MN90: Alonzo J. Whiteman, Professional Scoundrel

Alonzo J. Whiteman, aka, AJ Whiteman, aka the Penman, was a Minnesota legislator from Duluth. By the time he died in 1922, he was wanted in 40 cities with 43 arrests and 11 convictions to his name. Here’s Britt Aamodt.

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Producer: Britt Aamodt

Editorial support: Emily Krumberger

Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood

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Transcript

Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.

January 28, 1889 – Duluth's six-year-old grand opera house went up in flames. One of the dozen people trapped inside and struggling to get out was youthful and debonair Alonzo J Whiteman, who managed to crawl out a third floor window and down a ladder to safety. Whiteman had luck on his side. Sent to Duluth in 1881 to look after his wealthy father's lumber interests, the son eventually parlayed his family prominence into a brief political career in the Minnesota legislature. Any luck fled, though, when the good politician sat down at the gaming table or bet on the stock market. He also had the unfortunate habit of cheating and forging checks, which, by and by, forced him to flee Duluth to his mother's house in New York, where he evaded detectives by climbing out a window with a ladder. Alonzo J Whiteman would lose his entire fortune and die in 1922, allegedly wanted in 40 cities with 43 arrests and 11 convictions to his name.

MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at MN90.org.