Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-07
HABEL,s LEGACY
Is at Last Heard From-A Gentleman OF
Los Angeles Has 1t in Custody for HIN.

bring them back, a warrant was SWORN Out
charging them with grand larceny, IN TAX
ing tools to the value of 5000 to $780, Chief
Jackson heard that they were in Los An
geles, and had them arrested and brought
back. They managed matters so cleverly,
however, that the parties they had injured
exerted themselves to secure their releaSe
from custody, and were successful. shortly
afterwards they again disappeared, ana II
transpired that thew had again vlctlmlzed
some of those who had felt confidence IN
them. Warrants were issued Tor their ar
rest, but they have not been heard OF since;
One of the means by which they succeeded
in swindling was Habels claim tllat ne
soon expected from the old country leg
acy of S12, 900.
Last Friday gentleman of good address,
about 80 years of age, called at the staton-
house and inquired for the Chief OF Police
That official not being i'll, he desired TO
know who was acting in his stead and
officer Ash referred him to officer Farren.
To him the stranger said Where are
Habel and Franks ?" Surprised at the
interrogatory, Farren responded that the
Police Department would be
MUCH PLEASED TO KNOW.
Then it was the strangers turn to be puz-
lied. Are they not here? was told at
Los Angeles that they were III jail at Sac
ramentOn Farren explained. The stranger
then introduced himself as Harry Lewis,
of Los Angeles Friends of Habel, in
Germany, he said, had forwarded to him
$1,2l8, legacy left to Habel, and
which he had been deputed to take
care of and deliver. Farren and Ash
mentally referred to the talk of $4,000
fortune made by Habel, and concluded
that Mr.. Lewis statement was probably
the correct figure After some further re-
marks Lewis stated that he was tired of the
custody of the money, which he had en-
tered as a special deposit in the First Ma
tional Bank of Los Angeles and hearing of
Habels transactions here, he thought it
would be a good idea to place the money
in the hands of Chief Jackson, and then
let parties who had claims against Habel
attach it. or get their due out of it by some
legal process. Looking over to the freight
depot, one of the officers observed there
| Henry Wittpen, who was
ONE OF THOSE WHO SUFFERED
| BY Habel, and called him to the station
house. When he had been informed of the
statements made by Mr.. Lewis, he natu-
rally was greatly pleased, and concurred in
the belief that the money should be han
died as suggested. He gave Mr.. Lewis an
account of Habeps operations, and smiled
| RIliulN W lltil 1thlS w Gll, YOU !
| must have been suckers " He went up |
town and got word to Wendell Kerth, Louis !
| Nicolaus and others Of the swindled, of the |
good prospects ahead. Meanwhile Mr.. |
Lewis piloted by officer Ash went to see
| Chief Jackson at his room, where he was
nursing his lame ankle, and the Chief
made an appointment to meet him at the |
staton-house at 4 P. NJ. to arrange matters. |
| Ash then
SHOWED LEWIS AROUND
A little, treating him with courtesy, and be- |
ing treated with cigars, ice-water and stuff
| literally, the gentleman from Los Angeles |
| doing the 1" fair thing very nicely. He |
was man who could afford TO he LIBERAL |
having made fortune in Los Angeles real |
| estate transactions. According to appoint |
ment, the Chief met his visitor and talked |
business, but it was then after banking |
| hours, the banks would not be open next |
dav-the Fourth-and the money could |
not be transferred until Monday. After |
attending to office duties, the Chief invited |
I Mr. Lewis TO take ride with him in his !
buggy, and having to stop at " Jackson |
| Vile introduced the stranger to his Tela- !
tives. One OF the ladies inquired in the
| course of conversation whether the gentle
man was acquainted with Mr.. --, in Los
| Angeles, TO which he replied that he knew
! him very well; they belonged to the same
| church The latter part OF the reply rather
AsToNIsHED THE LADY,
As the party inquired after had not been
much Of a churchgoer when she last saw
him, but then in the City of Angels man
may improve! She inquired whether he |
was married and learned that he was
married an old maid, about eight months |
ago. After their ride, Jackson invited his
| companion to dinner, but he had already
| l.. l-<z
| the Chief company while he refreshed him
| self They went to a restaurant, and the
dinner was ordered. During the repast,
Mr.. Lewis tore strip from a paper and
wrote a request for SO till he could get
some change. The Chief glanced at him
| sharply but Mr. Lewis did not meet his
eye having commenced to read the paper.
jackson concluded it was all right, prob
ably, and the fact of the note was well
enough. as other parties were sitting so
close to them that 4 verbal request for a
I loan would have been noticed. He took
out his purse which was
| QUITE rLETHoRc,
As it was the first of the month, and
if that was enough, and receiving
cheerful response that it was. Next
day Mr.. Wittpen. Mr.. Nicolaus and
others gave Mr.. Lewis a ride down the
Riverside, being determined to make pleas
ant the stay in town Of the man who had
shown such willingness to betriend them.
Word had got about relative to the stran-
gers business here. and nearly all those
who had lost by Habel had heard OF it, and
were nearly tickled to death, as the say
ing is George Harvey was one Of the suf-
fererS, and, Us he could not well afford the
loss, he felt that fortune was again smiling
upon him. and thought over lis claim
with considerable satisfaction. The River
side party had a good time, and felt good
natured, so when Lewis wrote little note
requesting
LOAN or $50
From Mr.. Nicolaus. Mr.. Wi1pen kindly
volunteered TO lend the money. and was
willing to make it $I00, bur Lewis would
not nj first take more than he had re-
quested, though he afterwards asked for
and got an additional $50 When they re-
turned to the city he insisted. in his cordial
manner, upon the party taking "a French
dinner with him, and they did. When
they separated it was understood that
party would take. a ride Sunday morning
up 10 the prison at Folsom. Late that
night Chief Jackson was at the station
house, when telephone message came
inquiring whether he was there, and fol-
lowing il request for him to remain. Soon
. | MT. W lttlie dllptdItt, anu CNlututlN Ut
sired to be treasured relative TO Mr.. Lewis,
or 10 have his suspicious corroborated.
During their conversation he informed the
Chief Of the $40 circumstance; also that
he and Lewis had arranged to take break
fast together at the Golden Eagle, where
Lewis said he was stopping, Sunday morn
ing: but after dinner the latter
BEGGED To BE EXCUSED
From fulfilling that engagement, saying
that he had left the hotel, as Jackson in
sisted upon his becoming his guest and oc-
cupying one of his rooms during his stay
, in town. There was more OF it, but the
Chief had heard enough TO satisfy him that
Mr.. Lewis was a fraud. He got into his
buggy and went to look up officer Ash. He
had previously informed that officer about
, the strangers borrowing SO from him, and
that everything might not be just right
: Accordingly. when Ash saw the Chief and
Wittpen together at that hour OF the night,
or rather morning, for it was about ,
! O'Clock. he knew what was coming, and IN
quired
f WAS HE \ BEAT
: Fortunately q little circumstance that had
occurred earlier in the night had in
! formed officer Ash at what hotel Lewis
I was stopping, under the name OF Sanders,