Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-30
FEDERAL OFFICERS
HOLD EVANGELIST
ON FRAUD CHARGES

NEW YORK, Dec. 29.-The teach
ings of the Bible, it would seem,
have no place in the counting house
today, Victor H. Arnold, former
president of the Madison, Wis, Bond
company, and more recently an
evangelist here, declared in his cell
in Raymond street jail.
Arnold was arrested this week at
his Bay Side country estate, former
ly training quarters Of Freddie
Welsh, English lightweight boxer.
The charge was "wIlfully scheming
to defraud" in violation of section
215 of the penal code, and of being
a fugitive from justice.
Declaring himself the victim of
persecution, "such as Christ and
Paul suffered" the former financier
took his arrest calmly.
He insisted that his present mis-
fortune had been brought about by
the "deviltry" of his enemies in Wis
consin, and because of his efforts
to shield stockholders in his now
defunct company from financial loss
Through all his comment on the
case ran the religious strain in
which he conducted a series of lee
lures on Christianity" at the town
hall earlier this month.
"Inspiration" Claimed
The case against Arnold involved
his handling of funds of the Mad-
son Bond company. Protesting not
onlv his absolute innocence, but that
his every move in connection with
the company's affairs had been in
spired," Arnold accused the former
president and secretary-treasurer OF
the concern with embezzlement.
He declared officials of Madison
of the state of Wisconsin, and ap'
parently, even of the United States
70 be in conspiracy against him,
and expressed the hope his arrest
and impending trial would bring out
the true facts of the matter
For mother and the girls, ne
regretted the incident. OtherWlse'
he admitted, the persecution trou-
bled him not at all. A more resign
ed prisoner was never housed IN
Kings county Jail.
Mother" Mrs. Arnold ana TOUR
daughters of the former Chicago
and Madison man, were present
when deputy United States marshals
went to his home to arrest Arnold.
Pushing in at the front door they
placed him under arrest and hurried
him to Brooklyn without even per-
hitting him to finish dinner.
The Arnold home was gay with
holly and mistletoe and Uttered with
wrappings from Christmas gifts
that had been exchanged the day
before. as the marshals ordered Ar
mold to put on a coat and come
along"
"And this is not Moscow, Russia
hit the United States in 1922" the
preacher of "sinplifed Christianity"
commented.
Has No Money
When arraigned, and committed
to Jail in default of $4,000 bail, Ar
mold was asked if he had an attor-
ney.
"WelI, I have asked the attorney
general Of the United States to in
terest himself in the case and have
laid the facts before him and Presi-
dent Harding" Arnold told Commits
sioner McGoldrick.
He declared he had given every
penny he had in the world to help
meet the obligations Of his bond
company, now in the hands Of re-
ceiver, and that he and his family
were living by selling jewelry and
personal property.
when the facts come out, one of
the most amazing conspiracies ever
framed against an individual will be
disclosed" Arnold said.
"I was accused of being insane.
Naturally they thought me so. for I
tried to introduce the methods Of
Christ into business"