The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-06
BAD NAME PREVENTS
REFORMATION
HARRY siLvEReERG. KNOWN
WELL IN MONTANA, CAUGHT
BY REPUTATION.

Just he was about to come into
| possession of some sso,000,00o from
London financiers Through a scheme
to build railroad in Chile, for which
he had secured franchise from the
Chilean government. Harry Silver
berg. who will be remembered by
many Great Falls people as - Cole
man Drayton," has been exposed by
London newspaper and found it ex-
pedient to drop out of sight. says the
Great Falls Tribune
Silverg. who had adopted the name
of Drayton, the Chicago millionaire
previous 10 coming TO Montana in
1900 In the capacity OF manager of
the newspapers owned by Senator
w. A. Clark, cut swath of some
width in Great Falls society circles
during his residence of some three
months in the Electric city. and he
Is remembered by the local public
particularly for the liberality with
which he entertained. He spent
money like water. and he could af-
ford to do SO as IL was not his money
Drayton. or Silverberg, has rec
ord throughout the world as an In
ternational swindler AS confidence
man he has no peer, and those who
are acquainted with his career are
always wondering where he Is going
to break out next. The last time he
was heard of in Great Falls. he was
wanted by the New York police for
certain questionable transactions in
mining stock. While making his head
quarters ut the Waldorf he succeeded
in Fleeing Gothamites and visitors
10 New York out of thousands of dol.
lars. His partner I'm the venture was
said TO be Countess Media Oouro-
soft. beautiful Russian whom he
had known for years
Posing as James Jeffrey Williams,
Silvcrberg has just witnessed the fad
ing Of financial dream which prom
iscd TO net him and those associated
with him millions of dollars. The
dream was a Chilean railroad capi-
talized at s40,000.000. and the scene
of his operations was London. The
deal was just about to be closed, and
the vast amount of cash involved pass
into his control, when his identity
became known and he found it ad-
visable to drop out of sight
After criminal career which led
him from Port Said to New York.
from balances i'm the gondolas OF
Venice to sub rosa. acknowledgements
with countesses In South Africa. Sill
verberg seemingly was turning his
wits to honest purposes. After va
ried experiences with the police i'm
many parts Of the country subsequent
to his disappearance from Montana
In 1900. Silverberg appeared in Chile.
representing himself to be a repre-
sentative of New York newspaper.
Debonair and suave he secured a
concession for railroad from the !
president of the South American re-
public. Once he had the franchise in K,
MS possession, II seems, Silverberg ,
determined to accomplish the long de-
iayed turning of the new leaf
He went to London and there in
terested some of the most prominent
financiers in England i'm his railroad
scheme. The concession was i'm
mensely valuable and was an open
sesame To the confidence of virtually
every promoter the smooth tongued
James Jeffrey Williams approached
Soon there was an incorporation with
capital of $4,000. 900 and stock rap
idly was being subscribed when an
English newspaper published the
statement that Williams" WAS no
other than Harry Silverburg. the most
notorious crook i'm the world. will
iiams" probably would have been an
honest man. Silverburg was an ex-
convict, the man whose record occu-
pied more space than any other on
the shelves of the Police Bertillon !
rooms. He disappeared from London
simultaneously with the discovery of
his identity. With him went the
Chilean railroad concession. now val !
ueless Ia him. but. doubtless. To be |
treasured AS a memento of the time !
he came near reforming.