Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-14

are bishops and nationally known
ministers on my hong list"
After coming out OF the Boston
correction school, Hale studded out a
safer way Of playing tho fraud game.
he said. He operated successfully for
. time before being arrested In Man.
chester. NH. He wac sentenced to
from three TO fivs years but was re-
cased after having served two years.
Meets Up With Rockefeller.
"ln 1915 made tho mistake OF
striking New York. Gold bricks or
fake stock might have gone we'll there
at tho time but my game didn't pan
out. John d. Rockefeller--the young
man--was one Of my victims and no
laid the trap that Melted me. l was
sentenced to an indefinite term on
Blackwell's island. but was discharged
In eight months when physicians re-
ported that l was suffering from tu-
bcrculosis.
Next I landed In Delaware and
there l got caught again. This was
in 1917 and I was sentenced to two
years In the New Castle work
house. Up to that time 1t was figured
that I had fleeced ministers and lay
men out Of $4,000. / guess those
figures were about right. l didn',
dispute them when they were present
ed. / got out Of the workhouse In 1919
and my next pickup by the police was
In Philadelphia. This was In Septem-
Der. 1921. 1 was held for five days or
suspicion OF larceny by trick. Their
they turned me loose. Next I driftet
toward the Northeastern part OF Penn
sylvania and was .nabbed In Reading
Back to Favorite Tran.
| There l served seventy-two days
Deciding against the small cities
came back to my favorite playground
cities between Buffalo and Chicago
Ministers In Buffalo. Utica. Chicago
Detroit and throughout Ohio fell vic
Tins. milwaukee,. Kansas City, Dallas
Galveston and scores OF other cite
Furnished me with plenty Of none,
when there came need for II.
Il varied my game a bit now an,
then. There never was any dim
Guilty in getting names OF clergyme,
or prominent lay members OF a church
lPubiications such as the Church An
nual OF the Episcopalians: the Mod
ierator Guide OF the Presbyterian, an
the Year Book OF the CONGREGATIONAL
lists. furnished me with the nece.sar
ammunition.
Taking Toll Calls.
The scheme that worked yer
well when large sums We're needle
was that Of taking long distance tele
phone calls. l would call up clergy
man and represent myself as a doctc
Of the health department l would re
him story OF man OF his faith. fror
a strange city. who was on his wa
home TO die. being a sufferer with Il
berculosis. l wondered IL you woul
be able 10 bear the expense OF takin
> care Of him for a few days until "
hear from his home" would tell hir
/ would explain that we had hottie
) the bishop OF the mans home eli
and expected word from him prompt
Sometimes the minister would ayr,
TO advance the money but usually
had to draw on the fake long di
1 lance telephone call. This would con
the day following my conversation wi
the marked victim. Disgusting II
4 voice / would Tell him was the, Bis
i op so and 10 and that I had ju
learned with much sorrow that
young man who had been my seer
tary for years was III IN hts city VT
tuberculosis.
Getting him into a receptive mo-
l would suggest that he advance 81
or Sl65 or whatever amount ! h.
= picked. When he agreed, / would e
u plain that ! was getting in touch wi
the health doctor and would have h
y call the next day. Then I went a
u got the money. 1t was very ca
Once IN a while a minister OF Ia
man would demand. credentials =
$ prove backward. But In the ms
n they fell very soft.
II Where small amounts ranging fr'
,e s25 10 500 were desired ! would
range TO have my victim give me ;
II money to take care OF the suppos
le tubercular patient until his peoI
" would send sufficient money 10
= him back home.
e Il couldn't tell where half
IS money went 10. ! haven't any real I
ID pensive habits except living in 81
re hotels, riding IN the best trains a
d. dining like a king. ! do enjoy e.
:" cigars. and I miss them here.
pc My game worked well becal
there are few doing IL and I dc
n believe any OF them had II down ne
m er TO a science than / did.
he Glad He Is Not Married.
n There is at least one thing /
n say TO my credit-that Is ne
is married. a man can't be a good h
band and crook al the same I'll
When / was student at Harvar'
az expected to marry some day, but wi
- I got travelling the high spots OF