Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-22
THE REAL RANKIN is NOW
NEMESIS OF MlLLlGAk

j. D. Rankin, the real Jesse Rankin
OF Tarkio, Mo-, arrived in Council Bluffs
yesterday afternoon for the purpose OF
securing timely interview with the
young man who has been trailing the
family escutcheon in the dust. When
Mr.. Rankin. at his home in TarlSio read
in The Bee the story printed Tuesday
morning announcing the wild escapade Of
the fellow posing as the grandson OF the
late David Rankin, one OF the men whom
the people OF northwestern Missouri
have long known and honored, the tele-
phone was Immediately used and the
Council Bluffs police department in
formed that the man who married To-
year-old Maude Blumenstlne Monday
evening and was In Jail two hours after
wards was Jess or James Milligan, a
former resident OF Tarkio and well
known there. Mr., Rankin took the first
train to Council Bluffs, not for the pur-
pose of protecting the family name. but
to insure the holding of the imposter UNI
til he can be returned to Missouri. As
there is a Jess and Jim Milligan. Mr..
Rankin was in doubt as to which ii
might be.
He confronted Mliligan in the city Jail
Immediately after reaching the city and
told the police 1t was Jim Milligan. Mr..
Rankin. who is a young man of refine
ment. connected with the largest bank
ing Business in that portion of Missouri
and married and providing for his family
of wife and two children, told briefly OF
some of the MlIllgan exploits He said
the boys father is now in jail at Rock
port charged with bootegging, and that
another brother is being sought by the
federal authorities for the same oftense.
He said Milligan went to Kansas City
some time ago and engaged a fine livery
team and carriage upon the representa-
ton that he was j d. Rankin, drove out
of town and sold the outfit He was
next heard from at North Platte, Neb,
where he became connected with ,valu-
able fur overcoat, again giving the name
Of J. ID. Rankin. He is also wanted for
crime committed at Springfield, Mo.
The sheriff was expected to arrive from
Tarkio last night to take Milllgan back,
1t is now recalled by the police and
others that Milligan came to Council
Bluffs in July and represented himself
as ]. d. Rankin. The Rankins are ex-
gan came nearly concluding operations
for the purchase of a fine car from a
Council Bluffs dealer Ho was only pre-
vented getting away with It when the
garage men sent chauffeur with him.
All he got was good, free ride about
town. II is also recalled that Mlllgan
was around the Goodrich hotel during the
afternoon of the evening that James
CAM attempted 10 line a dozen men In
the office and rob them and the cash
register firing half a dozen shots. MILL
gan was in his company and was drink
ing with him and is believed now TO be
largely responsible for the crime OF the
liquor-crazed man. One of the patrons
of the hotel had his pockets picked that
evening before GAM made his wild at
tempt and Milllgan is believed TO be re-
sponsible for the loss.
An enormous amount OF embarrassment
has been caused Mr.. Rankin and his
family by the persistent impersonatlon
by Milligan. Mr. Rankin said he re-
ceived q postal card about ten days age
from a strange young woman, directed
TO TarlSio, in which the young woman
said she arrived home safely and thor
oughly enjoyed the trip with him, al
luding 10 many incidents OF a shady
character Mr.. Rankin said Milligan
would now be retired for a good long
time. The only request that Milllgan had
20 make when he met Rankin at the city
jail was for "a good cigar"