The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-24
LEADS DETECTIVES ON
FOURTEEN YEAR CHASE
DIR. IL. G. Flower, Alleged to Have
Swindled Millions, Arrested
In Toronto.
Ii'"As ONCE SOUGHT FOR HERE
Local Detectives Had Laid Their
Trap, Whom Private Agents, Seek
ing Baggage Thieves, Let Him
Slip Through Their Fingers.

ing Baggage Thieves, Let Him
Slip Through Their Fingers.
After having led detectives of NIL
me larger cities in the country merry
chase for fourteen years. DIR. r. c.
lower. regarded by the police as chief
PI swindlers in modern times. is under
ARREST In Toronto, Can. and n temporary
Hialt has been called on. his alleged
"ild-cat schemes.
Ii is but necessary TO print his name
TO recall DR.. Flower to the memories
Rof Richmond people and the local de-
tectives. They nearly had him in 1908.
&and,, but for n botch made by private
interlopers, the Richmond detectives
would have had him In thrall. In
stead. whiie men were watching one
house. DR.. Flower quietly slipped away
from another and had been lost sight
8of until he bobbed up in Toronto and
was arrested there on Wednesday.
While he was here the doctor ladled
8out panaceas with one hand and al
leged fraudulent real estate paper with
the other. Between whites he paid
attention to Mrs. Hag aman, whom he
had brought with him here, and man
aged to persuade her to intrust a small
fortune of jewels in his care He took
the Jewels with him and left Mrs
Hagaman behind.
HICHIMOND POLICE ONCE
W LAID TRAP I'OR HIM
DR.. Flower was in Richmond about
two weeks before the detectives
learned OF his appearance. Mrs. Haga-
man had brought with her majestic
array OF trunks. filled with jewelry and
fine, linen, and sailed forth at night
only In such apparel as would have
made queen cnvious. She took
rooms In house at Eleventh and
her HIS doubtful attentions. His visits
were SO frequent that the owner of
the house became suspicious. and
called in Detective Sergeant Bailey. 1t
was not then known that the man was
wanted In Philadelphia on charges of
violating $4,000 bond: but Sergeant
Bailey had sufficient grounds on which
10 make an arrest on another charge.
IND believing that he had a bigger
clans to make a catch.
private detectives spoiled II all. They
suspected Mrs. Hagaman of being a
baggage thief because OF her numer-
1us trunks. and worked so di!ig entity on
This idea that DIR. Flower got wind of
their activities. and slipped out. He
/ slipped out under the very loses of the
private detectives, and they had their
Eains for their trouble. subsequently
several New York firms, whom Mrs.
Hagaman owed large amounts for her
= dnery, had some of her trunks attached
and She figured In Police Court. With
her troubles finally ended she left the
CITY, and, II is said. has since married
After DR.. Flower had gone the local
police learned his history through In
formation received from Philadelphio
and Sergeant Bailey knew what he had
missed because of the gIatuftous ac-
ttfity or others. He learned that DR.
fiower WAS accompanied by another
woman. and that they LIVED. near the
corner OF Ninth and Franklin Streets
ana Ill house on Marshall Street be-
tween Seventh and Eighth
ALLEGED TO HAVE
SwINDLED MILLIONS
The authorities In New York are par
t!cnlarly pleased over the arrest, for
they have never wanted n man so
badly as they want DR.. Flower 10 an
ever charges OF swindling and to set
at rest suspicious that he Is also n
. poisoncr. He was TO have been brought
to trial on May 20. 1903. charged with
swindlins operations extending into
4 S2,ooO,0oO. But when his name was
called the doctor Was missing.
q Barney McConville, n dctective-ser
geant then, and lieutenant now, has
been close upon the heels or the physi-
clan ever since, and arrested him In
i philadelphia in 1907. Dr. Flower OBJ
| tanned ball. however, and again skipped
= out y year later the doctor came to
Richmond. Here he set up as a physi-
clan who had discovered the secret of
@outh. and there are policemen even
now who will testify to the efficacy of
his marvel. There was some merit In
| his proprietary. IL is said, and several
VINO thought they were losing their
hold on life were again able to enjoy
It's pleasures after they had sampled
Flowers reviving dope
Flower came originally from n little
1 town In Ohio, where he started ont n.
Il minister OF the CampbeIlite Church.
The ministry was not very inviting to
4 young man who had ambitions and
early he stepped from the strait and
narrow way into the primrose path
OF Quack doctOring. He found widows
and elderly womeE susceptible to his
Establishments and his persuasive man
nor. and coin came easily into his
Golfers. Facile in one thing. he en-
larged the scope of his activities. and
i nc was soon promoting gold mining
schemes.
HAD MANY WOMEN
AS HIS PATIENTS
In 1903 he became acquainted with
the wife of Theodore Hagaman, who
dicd under mysterious circumstances
in the Waldorf Hotel, New York Hag-
aman left million dollar estate, and
of this 1T was discovered afterwards
that Mrs. Hagaman had transferred
100000 to DR.. Flower. With this
money the doctor enlarged his opera
tons. and promoted mining companies,
for which the Flower Medical Com
pany was the feeder. Women went to
the medical company and were cured
of their ills. fancied or real, and then
invested widows mites in mining
stock. When investigation began, wo-
men refused to testify against the dear
doctor. and he went unframed until
finally Mrs. Taylor was induced to
forsNear him, his cure ana his mining
stock. On trial day the doctor disap-
peared. leaving behind scores of. dis
appointed women. n $4,000 bail bond
and many indictments
Such is a sketchy bit Of the history
OF Dr. Flower. whose name among
many women has been a synonym for
virtue and charity. He built n house
OF cards. fabricated upon plans that
made him. according to the police. n
Napoleon among swindlers. and that
Amade his arrest the hope of every de
ftectiVe VINO ever put on rubber heels