The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-11-04
PENSION FRAUD An pELIAIRR.


Three Arrests Made There Yesterlny-A
Policeman Implicated.
Between the hours Of and 7 o'clock
yesterday morning there were three ar
rests made In Bellaire by Government
officers Of persons charged with serious
olIenses against the United States. The
persons arrested were Mrs. Caroline
Hipkey sweiizer, Policeman W. H. Lit
tie and Charles Zimmerman. The prin'
cipal ofEenses they are charged with are
conspiracy against the Government and
obtaining money under false pretenses,
II Is q pension case, and this sensational
outcome Is not altogether unexpected by
many people living at BellAiFe, who have
for some time past suspected that there
was something crooked somewhere, The
arrests were made by Capt A. w, Roome,
the well known special agent, assisted
by Deputy Marshal DeVine, Of this city,
on warrants issued by United States
Commissioner James +, Tallman, OF
Bellaire,
The story OF the case aud the facts
which led TO the making Of the arrests
arc as follows; In 1881 Mrs, Caroline
Hinkey, the mother Of Louis Hinkey, q
private In Company g, Forty-arst Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, who lost his lie In
the service, made application for pen.
sion. On December 10, 1883, the old
lady died and what few proceedings had
been had with a view to obtaining Q
pension for her were dropped. The old
lady left a daughter whose name was
also Caroline, and who married Fred
Sweltzer. In 1885 Mrs. Sweitzer, i'm,
personating her mother, renewed
proceedings under the appllca-
ton for a pension made by
her mother in 1881, The Govern
ment claims TO have proof to show that
Capt, Bill Little was instrumental In
getting Mrs. sweitzer to make this dan,
gerous move, he being acquainted with
the fact that Mrs, Hinkey, deceased,
had made an application for q pension
by reason OF the loss OF her son, The
claim was boldly and vigorously pushed,
and on August 9 last q Government
draft for S2,ll5 40 was issued from the
Pension Bureau In favor Of Caroline
Hinkey. This was received by Mrs,
SWeitzer, who went before Mayor w. II,
Brown and executed vouchers setting
forth that she was the mother oil the de-
ceased soldier Louis Hinkey cher broth'
er), and tho one to whom the pension
WIS due and for whom the draft was in.
tended. This voucher was witnessed
by Captain Little and Charles Zlmmer.
man, who practically swore the same
thing Mrs. Sweltzer had. Mayor Brown
identified tho woman at the First Ma
tional Bank in Bellaire and there she
had the DRAFT cashed.
The Government learned very soon
after this that 1t had been duped and
Captain Roome was put to work on the
case. Mrs. Sweltzer took alarm OF an
early stage In the proceedings and has
been In hiding good portion Of the time
since, part OF her time having been
spent In this city. She was caught
shortly after one o'clock yesterday
morning In q somewhat out.of.the.Way
place, and the officers believe that
had they not caught her W hen they
did she would have gotten far away;
they think she had an intimation
that she was to he closed In on. When
arrested she made the statement that
Capt. Bill Little had been paid $500 ior
the part he took In deirauding the Gov
eminent Little was arrested while on
his beat and Zimmerman was pulled In
shortly after daybrcak. All three were
lodged in the Bellaire lookup yesterday
Awaiting preliminary hearing, which
| will probably be had to-day. The ar
rests caused quite'a sensation and were
the talk Of the day in Bellaire yesterday.