His London EScepade.
His latest escapade in England. in
which he was trapped by Judge A. P.
Coyne is told in cablegram recently
received from London by New York
newspaper The cablegram reads:
Former judge A. P. COyne of New
York, who is counsel for a British syn
dictate formed to finance a Chilean rail
road. has revealed to his clients that
James Jeffries Williams" who has
posed as a great financier and pro-
moter in behalf of the Chilean govern
ment, is in reality Harry SiIverberg of
New York. who was arrested several
years ago for imperSonating J. Cole
man Drayton in Baden Baden.
The revelation made by Judge Coyne
gave a considerable shock to financial
London. For the sum involved in the
railroad deal, which Williams" had
promoted. is $50. 100000 and some of
the weaIthiest peers and business men
of England are members of the syn
dictate.
While nothing but the revelation of
Williams's record has been made. it is
reported that there is a likelihood Of
warrant being issued for the mans
arrest on possible charges of misap-
s25O.OO0. There was a con-
ference today of some of the biggest
bankers in London to determine exactly
what steps should be taken
The London cablegram says that Sill
verberg first went TO Rio Janerio
where he represented himself as cor
respondent for several English and
American newspapers. Soon he turned
up in Chile, where his FEASIBILITY of
address won the favor of the Ameri-
can residents who invited him to en-
tertainments where he finally came to
meet the president of Chile. it is said
He dined with the president and man.
aged to obtain the promise Of valuable
concessions, including the $4,000, 900
railroad scheme.
Interests British Peers.
Silverberg set out for England to
drum up capital for the gigantic enter