CAPE MAN BILKED OF $531,419

A Cape Girardeau man is accused of defrauding philanthropist B.W. Harrison of more than $500,000 over the past year and a half, the Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney's office said.

The suspect, Bradley W. McIntyre, 40, of 1715 Henry St., was arrested and charged with a class C felony of stealing by deceit, Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said.

An affidavit filed by the prosecutor says McIntyre obtained $531,419 through checks from Harrison, of Cape Girardeau, between June 14, 1998, through Friday. A large part of the money was given to McIntyre under the premise that he was studying engineering at southern Illinois University in Carbondale and needed the money for his education, Swingle said.

McIntyre had never enrolled asa student at the university, the affidavit says.

Harrison, 89, acknowledged that he had given money to McIntyre. Harrison said he had gotten to know McIntyre because McIntyre did small repair jobs at his residence.

Harrison donated $800,000 in stocks to make the purchase of the old St. Vincent Seminary by Southeast Missouri State University possible in 1998. He has been a member of the Old St. Vincent's Church board of directors and a member of the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau.

He worked for the University of Missouri-Columbia's agricultural extension service since he graduated in 1936. Harrison retired in 1973.

McIntyre was arrested and charged as a prior offender in connection with a guilty plea to the felony of perjury in 1995. He posted bond of $125,000 on Wednesday and was released from Cape Girardeau County Jail.

McIntyre has participated in several civil lawsuits over the years, both as plaintiff and defendant.

In 1995, he filed a lawsuit against K-mart and one of its employees, who he said made derogatory comments about him and members of his family. McIntyre eventually dropped the lawsuit.

In September 1994, McIntyre claimed he was injured as he drove into the drive-through lane at Hardee's at 1330 Broadway. In his lawsuit, McIntyre said he was injured when an employee cleaning the parking lot with a water hose shot a burst of water into his car, striking him in the left ear. The lawsuit was later dismissed.

McIntyre has also been sued by doctors, businesses and a hospital several times for not paying for services.