The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-08-18
u. RUFUS WALLINGFORD." "
Held in Connection With the Theft of
Millions From Mails.

John w. Worthington, the j. Ru
fus Wallingford,' of Chicago, is un-
der arrest charged with having
been the "brains' of a robbers
trust" that, among other thieveries,
directed the recent national series of
mail robberies in which the loot has
totaled millions of dollars.
1t is alleged by the government au-
thorities that Worthington and his
partner, Owen E. Evans, also under
arrest, in addition to being concerned
in the actual robberies, have since
that time altered and sold to reput-
able investors and brokers Liberty
bonds valued at hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars and the securities
forming the major part of the loot to
render them saleable without detec-
ton.
Some of the Charges.
Among the cases with which the
authorities declare Worthinston and
his associates have been connected
are the following robberies:
Toledo, February II, 1921; loot,
s1,OOO,OOO.
Pullman, ILL.,, August 20, 1920;
loot, 100000.
Dearborn Street Station, April 6
1921; loot, s350,000.
Mount Vernon, ILL.,, January II,
1921; $4,000.
Chicago Avenue Postal Substation
March 4, 1921; loot, 100000.
Tuceoa, Ca, September 10, 1920;
loot, 100000.
Council Bluffs, Ia, November II,
1920; loot, s9,500,o00.
Minneapolis, Minn, December g.
1920; loot, $4,000.
Centerville, Ia., March 22, 1921;
loot, $4,000.
In addition, the recent disappear
ance of S3,00O,000 worth of Sinclair
Oil stock in New York is laid at the
doors of the trust
Worthington denies the charge and
asserts his complete innocence.
His career as the Chicago police
records know it, is one of picturesque
and varied activities. Little appears
to be known of him previous to 1902,
but he was generally conceded in Il
nancial circles to wealthy and sue
cessful real estate dealer. The meth
DDS he adopted in that year, however,
drew attention to him, and a thor
ough investigation developed that in
1898, while located in New York, he
and his brothers operated as bankers
and brokers, and John Worthington
was sent to Sing Sing for swindling.
His sentence was commuted and he
came to Chicago, opening an account
in a Chicago bank, August 6, 1902.
Begins as Promoter.
In 1906 he was located at u East
Madison street and was reported as
having been successful in the real es-
tate business. He was reputed to have
accumulated fortune of several hun
dred thousands of dollars.
In 1906 he began promotion OF va
rious companies. He was elected
president of the Security Life and
Annuity Corporation, a West Virginia
concern, with capital stock of $780,
600. This position he resigned about
May /, 1906. Then came the promo
ton of the Visible Typewriter Man
ufacturing company, of Chicago, IN
connection with which he became in
volved in litigation and was charged
with Misrepresentation in regard to
the securities of a 100000 bond issue.
About this time he was also employ
ed by a local bank as an expert on
real estate and loans. This connec-
ton was discontinued when he landed
in trouble.
Makes Debut as Banker.
In the early part of 1907 Worth
ington was heard of many times in
connection with various bank deals,
but in no case did they materiallze
until he was elected vice president OF
the American National Bank, of Kan
sas City in the summer of 1907 and
changed it's name. 1t was then learn
ed he had borrowed money in Chica-
90 TO buy an interest in the Kansas