New York Times, Aug. 4, 1910, page 1:
WIRELESS MAN WEDS DAY HE'S INDICTED
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President Wilson of the United, Accused of Fraud at 64, Makes Secretary of 18 His Bride.
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SEVEN OFFICIALS INDICTED
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Charged with Selling Out Their Own Stock Holdings, Which "They Knew to be Worthless."
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Christopher Columbus Wilson, President of the United Wireless Telegraph Company, who, with six other officials of the company, was indicted yesterday by the Federal Grand Jury for fraudulent use of the mails in connection with the sale of the company's stock, married his secretary, Steila Lewis, last night at her home, 984 Simpson Street, the Bronx. Wilson was a widower, 64 years old. His bride is 18 years of age.
The Rev. Sigmund Tyor, a rabbi of 55 East 117th Street, performed the ceremony. Mrs. Ida Hamburger Lewis, mother of the bride, gave her away. Julius Lewis, Jr., brother of the bride, was Mr. Wilson's best man. The bride's father, a furrier, is in Europe.
Wilson got his license to marry from City Clerk Scully after the closing time of the office. He had been delayed at the Federal Building arranging to furnish $25,000 bail fixed by United States Circuit Judge Hough. Wilson said he was a mining man and gave his residence as the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. He also has a home at Long Beach, L. I.
"It was a case of love at first sight," said Mrs. Lewis last night. "The indictment of Col. Wilson had nothing to do with it. The engagement of Col. Wilson and my daughter had been announced for some time. They have been engaged for nearly three months and the wedding was planned for to-night right along, Mr. Wilson is too good a man to be convicted, and I don't believe the Government has anything really bad against him.
"I don't know anything about his money. They say Col. Wilson is worth, if not millions, at least close to a million. I know everybody says he is a very good gentleman. My daughter is very much in love with him and he with her, I am sure. My daughter does not care whether Col. Wilson is worth a cent or a million. She fell in love with him the first time she saw him."
Mrs. Wilson is one of seven children of her parents. Three of them are her elders. Mrs. Wilson is a graduate of the Morris High School and an uptown business institute. She entered the employ of the United Wireless Telegraph Company two years ago as a stenographer to a minor official and was promoted steadily until she became secretary to the President.
The bride's mother said that soon after this last promotion Col. Wilson began to call at the Lewis home on the second floor of a Simpson Street apartment house and was an open suitor for her daughter's hand.
The bride wore a tan cloth traveling suit, black turban hat, black lace veil, and tan shoes. Col. Wilson wore black frock coat, white vest, and pearl colored sombrero. They entered a taxicab after the ceremony and went directly to the Waldorf-Astoria, where one of Col. Wilson's lawyers had been waiting for several hours.
Col. Wilson was born Dec. 6, 1845, on a plantation in Mississippi. He went to school only three months in his life, and spent his early days as a cotton farmer at Terrell, Texas. He later moved to Denver. He married Miss Margaret Boudurant in 1897. Before her death she had borne him two daughters and a son. Col. Wilson is President of the International Banking and Loan Company of Denver. He was arrested on June 15, 1910 in a raid by the postal authorities in the offices of the United Wireless Telegraph Company. S. S. Bogart, Vice President of the company, was arrested with him. The United Wireless is the successor of the American De Forest Wireless Company.
The seven officials of the United Wireless Telegraph Company who were indicted yesterday by the Federal Grand Jury were charged with conspiracy to use the mails to defraud and devising a scheme to defraud investors in United Wireless stock, which, says the indictment, "the defendants knew to be worthless." Six were arraigned before Judge Hough in the United States Circuit Court and held in bail ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. The six pleaded, through their counsel, not guilty, with leave to withdraw.
The indicted men are Christopher Columbus Wilson, President; Samuel S. Bogart, Vice President; W. W. Tompkins, Secretary; George H. Parker, Fiscal Agent; C. C. Galbraith, General Manager; W. A. Diboll, Treasurer, and Francis X. Butler, Director and Counsel. Parker is of Seattle, Wash., and is the selling agent for all territory west of the Mississippi. He is now on his way from Seattle to surrender himself.
President Wilson was held in $25,000 bail, Tompkins and Bogart in $10,000 each, and the rest in $5,000 each. All were paroled on the conspiracy charge for one week. On the other charge they received two days to produce bail. In the cases of Bogart, Tompkins and Wilson. It will mean merely the transfer of surety, as they are now out on bail in similar sums for appearance before United States Commissioner Shields on Aug. 17 to answer to charges of misusing the mails. It was on this complaint that the three were arrested by United States officials in a raid on the United Wireless offices late in June. Francis X. Butler gave bail immediately. Diedrich Knabe of 863 West End Avenue going on the bond.
The conspiracy indictment charges the seven defendants with using the mails on Oct. 1, 1907, with intent to defraud Dr. Asa S. Conch of 60 Green Street, Fredonia, N. Y.; Mrs. Lillian D. Chase of 295 Essex Street, Bangor, Me.; the Rev. W. Elmer Bailey of 408 West Street, Findlay, Ohio; C. F. Williams of 25 Blymer Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio; Roy Gilbert of 601 West Fourth Street, Owensboro, Ky.; W. C. Broecker of Owensboro, Ky., and "divers other persons unknown to the jury."
The other indictment alleges that on July 3, 1909, the seven defendants devised a scheme to defraud Dr. Conch, the Rev. Mr. Bailey, Mr. Williams, and "divers other persons unknown to the jurors, to obtain money from them under false pretenses, and to convert the same to their own (the defendants') use, in, and by falsely pretending that the purpose of the organization of the United Wireless Telegraph Company was to consolidate the American De Forest Wireless Telegraph Company and the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company."
"It was part of the scheme of the said defendants," concludes the indictment, "to sell their personal stock in said company, as well as the treasury stock thereof, pretending the same to be treasury stock, and the reason the stock sold to investors was made non-transferable for two years was to keep the stock off the market."