Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1912 — MRS, ALDA PARKISON VICTIM OF A SHARPER. [ARTICLE]

MRS, ALDA PARKISON VICTIM OF A SHARPER.

Agent For Mexican Land Interested Her and Procured Notes Which Aggregated $19,767. Rensselaer is all agog today in consequence of a sensation staged In Chicago but one of the parties and the victim is a Rensselaer lady, namely, Mrs. Alda A. K. Parkison, widow of the late Addison Parkinson, for many years president of the First National Bank. The story in detail, so far as Chicago newspaper reporters could learn it, is published in the Examiner, the Tribune and the Inter-Ocean. The Examiner publishes the following story: The story of a woman’s remarkable credulity was revealed yesterday in the sequel to a meeting in a South State street beauty parlor, when Paul Fleming, said to be a real estate agent, was arrested when he stepped from a Chicago & Southwestern train in Souix City, lowa. Fleming is accused of the theft of promissory notes to the amount of $19,000 from Mrs. Alda F. K. Parkison,' of Rensselaer, Ind. He will be brought back to Chicago by Detectives Rohan and Garrigan. Mrs. Parkison is a widow, handsome and thirty-two years old. She Inherited a small fortune a few years ago at jthe death of her husband, a rich farmer who owned considerable real estate in and near Rensselaer. The artless manner in which she told the story of the loss of her notes to Captain Hal pin of the Detective Bureau made even long-experienced official catcjh his breath. I fMrs. Parkison’s story, which caused telegrams to be rushed to the poljce of half a dozen cities and finally resulted in the capture of Fleming at City, practically was as follows: "You see, I came to Chicago ten days ago for a shopping trip and was not thinking of making any investments at all. But when I went into a beauty shop In South State street T met Mr. Fleming. He was introduced to me as a wealthy land agent and

real estate man from the south. He was real nice looking and well dressed, and I supposed he was all that they said he' was. Anyhow, he began to tell about a fine estate be had in Mexico which he said was on the market and going at a bargain. “i became so interested that I decided to invest, and I had the notes made out. There was one note for $2,000 payable in ten days, one for $2,000 for thirty days, a $5,000 note for six months, $5,000 for one year and one for $5,767, or $19,767 in all. “Well, after those notes were made out, and - this was after I saw Mr. Fleming several times, I decided, after all, I would not make the purchase until I consulted my attorney in Rensselaer. He approved of that and accompanied me to the Union station at 9 o’clock last Saturday night. “My purse was in my handbag, and I was fumbling for Mr. Fleming handed me a $lO "bill and told me to buy the ticket with that. I did so and gave him my handbag to hold until I made the purchase. “The notes were in that handbag, but I never for an instant suspected they would be tampered with. My Chicago attorney, Mr. O’Shaughnessy, was with us in the depot and he accompanied me to the ticket window, where bought my ticket. Mr. Fleming was standing just Ivhere I had left him when I turned away from t&fe window and held the bag just as he had received it. He handed it to me with a smile when I went back to him and he and Mr. O’Shaughnessy walkc/d clear down to the car with ■me; ' ~ ” “I never once thought to look in that handbag until I was miles out of Chicago. Then all of a sudden I felt impelled to look and see if those notes were -safe. You may imagine my consternation when I found they were gone. I turned everything out of that handbag and searched it thoroughly, but it was no use. The notes were gone. “I am sure those notes were in the handbag. I placed them there carefully and they could not have fallen out. Also Mr. Fleming was the only

one who held that bag after I placed the notes in it. He ought to be able to explain about them.” L . _.Z. On hearing Mrs. Parkison’s story Captain Halpin assigned Detectives Rohan and Garrigan and then sent telegrams to the police in more than a dozen cities. But Rohan and Garrigan finally found the clew tjiat led to Fleming. They traced his baggage from the Great Northern Hotel to the Chicago & Northwestern depot, where he had boarded a train for the west. The train number was obtained and a telegram describing Fleming sent to the conductor. He answered that Fleming was bound for Souix City and when the real estate man reached that place yesterday, the first person to greet him was a policeman.” There is a possibility that the stories published in the newspapers are not altogether correct and unfortunately the articles have brought Mrs. Parkison into much undesired notoriety, when it is probable that she was led into making this investment in a very natural way. She is still in Chicago, where- she will remain until after the arrival of Fleming and it is prqbn, able that she will be able,to give w more correct report of the transaction after her arrival here. Attorney G. A. Williams, of Rensselaer, has frequently advised with Mrs. Parkison about business matters as also has Emmet L. Hollingsworth, cashier of the First National Bank. Neither, however, had apy knowledge of this transaction according to themselves and it must be that Fleming had control of Mrs. Parkison little short of hypnotic. It is probable that Fleming will claim that the notes were given him by her and if that can be proven, it is not improbable that she will have to pay them as they fall due.

The OBhaughnessy, who is spoken of as Mrs. Parison’s e Chicago attorney, is the riame man to whom the Rensselaer Commercial Club transferred the factory addition to Rensselaer. It is also claimed that one of the men who was dealing with Sterling for the purchase of stock in the jnitch factory had some Mexican land for sale and some people have put two arid two together and surmised that there may be some connection with .this deal to the frantic efforts to sell match factory had some Mexican land .pretty far fetched and Mr. Hollingsworth is certain it can not be the case. Mr. Hollingsworth heard from Mrs. Parkison after she had set the police on the track of Fleming through Mr. QTShaughnesay, who called him by long distance phone to explain the predicament in which Mrs. Parkison had placed herself. He' also wrote to Mr. Hollingsworth about the matter, briefly outlining the circumstances of the transaction. It is hoped that Mrs. Parkison will be able to prove the fraudulent method of obtaining the notes and show up all parties connected with it The Mexican land, according to the Tribune consists of 4,000 acres situated in Chihauhau. Dr. H. P. Fitzpatrick, in whose “beauty” parlor Mrs. Parkison is Said to have first met Fleming, says that Fleming has long been a patient of ywlf anH "Has paid him upwards of $4 000 for removing superfluous hair from his face. Fleming is said to be the son of a merchant at Huron, S. Dak. The following portion of the story is taken from the Sioux City, lowa, News, of Monday: Paul Fleming, charged in Chicago with the theft of $19,000 in notes, was arrested in Sioux City at 2 p. m. today. A baggage check proved his undoing. Chief Richard on Sunday night received p telegram from Capt. John J. Halpin, of the Chicago detective bureau, asking him to watch the Northwestern . station this morning for Fleming. With the fugitive’s description—2B years. pt age, 5 feet 11 inches tail,, dark hair, smooth face and dark .brown suit —a steamer trunk was mentioned and the number of the check, 42,753, given. Detectives Curtis and Danielson were at the Station when the train from Chicago arrived at Br2o a. m. and spent the entire forenoon about the baggage room, waiting for Fleming to claim his trunk. Thslr patience was rewarded at 2 p. m. when a man answering his description presented the check stabNo particulars regarding the alleged robbery are known by the local officers other than that the complaining witness is Alda T. K. Parkison. The notes as yet have not come to Hght. Chief Richard wired Chicago and is awaiting instructions. . .. For a mild easy action of the bowels, try Doan’s Regulets, a modern laxatlver2sc at ail stores. * We |faTe just unloaded two caraof potatoes. (Hie car of fancy early seed varieties and one of fancy sandgrown, white table stoqk. Get our prices on same before buying.

JOHN EGER.