The Mystery Professor

By John Barber

This is the true story of Paul Arthur Crafton who in 1983 was dubbed ‘The Mystery Professor’ by the media in the Eastern States of America. Although genuinely qualified with a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering he taught at three Universities at the same time under three assumed names. There were certainly more as his deception was found to have been continous since 1979 or earlier as the FBI investigation got under way. He was initially uncovered as lying about his name and qualifications following the chance discovery of an article written by his real namesake for an Australian University. He was arrested as Peter H Pearse at Millersville University and then as John B Hext at Shippensburg University. Unsure of his real identity his arrest was published in the media which led to more higher education authorities recognising him as having taught for them but under a different name. His professional duplicity was mirrored by his personal life when materials for identity theft were found in one of his many apartments and then his womanising was also uncovered. Those involved in the investigation asked themselves why such an educated man would assume the career of a white collar criminal adept at creating so many false identities. Why would anyone accept the burden of travel between States and cities and at the same time try and disguise his lack of deep knowedge in the subjects he taught. Crafton’s defence was always that it was to pay for the medical treatment for his daughter who was severely disabled. What arises from this real detective story is a man dedicated to his family but also a man of so many talents that eventually led to the very public uncovering and dissection of his professional and private life. The police investigation was published in the national media and a long prison sentence was mitigated following a complicated plea bargain with the Office of the Attorney General.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Barber
• Release date: May 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310108303

John Barber

John Barber was born in London at the height of the UK Post War baby boom. The Education Act of 1944 saw great changes in the way the nation was taught; the main one being that all children stayed at school until the age of 15 (later increased to 16). For the first time working class children were able to reach higher levels of academic study and the opportunity to gain further educational qualifications at University.This explosion in education brought forth a new aspirational middle class; others remained true to their working class roots. The author belongs somewhere between the two. Many of the author’s main characters have their genesis in this educational revolution. Their dialogue though idiosyncratic can normally be understood but like all working class speech it is liberally sprinkled with strange boyhood phrases and a passing nod to cockney rhyming slang.John Barber’s novels are set in fictional English towns where sexual intrigue and political in-fighting is rife beneath a pleasant, small town veneer of respectability.They fall within the cozy, traditional British detective sections of mystery fiction.He has been writing professionally since 1996 when he began to contribute articles to magazines on social and local history. His first published book in 2002 was a non-fiction work entitled The Camden Town Murder which investigated a famous murder mystery of 1907 and names the killer. This is still available in softback and as an ebook, although not available from SmashwordsJohn Barber had careers in Advertising, International Banking and the Wine Industry before becoming Town Centre Manager in his home town of Hertford. He is now retired and lives with his wife and two cats on an island in the middle of Hertford and spends his time between local community projects and writing further novels.

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Introduction

This is the story of Paul Arthur Crafton whose criminal background was first exposed when found teaching three different subjects at three separate United States Universities under three aliases. As his background was uncovered he was known to have taught in at least three others although that figure may be significantly higher.

His story came to light in 1983 when suspicious activity was noticed by a Chief of Security at an Eastern State University. The name of a member of his staff appeared as the author of an article in an Australian University.

What is incredible about this story is how he was able to fool so many Universities into employing him to teach at such a high level in subjects for which he was unqualified. Equally baffling is why he started upon this life owing to the mental and physical toil that the acquisition of knowledge required to take those lessons and the travel between States and cities would have taken on him.

There were numerous theories proposed by those involved in the case as to his motives which were never properly resolved; was he a career criminal or as he often stated, working to provide the financial means to care for his disabled daughter?

As his association with so many Universities came to light and the story of his arrest under two aliases appeared in newspapers throughout the Eastern States he soon acquired the title of ‘the Mystery Professor’.

It was only after some initial investigation by the State Attorney that he was identified as Paul Arthur Crafton although that was not even his birth name.

More details emerged of his background, his early career and further education. The seeds of his ability to lead not just a double life, but multiple lives can possibly be traced to his formative early years.

How much longer Crafton could have continued with his life of deception is something that will never be known. He reduced his hours at one University shortly before he was exposed owing to ‘mental health issues’, but more than likely to enable him to continue his deception elsewhere. What is known is that it all came to an abrupt halt on 24 February 1983.

Up until that