Evening star., 1949-06-25
BY the ..eioted Press

bT me sSci0teo rfsst
CHICAGO, June 25.-Sigmund
z. Engel, 73, who for more than
so years has wooed gullible widows
and fieeced them Of their fortunes.
was tripped up by one OF his in
tended victims yesterday.
The suave talker whose Glib
manner earned him reputation
as an international confidence
man, was seized in a police trap
in a Michigan avenue shop.
Mrs. Genevieve Parro, 55-year-
old widow, led Engel into the po-
lice net as they went to the shop
to buy luggage for proposed hol-
iday trip.
Mrs. Parro became suspicious Of
the smooth-talking Romeo-who
posed as Paul Marshall, wealthy
Evanston reSident-after he start
ed a whirlwind courtship with her
earlier this week. She notified
Policewoman Marian Hagen, her
sister in-law.
Police. who have been searching
for Engel for allegedly bilking an
other Chicago widow of $4,000
earlier this month, urged Mrs.
Parro to carry on her romance
with Engel. She agreed and con
sented" to a marriage proposal by
Engel. whom police said has po-
lice record in nearly every major
city in the Nation and many for
eign countries.
Meet i'm Luggage Shop.
Engel and Mrs. Parro, with four
of her sons and their wives. met
at a night club Thursday night
for "pre-marriage" dinner. En-
gel agreed to meet Mrs. Parro at
a shop yesterday to buy her some
luggage.
Policewoman Hagen and other
police officers were in the shop,
posing as sales clerks and GUS
toners.
Detective Peter Harlib stepped
UP behind Engel and asked: Lord
Beaverbrook? lone of the 80
aliases police said he used.
Engel, nattily attired in a gray
flannel suit, white shirt and polka
dot tie, turned and coolly eyed
the detective.
I'm Sherlock Holmes" said
Detective Harlib.
Sorry" retorted Engel. Don't
believe we've met"
Engel was taken to the Town
Hall police station where he met
Mrs. Reseda Corrigan. 39-year-
old Chicago widow, who claims
Engel earlier this month bilked
her of more than $4,000 after
posing as a Hollywood movie pro-
ducer and making lavish plans
for their marriage.
Woman Curses Him.
Mrs. Corrigan, mother of three
children. identified Epgel and
rushed at him with arms upralsed
as if about to strike him.
"You dirty" she screamed.
How could you do that TO me?"
She was restrained by police as
Engel wiped his tanned. perspir-
ing face. Mrs. Corrigan had spent
more than q week in New York
in a fruitless search after receiv-
ing a telephone call from him
on June u, a week after he fled
with her money.
Police and States attorneys Of
flcials said Engel in oral state
ments. admitted taking $1,000
from Mrs. Corrigan who had told
police he had bilked her of $500.
Engel, police said. promised to
return her $1,000. A warrant
charging Engel with operating a
confidence game. signed earlier by
Mrs. Corrigan, was served on
Engel. Bond on the warrant was
set at $4,000.
Police said Engel in his state
ments denied he ever had married
any of the women he had taken
money from.
"Only King Solomon could
marry that many" he said.
IT am always a gentleman" he
added. And a gentleman is a
man who knows right from wrong,
except in matters concerning
money. After all. all I've done in
taking women's money Is nothing
that the politicians don't do every
day"
Capt. Daniel Gilbert. chief In
vestigator for the States attor-
ney's office. said Engel had courted
and fleeced women for more than
so years. He said Engel had a
police record in Canada. England.
France and Belgium, as well as
In the United States.
There are records to show he
has obtained at least $1,000. 900
from more than So women In his
time" Capt. Gilbert said.
In San Francisco. Mrs. Vivian
Huebler. 45-year-old widow. said
she married Engel two months
ago after q nine-day courtship.
She said he told her he had $40
$1,000 and promised her fabulous
wedding gifts. She said she will
seek an annulment.
Mrs. Annette Kubiak. IS. divorced