The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-06
ANOTHER FRAUD IN TOWN
A Rank Faklr IN the Role Of Newspaper
lInn,

Man,
At an early hour Wednesday morning
there registered at the Hotel Windsor
an individual whose autograph on the
register read, George B. Brooks, Detroit
Free Press" He said he was q
special correspondent sent here to
do up the the industries Of the
town for the FFa Pres, and that he
wanted as good accommodations as the
hostelry could afford. He was given an
elegant room. and at the breakfast table
did full justice TO the meal. After this
he went to the Mcclure House and reg
istered as ~, Franklin Howe, N, Y. AS
ISOLATED RFess,n He did not inform
Col, Sam Harrison Just what his Grand
was, but intimated that IN addition to
looklng'aiter the Associated Press inter
ests he had some private matters to At
tend to, He wanted as good q room as
there was In the house and got It, He
also paraIyzed q goodly dinner at the
Mcclure. He then proceeded 10 divide
he was caught up last evening,
In appearance the fellow Ia rather
rough, and how he managed to work II
for the fat OF the land, as he did at the
two houses named, is a mysteTy, He Il
about six feet In height, with a pair OIL
restless eyes In his head; he wears q
sandy, clOse-Cropped beard his coat and
vest are neat, but his pantaloons are
quite seedYi when he talks he has an
English accent,
Yesterday afternoon Col, Harrison
who was on duty at tue Mcclure received
the following, written onone 1.-THE hote
letter heads;
WHEELING, W, Va, Dec, 5, 1880,
CaE
Should a preSs report arrive for nj
during my absence, please pay bearel
Sl2 and charge to my account,
! agreed yesterday upon Sl5 as price
for same and have telephoned my
change, owing to It's non.arrlval at ap
pointed time,
II SIC be acceptable, pay and collect
the same, Yours very respy,
j, FRANKLIN HOWE,
Spl. Cor, N. Y. Associated Press,
+. s. Have an appointment at War
wick Co.'s glass works. ], IL.
About @ O'Clock Mr.. Mcclure was seer
by the Colonel and shown the letter
While they were discussing 1t a smal
boy appeared with q big fat en-
yelope, marked "Press Report" I'D
dressed 10 Howe with the words "col
lect Sl2"in one corner. The boy sale
the man who had sent the report, wa
waiting for the money at the lETELLlGRN
CIR office. Mr.. Mcclure said he would q
down and pay the man which made thl
boy nervous. Harrison was instructed
to follow and identify tho fellow which
no did in the most approved "0lt
Sleuthn style, bundling himself up II
an ulster that had collar he could pIE
over the top Of his head.
i Howe approached the boy In front o
this office and was evidently given
warning for he started up Mali
street. AIr. Mcclure followed ant
finally, with tho assistance o.
"Laie" Citizen arrested the follow
on Twelfth streetaiter he had led Mr.. Nc
Lure u chase around several squares
He knew he was followed and hat
started to run when llo was stopped.
The big envelope contained severa
sheets Of blank paper aud he had MI
other envelope, similarly filled, In on,
Of his pookets, which he probably in
tended 10 work on the Windsor. He haC
no money in his clothes and wa
easily proved to DO 0 fraud. justice
Davis committed him as an imposto
and swlndler To await q hearing thl
afternoon. Colonel Harrison will, 1t !
reported, add two chapters 10 Front,
In which the question SHOULD th,
hotel proprietor or the clerk arrest
fraud" 10 discussed and "My experience
as detective" thrillingly portrayed.