Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-11

George g. Schroeder Convicted Of Cha
Of Swindling.

George q. Schroeder Convicted OF Charge
Of Swindling.
Last evening the trial Of George G. Schroe-
der, charged with false pretenses. which had
been before the Criminal Court since the 2sth
Of last month, ended in his conviction. The
jury retired at $50 Yesterday afternoon, and
not having reached verdict at o'clock. Judge
McComas directed recess until O'Clock, when
the verdict was received.
In his address to the jury District Attorney
Cole stated that it was not q question between
the prosecuting witness and the defendant, nj
contended by counsel for the defense, but one
between the United States government and the
defendant. In other words, it was an effort or
the part OF the government to suppress the
crime OF which the defendant was charged. and
that charge was that Schroeder by falsely rep
resenting to Mr.. Charles Newbold certain mat
tiers, had obtained through such false represen.
tations a certain sum Of money from Mr.. New
bold
The false pretenses, explained the district
attorney, consisted in this. that IN January,
1891. Mr.. Newbold having purchased through
Schroeder o one-half interest in an inven-
ton known rs the Schneider billiard tip,
was informed by Schroeder that he
had just learned that one John A. Calhoun
had two years before devised an invention sub
stantially the same as the Schneider one; that
he could purchase Calhoun's invention for
$500, and that unless Calhoun's invention
could be gotten ont of the way 1t would render
the Schneider device utterly worthless, as the
ence, and as it was prior one Calhoun would
receive the patent. Schroeder later stated
that he had acquired an assignment of Cal
houn's invention. Thereupon Mr.. Newbold.
because Of such representation. paid Schroeder
$3.50 with which to purchase half interest in
10 % ipva Gctr dAr lam
20, 1891, gave receipt to Mr.. Newbold for the
money, reciting that it was on account
OF the purchase of q one-half interest in
an invention of a billiard cue tip filed that day
by John A. Calhoun. 1t afterward transpircd,
said the district attorney, that one Thomas
name Of John A. Calhoun to the application at
the reques. OF Schroeder and that the applica-
ton was sent to the patent Office to be filed by
Schneider's Office boy. Calhoun's address was
given in the application as Lexington. Tenn,
where Schroeder told Mr.. Newbold Cal
Calhoun Mr.. Newbold wrote to the address
given him by Schroeder, but the letter was
returned marked mo such person there. "
Schroeder upon being informed OF this said
that Calhoun was clerk in tho sixth
auditors Office. but the records of the
office showed that no such person was there.
subsequently Schroeder virtually admitted that
he knew that Thomas and not Calhoun had
signed Calhoun's name to the application, al
though he still endeavored to lead Mr. New
bold to believe that Calhoun was really in exist
ence, whereas no such person was shown on the
trial to be in existence
The district attorney also reminded the jury
that the government had shown them that
Schroeder had previous to the alleged Calhoun
invention been engaged in similar fraudulent
practices. The trial of Schroeder, the district
attorney said, had developed an organized and
systematic course of fraud on Schroeder's part
in the community.
Counsel for Schroeder gave notice Of a mo-
ton for new trial, and the convicted man
was committed to Jail pending decision on
the motion. The maximum penalty for the Of
Tense of which Schroeder stands convicted is
five years imprisonment in the penitentiary.
Schroeder's trial was one Of the longest GRIM
lnal cases tried here since the star route trial
excepting homicide cases-and unusual interest
was manifested in it because Of the number of
people in the community who have been vic
timized by similar schemes.
This morning Messrs. r. Christy and W. P.
Williamson filed the motion for new trial and
motion in arrest of judgment.