The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-10

A hotol swindler Is not raro bird,
but 1t Is rarely that one turns up who
Is quito as slick 90 an individual who
operated in this city recently, and
whose miadeeds have just come to light.
Hia trick, though not exactly new, has
tho merit Of being unusually well plan.
ned. and carried out in manner so un-
suspicious as to throw tho shr0wdest
hotel mon and bankers, who ure ever
on tho alert for such customers. of
their guard.
On tho Goth OF December there regis.
tered at tho Mcclure House a man Sign
ing tho namo OF Q. A. Burns, who gave
Philadelphia as his place OF residence.
He gave out that he was tho travelling
representative Of tho Bosshardt & vii.
son Co., proprietors OF tho we'll known
Lucent Oil Works, OF Philadelphia. and
as he expected to remain hero on BUSH
ness for aomo time, desired weekly
ratio at tho hotel. Flo Was made at
homo, and as no had the air OF genuine
knight oil tho grip, got acquainted with
tho other knights who make the house
their headquarters, and was on good
footing generally.
At the end Of tho first week, tho Gus
tomary weekly board bill was placed in
his box at tho hotel Office, and on re-
cetving 1t Burns remarked that no was
just thon looking for draft from his
house and inquired for his mail. Two
or threo letters were handed him. and
opening one, on which was tho printed
card OF tho Lucent oil works, he took
therefrom business letter in which
was enclosed Autographed draft for
fifty dollars on the Merchants National
Bank Of Philadelphia, and duly signed
by @. A. Wilson. secretary OF the oil
company. The letter was type.written,
on printed letter head Of the com.
pany. and was just such letter OF in
struc.ions regarding orders. etc, as a
business house would send to travel.
ing salesman, when enclosing expense
money.
The enclosed draft was the regular
engraved draftof the oil company, bear
ing their trade mark and corporate
namo and had all the marks OF being
genuine. What mado this evidence OF
commences the more convincing was tho
circumstances Of its receipt. the appar-
emily genuine heading over tho letter,
etc, and tho hotel people did not hest.
tate for moment to accept it in pay.
ment OF the weeks board and return
Burns the change.
The draft was duly deposited in the
bank, and in due course Of time came
back protested. Then came telegram
from the Lucent oil works saying that
Burns was a fraud, and had mover been
in tho company's employ. A we'll
known drummer, who had become very
well acquainted with Burns while at
tho hotel was telegraphed and asked il
he knew Burns whereabouts. Tho
answer came back that no didn't, but
he had endorseda note for SIS for him
at one OF the Wheeling banks, and he
had obtained the money. How many
more drummers were "confdenced" in
tho Same manner by tho agreeable in
dividual will probably never be known.
Burns left here ostensibly for Zanes.
vile. Ohio, and more than likely he has
worked a similar game there and ut
many osher points by this timc.
The case is not remarkable 90 much
on account OF tho largeuass OF tho
amounts the bogus drummer gets from
his victims as for the cleverness with
which he works tho scheme. Another
remarkable feature is tho fact, that al
though be has never been in the EN-.
ploy of the Philadelphia firm. he seems
to be possessed OF a supply OF their
stationary and their especially engraved
checks and drafts. which one would