The Strange Disappearance of the 'Gillum' Impostors
A man claiming to be a life insurance salesman and his mysterious, poker-playing 'wife' flee a hotel just as his actual former wife arrives to claim alimony.
Several weeks ago there appeared on the register of the Gillum house the inscription, ‘T. B. Gillum, wife and daughter.’ Mr. Gillum was a lithe, young man who wore a Prince Albert coat and a silk hat, and made a very gentlemanly appearance. His business was that of life insurance. He introduced as his wife a well-rounded blonde who made good use of her eyes and was remarkably lucky at poker. The Gillums stayed here several weeks and then went to Spokane Falls and put up at the Windsor Hotel. On Sunday last, Mrs. Gillum No. 1 made her appearance. She proved to be the divorced wife of Gillum and had obtained her divorce on a letter written by her husband to her mother, admitting his unworthiness. Gillum was greatly astonished and nettled at the appearance of his former wife but promised to make an amicable settlement. Mrs. Gillum suspected treachery and caused the hotel and depot to be watched that night, but notwithstanding these precautions, they were gone in the morning. It is supposed that they stole down the back stairs and were driven to a suburban station and caught the east bound train for parts at present unknown.
“Mrs. Gillum suspected treachery and caused the hotel and depot to be watched that night.”
This story of a transient con artist moving between towns and using aliases captures the lack of oversight and ease of reinvention in the developing American West. Such 'hotel-hopping' scammers were common fixtures in the local press during the height of townsite booms.
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