£200,000 FRAUDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13948, 2 January 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

£200,000 FRAUDS.

FORGERY CONFESSION BY X . PHILANTHROPIST. An, Chicago is in amazement at the sudden transformation of Mr. Peter Van Vlissingen, philanthropist, real estate agent, and reputed millionaire, into a self-confess-ed thief and forger. Mr. Vlissingen -was sitting in his magnificent suite of oflicas when he was informed by a visitor that he was wanted by the Public Prosecutor. "Why am I wanted?" inquired the supposed millionaire. "Charges of forgery:" was the dramatic reply of the caller. "I am afraid the charges are true," said Mr. Vlissingen simply. Going to the Public Prosecutor, he confessed without more ado that in the course of the 18 years of his successful, business career he had forged mortgages to the extent of some £200,000. " How 'did you effect the forgeries?" asked the Public Prosecutor. Mr. Vlissingen answered: " I had a strong electric light under a glass cover on my desk, and was thus able to render documents transparent and trace all the signatures I wanted. But 1 always paid interest, on the deeds, and would have redeemed them all in time. Now all the money will bo lost." He pleaded to be speedily sentenced, and as the charges were immediately sent to the grand jury, which returned a true bill, within two hours of the time he was disturbed at his olnces the false millionaire was condemned on an indeterminate sentence of from one to 14 years" hard labour. Panic seized the prisoner's creditors, who stormed the offices, demanding Choir savings. A large force of police was necessary to quell'the disturbances. Mr. Vlissingen's career was meteoric. He immigrated from Holland as a, boy, and became a messenger of a bank of which he afterwards came to-be vice-president. Subsequently he resigned, and started his real estate business, rapidly becoming one of the most prominent men in Chicago. He lived with his wife and four children in magnificent style and moved in the most exclusive society. Through the peculations reported, seven customers, all of them l>utch, lose £25,000 each, not to mention a host of poorer people, whose savings are swept away.