Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-03
KING OF CROOKS.
YOUNG HENRY wAFSOES CAREER READS
LIKE A DINE NOVEL.
Although not yet Of Legal Age BE has Swindlsd
BIS Way to PamS-Klcked Ont Of Princeton
BE NArriss New York Belle, Who Now
Regrets Der Easily Stop.

NEW York, juno "A clever
and fascinating rascal is Mr.
Harry o. Watson, alias Harry o. West,
alias c. p. Moore, alias A. P. Day, &c,
sc. The press recently told about hi:
ingrattude to young college men in
this city.
How many dollars In addition to those
he obtained at that time his plausible
manner and glib tongue have earned
for him no one but the young ge tile
man himself will ever know. The
names of his gullible victims are legion.
Nor would it be easy to estimate the
number of over coniiding young ladies
who IN various States Of the Union
have fallen victims to the charms OF
this enterprising Don Juan.
All this and more has young Watson
accomplished In his brief career, for
the undeveloped down on his upper
lip shows that he cannot be much be-
yond twenty years of age. Probably he
Is twenty-five or three, for he is known
TO be-Or to have been-a member of
Guiding Star Lodge, No. 262, in this
city. That he is no longer a member
of that organization is plainly shown
by the following circular, which has
been sent out broadcast by the lodge in
questions:
$40 Lodges and Members Of tho l. o. o. F.,
Grating
Eve feel it our unpleasant duty to
warn you of person going around
among the members of the brotherhood
claiming TO be a member Of this lodge
Il NJ frtrr RI Nh n a a. n Q
and soliciting loans of money. His
name is II. o. Watson, but he has ap-
peared under the alias Of Weston, West
and Day. He has generally had a dash
ing, Well-dFeSsed female with him,
whom he claims as his wife. His modus
operandi is 10 pretend that he Is await
ing money by mail, and in the mean
time offer a check for small amount,
which is generally cashed.
He was last heard OF in Palisade,
New. Said Watson is twenty-one years
old, slender, tall; with fair complexion
and clean-sbaven face. He is rapid
talker, very plausible in conversation,
and is apparently well up in the work.
He is an expelled member of this lodge.
Look out for him. Fraternally,
WILLIAM PALMER, n. G.
I. A. MYRICK, Recording Secretary"
Not only Is young Watson an expelled
Ode Fellow, but ne is an expelled stu
dent from Princeton College, where his
aversion To Obeying rules and other fall
ings made his permanent absence a
boon both TO the Faculty and TO Sundry
students whom he had beguiled into in
trusting their good dollars to his keep
ing.
Taking IL altogether Watson's record
as a doer of things which ought TO be
left undone is pretty complete for
young gentleman hardly out of his
teens. See what he is:
A betrayer of women, a dishonored
student and passer OF checks also dis
hOnOredl
At the present moment this adventur-
Gus youth, whose whereabouts are I'M
known, is wanted by many men In many
clties-frst, by his father, H. d. Wat
son, of Greenfield, Mass, well known
real estate dealer who, having in the
past got his son out Of many sorry
scrape, would fain make another effort
To save him from disgrace and prison;
then he is wanted by Frank f. Preston,
of No. 1O4 West Eighty-third street,
whose beautiful daughter, Miss Leone
Pearl Preston, Watson persuaded 10
alone with him to her sorrow. he is
wanted by the book publishing firm or
III ". Hazen, No. GO West twenty-thlrd
street. whose name he has been taking
in vain all through the west, pretending
10 be their authorized representative.
els wanted by TicknOr q Co., pub
fishers, of No. oil fremont street, Bos-
Ton. upon whom he has played the same
trick; also by scores of Odd Eel
lows. students and others, all
over the country, whose cheerfully Civ
on 6ve and ten dollar bills have enabled
this wholesale swindler to were elegant
clothes and stop at irst-class hotels; by
the Garfield National Bank, twenty
third street and Sixth avenue, upon
which Watson has been drawing the
yalueless checks given by him for value
received, and finally by long-Sutfering
LAWYER Edwin A. Pratt, OF No. HOS
broadway, who, having wasted weeks
In Watson's service, has never paid even
so much as retainer.
An these excellent and much too
trusting people, haven't even re-
ferred to the fair sex-want Watson,
but Watson cometh not!
is 10 Lawyer Pratt that am in
debted for the story OF WatSon's elope-
ment aud marriage; of his subsequent
separation from his wife, Of his deSper-
ate attempt at a reconciliation and
finally of the philoSophic way
in which he has recently
consoled himself with a certain New
York actress, in whose company he Is
at preSent roaming over the earth, pre-
sumably seeking whom he may devour.
Miss Maud Thornton, of West Thirty
third street, is said to be the actress in
Watson's latest victim.
81 will tell You how first came to
know ANYTHING of Watson" explained
LAWYER Pratt yesterday afternoon.
lone morning toward the close OF Feb
,uarv las: found young man waiting
for me IN the hail. He was tremendous
" excited and began implorlng me in a
most touching manner TO give him back
his wife.
sssI must see her. he cried. 'She is
mine and can't live without her. She
is nv ideal woman. Oh, help me to get
my wife
".Cslm yourself, sir said I to him,
and begin at the beginning. You must
tell me everything. Who are you and
where is your wiieY
"I am devil Of fellow, suppose,
answered Watson, for it was him. I've
done pretty much everything, but love
nv wife and she's left me. have just
seen her father, Mr.. Preston, who is
employed at the postOffice, and ne kick