Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-15
ARREST REVEALS HUGE DEALS
7. B. Mcpherson and Local Bank Lose
sixty-Five Thousand Dollars,
AUTHOR OF LOSS GOT MILLION
william Humphrey Behinds Bars az
Oakland ana said to Have Ope-
rated for twenty Years,
LeavinE Checkered Trail.

LeavinE Checkersd Trail.
Through a telegram to T. B. Mcpherson.
7o1 Park avenue yesterday. telling Of the
arrest Of a man at Oakland Cal, the
romantic story OF deals, the total Of which
passes a million dollars and marks the
operations OF the prisoner for twenty years.
has come TO light. Travelling in splendid
style, dabbIing with thousands OF dollars
as a boy would dabble with marbles and
always on the perilous brink OF prosecu-
ton, William r. Humphrey, the man be-
hind the bars at Oakland, IL declared to
have left a trail OF high finance in half
the states Of the union.
Mr.. Mcpherson and the Stock Yards Ma
tional bank OF South Omaha, OF which he
was a director, number among the victims
OF Humphrey. their losses reaching $4,000.
Discussing the affair last night, Mr.. Nc
Pherson explained that borrowed money,
fraudulent equities, worthless checks and
princely personality were the mediums
of Humphreys business adventures. His
account and that of the police on the coast
describe Humphrey and his work as more
remarkable than the widest fiction. The
adventures Of Get Rich-QuiolS" Walllng-
ford pale beside those Of Humphrey
Humphrey first came to notice In Ne
brRska twenty years ago, when he ao-
quired money on a ranch at Ashland, and
upon becoming bankrupt established him
self as owner Of an enormous ranch Of
cattle and horses near Kansas City, Mo,
His indebtedness to the Stock Yards Ma
tonal bank in the beginning was for but
several thousand dollars. Shortly after no
- rNaWf oh
which covered 1000 acres, was stocked with
], 400 head OF cattle and was worth 10000
he negotiated further loans, running the
total up to the value Of the property. From
that point the local bank became steadily
further involved in Humphreys operations
Deal at Quincy, III.
It appeared his title to the land had
grown out OF a 6Sal with the Rioker Ma
tional bank Of quincy, ILL.,, in which ne
failed 20 pay over any actual money.
With the mortgage on land and cattle
nearing maturity, Mr.. Mcpherson, repre-
senting the stock Yards bank learned that
Humphrey was permitting the cattle to
starvo. It was an act of humanity as well
as a business move that prompted the
banker and othar creditors Of Humphrey
TO continue advancing money into the
operation Of the ranch. Nevertheless sew
eral hundred dumb brutss disd Of starva-
ton ana In other ways the property de-
tsriorated and the debts grew.
From that experience in ranch jugglery
Humphrey Is said to have Transferred his
attentions elsewhere. During the space Of
ten years he Is described az acquiring first
an equity In fashionable apartment houses
In Chicago, then trading that for lands in
California and later obtaining options on
land "a Mexico and Texas. He changed
his name from William Humphrey to Will
liam H Humphreys at the END Of that
period, and was heard from often in widely
different parts Of the country.
According to Mr.. Mcpherson. Humphrey
many times overdrew his bank account.
which was never OF permanent nor large
amount throughout his experiences a
dozen business men ana bankers kept the
man under critical surveillances TOR a single
criminal act but always he contrived 70
cover his overdrafts IN time to escape de-
lection and TO oompneate his ventures into
questionable trading with such skill thai
no step could be taken against him.
MoPAszson Gets Attachment.
firing Of Humphreys continued JugElery
and failure 70 dispense with anything
more tangible than fluent words. Mr. Nc
PhersOn secured an attachment on the
/
years ago. Humphrey was residing at the
Chicago Athletic club, and the attachment
was made upon his automobile. a diamond
ring and a supply OF sumptuous baggage
Following this action. Humphrey went
TO San Francisco and requested that his
7 deposition IN the case be taken there Mr.
; Mcpherson therefore sent an attorney and
; secured the deposition. This document
( according to Mr. MACPHERSON. was q tissu,
! OF fslsshOod. This fact is the single on,
X In the history OF Humphreys deals with
4 the Omaha banker. which might be uset
2 IN a criminal charge against the specu
0 lator. II might have caused charge o.
4 perjury against Humphrey az the time o
= the deposition. but now a question ha
arisen whether the statute Of limitation
: does not prohibit the move.
Mr. Mcpherson covered the losses Of tn
stock Yards bank IN the Humphrey deal
when hO withdrew from active direction o
the banks affairs. by selling the interes
the bank had IN the ranch and undertak
a ing personally the loss incurred throug
the later loans made in efforts to say
the lives OF the cattle.
Amount OF Operations.
/. Mr.. Mcpherson gives Il as his belief tina
X the Kicker National bank lost at leas
I 100000 through Humphreys deals. Other
l. who suffered financially from Gcquaint
X aneeship with the man were a Dr. Wood
e. OF Kansas City, A. h Cook OF odebol
W Ia. and banks In Portland Seattle an
e. Oakland. according to information here.
Id IL Is not definitely reported no
of Humphreys arrest occurred He Is charge
with obtaining money under false Dretense
Information OF his arrest was sent to Il
South Omaha police and they have bee
comforting with Mr.. Mcpherson 20 lear
his desire about prosecution.
Humphrey is said 10 be about 50 yea
old. He began life as carpenter IN S
Joseph, Mo, II IL said he once neS0tiat'
money on an unauthorized mortgage 10 Il
property Of a man named McCutcheon
Texas who has since died.
The telegram from Oakland original
came through the hands OF thu Sou
Omaha police, II was a perfunotory stat
ment OF Humphreys arrest, ana request
Information from Mr.. Mcpherson. n
Omaha man said last night he had not d
eided upon any definite action against 4
prisoner. He explained that probably :