Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-31
LAW SKATERS VISION
OF FINANCIAL EMPIRE,
CRUSHING AGED MAN
Postal Inspectors End Opera
tions of Colonel" Wilkinson,
Whose Enthusiasm Won
Investors Confidence
THEY LOST THEIR CASH

story of an old man OF shattered visions
the story Of a man whe would have
transplanted Europe to America and make
the suRny lan1s of Tennessee an Utopia
and an Eldorado. and himself a captain
OF industry and finance who would have
made "Get-Rich-Q Quick" wallingford look
like an amateur.
This mans mind thought in millions;
even n Morgan couldn't have had such
visions as he: and his thoughts expressed
themselves In words so cleverly that
barrels of money floated in from all
directions and the fame of his anter-
prise grew like a huge bubble. Some
how, the bubble must have been related
to John Laws. At all events the pin OF
the law got busy-and the bubble burst.
All this happened months ago. Yester-
day the man sat for hours In the United
States District Attorneys office and
heard his friends testify that he was
poor. lie looked the part. Bent down
with the weight of years and perhaps
sorrow, Colonel George Wilkinson,
former president of the Central Ten
nessee Development Company. heard
| testimony given before Postal Inspector
Frank W. Smith. which will be used
against him next November when he
comes to trial down in Tennessee.
Colonel wilkinson was arrested and
| indicted on charges of conspiracy and
fraud by the use of the mails. Although
| his operations were confined largely TO
| the Spring City, Tennessee, proposition,
| many of the acts of this drama-drama
| indeed for the poor trusting sons of
| Tennessee who awoke too late to find
| themselves poorer but wiser-have been
acted in this city of Brotherly Love.
| Wilkinson himself was born in Wells
| boro, Tioga County of this State. For
| 1nr,n NfpNa hn hn1 a
| Bingham Hotel. Many Pennsylvanians
are said to have parted with their hard
| earned savings in order that they might
become rich over night. As for his
| wonder scheme-well that will be told
| directly.
BELIEVE HIM HONEST
Those who testified in the Federal
| Building yesterday were Wllkinson's s
| friends at least they were his witnesses.
| Wilkinson declared that he did not have
the necessary money to pay their way
to Tennessee. They were j. Henry
Julian, secretary of the Rider Cement
Brick Machine Company; o. p. Jones ana
C. w. Fuller, both of Charlestown Town
ship, Tioga County; and Norman Grey
of Camden Assistant United States Dis
trict Attorney l.. Pope came from Ten
nessee to attend the hearing.
Although the witnesses declared they
thought Wilkinson to be honest, Govern
ment officials said the testimony had been
damaging to the defendant and that the
postal inspectors had recognized what
they termed common scheme to de-
fraud.
Now for the scheme. The scene must
| be shifted to Spring City, Tenn. The
coming of Colonel" Wilkinson to that
section was unheralded. He footed his
own horn" as he headed his financial
prov toward Spring City, and soon the
whole of Rhea County was awake. He
said he was financial authority ano
I promised industrial developments and re
newed activities which would transform
that, mountain section into Verltapl'
Eldorado.
AS If by magic, cities and towns were
to spring into existence and citizens were
to become rich over night. Vast minera
deposits were to be opened and railroad'
} were to be built. Even a small creeE
, there was to be widened into mighty
waterway which would help to transform
j that town of 1900 into worlds metropo
lis which would outrank New York.
HE CURSED" MORGAN.
, Wilkinson told the wondering citizens
{ | he was on familiar terms with j.. Pier
mont Morgan, the late financier. He ever
/ told a story of how he had "cussed
! | Morgan out of his office and how Mr.
Morgan had called on him to express hi
Z | regrets.
\
: Colonel" inspected the local hotel ant
said he would make 1t the finest on earth
He planned to build sanatorium whiol
, would make Spring City the Carlsbad o
America, in fact, the one Callsbad or TN
0 world Plans for both structures wer
Q considered and the many promised fea
= lures presented themselves in massed ar
The fertile valleys about the "grea
4 | city, were to be dotted with farms AM
IL. lntVNNW
v was to mingle with the noise of machin
n shops. The wide-eyed residents saw
e Veritable land of promise.
The "Colonel" was the man of the houl
a He mad lordly hand. He was courte
and entertained Citizens We'd with eac
other and courted his favor and frleno
ship Options were taken on farms an
d on several thousand acres of fertile va
q lev farms and on mountain lands said I
h be filled with rich mineral deposits
After a conference with the leading cit
p zens, wilkinson began to explore the SUI
I. rounding country. He made an investiga
4 tion of crop conditions, and selected site
!. for the various Industries he had planned
: COMPANY ORGANIZED.
m Then came the organization of the CON
E, many which was TO bring forth the golde
IL egg The company took its name frol
m the "Shinbone Ridge" 1t was inco
70 porated under the laws of Delaware wit
le Sc. 600 900 as it's capital stock. The nan
re was later changed to the Central Tel
4 nessee Development Company" and for
n, while all went well. The stock sold lii
II yVildfire and more options were take
Lands which would not sprout COW pee
were to bring from 500 TO 500 an acre.
Ds Wpukinson came north to Philadelphia
a He would write daily telling OF II
d. mighty deals he was putting througl
% Options expired. and with no cash
a sight trouble was scented in Tennessee
ID on June "a, 1914, Wilkinson was arreste
,e bv the order of Chief Postal InspectS
ID Cortelyou, of Philadelphia. He was II
dicted in Tennessee some months later.
Wilkinson is nearly so years old. II
e. CITY of dreams was 10 have no salooI
is or gambling dens. AS for jail-wel
Ig none was mentioned In the plans. Bank
sr however, in visions, at least, we're thel
s. galore.