The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-10-08
Confessed To Having IHpef.
sOnated A Mute
And ID This Way Secured
Money 10 Various Sums
Was Given 4 Fine Of SIS
And wofkhOuse Sentence

The local police disclosed scheme
Monday morning that has for the past
several years been ingeniously put
into practice by J. ID. Wilson, colored,
OF Bridgeport, Conn, who successful
ly worked upon his colored friends by
exciting their sympathy. The man
affects deaf and dumb afIliction and
picks Up change, large and small,
whenever he can find a sympathetic
brother or sister. He pleaded guilty
to a petit larceny charge before May
or Perrine and received fine of $25
and sixty days in the DAYTON work.
house.
The colored man arrived on train
Saturday night. He was accompan.
led by white man who gave his
name as George Armstrong. The two
registered at the Fultz hotel and oc-
cupied the same room during the
night. On Sunday morning Armstrong
was short match case and $3.50 in
cash. He accused his roommate of
robbing him. but Wilson promptly
AMI strongly denied It, The two sep.
arated, the colored man starting out
to make friends with local citizens of
his race, while Armstrong went d.
rectly to the mayors Office to swear
out q warrant. The former was
found by Officer George on a street
car and was arrested.
Wilson made signs to prove his
afiiiction. He was taken directly to
the mayors Office, however, and was
interviewed by Chief of Police Glen.
ents. The chief learned that he had
been to the home Of Mr.. George Sites
on East Chestnut street earlier In the
morning and that he had begged a
quarter there. A description of the
beygar given by Mr.. Sites tailed ex-
actly with that of the man in Gus.
tody.
Z His suspicion being aroused, Chief
Clements accused the man Of being
fake mute and finally succeeded in
making him acknowledge the decep-
tion. After his secret had been dis.
covered Wilson became very talkative
and told many things that were i'm
prudent. He admitted having pass.
ed himself as a mute for several years
and acknowledged that he had made
his living soliciting sympathy from
unsuspecting colored people.
The man had in his possession q
record book In which he kept a list
of all donators and the amount oi
their donations. The sums Of money
ranged from Ave cents to twenty
dollars. This record book showed
that he had imposed upon citizens oi
nearly every town In southwestern
Ohio and northern Kentucky. He car
ried two well written guarantees 0i
his honesty and genuineness. The
papers were signed by the pastor ol
the Zion colored church Of Cincinnati
Ohio, and stated that the bearer wal
an honest. God fearing man who wal
in need and who had lost his par
ents and family during an epidemic
of diphtheria several years ago. Th'
papers stated further that he has
been educated IN deaf mute asylum
in Liverpool, England.
The man admitted that the sigma
ture OF the Cincinnoti minister wal
false and that the entire outn. ha,
been arranged by himself for decep
tive purposes.
Not only did the man beg at houses
or from individuals on the streets
but attended services at the colore'
churchee In the various cities t
carry out his graft there. He woul'
hand his papers to the minister wh'
would be asked to read them to tn
congregation. This would be don
and collection would be taken 10
his benefit
This was done in churches in Q,
cry city that he visited and was sue
cessfully worked In the A. NJ. Z
Church here Sunday morning. TIL
pastor read the papers to the cor
|gregation and a collection of nearl
1--we dollars was taken for him. In