Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 128, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1912 — Police Nab Oldest Known “Con” Man [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Police Nab Oldest Known “Con” Man

CIICAGO.— Shaking with palsy and totally blind, “Jerry” McLean, 84 years old, “the oldest con man” in the world, slept'on an iron bed in the Central station the other night. “Jerry” had turned one too many •‘tricks.” This time it was “bleeding” suckers who answered the aged crook’s lurid advertisements of “traveling companion wanted by blind gentleman who intends spending a few months in California. Salary 825 week.” “Jerry” got a “guarantee" of from 850 to 890 from each of them. “I guess I might as well tell you my right ‘monacher,’ ” he told Captain Halpin after Detectives Aldenhovel and Bishop had arrested him. “I’m ‘Jerry’ McLean. I guess you know me. They do th lots of other cities I could name. “t’ve lived on ‘Comfortable avenue’ evnr since I was a kid. I’ve did a couple of 'bits’ in the New York penitentiaries, but nothing that was very long. Hl get out of this all right." “Jerry’s” accusers are Darrington Evans at 7351 Coles avenue, Joseph Willet* if 789 North Clark street, Frank Wldsher of Stronghurst, I'll, and E. Surah * 1891 South Michigan

I v | avenue. Willet gave “Jerry” 850 as a “guarantee” and Evans 890. They had been ‘’hired" after visiting the aged confidence man in his rooms at the Jackson Hotel, West Jackson boulevard and South Halsted streets. “Jerry” talked volubly of his career in big cell. He looks like a “southern colonel” and would pass anywhere as a highly respectable old man. “I was born in Castle Bar, County Mayo, Ireland, eighty-four years ago," Jerry said. “I came to America when I was a kid and was in New Orleans when the civil war broke out I joined General Beauregard’s army. WML Captured and taken to Fort McHenry. "It was at Fort McHenry that ‘easy monby* career began. With another prisoner named Bliss I stole 820,000 of yankee greenbacks and we sawed our war to fredeom."