Evening star., 1896-02-14
SWINDLING OPERATIONS
Clever Work of q Trio in This
City.
Major Moore Angry because the News
Came Out-BostOn Charley
is Badly Wanted.

this morning at police headquarters, be-
cause of the publication of some police
news pending the investigation of a case
Of alleged attempt at swindling, but, like
the members of the force looking for the
burglars who have operated here so ex-
tensively, he was too late. The stories had
| been printed. and all he could do was to
close the detective office door to reporters
and have Inspector Hollinberger put up
notice: Positively no admittance except
| on business" But Inspector Hollinberger
admitted that reporters might call on bus
| mess as well as other citizens, SO that the
order may not have the iron-clad effect that
| the major desired.
This condition of affairs was brought
atout because of the alleged premature re-
| lease Of Charles Mason, alias Boston
| Charley" day before yesterday. The in
dividual had been arrested by Precinct De-
tective Sutton, to whom he had been point
ed out by Private Detective McDevitt.
None Of the officers knew he was wanted
for anything done here, and so, after being
| measured and photographed, he was re-
leased.
Was Badly Wanted.
Then there came to light a bold attempt
| to swindle Judge ]. II. Llndsey's wife out
OF 500. Judge Lindsey's home is in Gaines
vile, Texas, but the judge has been here
during the session of Congress, and the at
tempt was made to get the money frcm his
wife. In this conspiracy, it is alleged, Dam
lei +. Dwyer, liquor merchant, and former
pug1iist friend of John L. Sullivan; J. Cum
nlhsham' Texan, and Boston Charley"
figured.
Cunningham and Dwyer are now locked
| Up, and the Cincinnati authorities have
| been notified to arrest Boston Charley"
| who, 1t is expected, will reach there to-
day.
1t appears that telegram was sent to
Mrs Lindsey at Gainesville. which purport-
haan hxyh ha, hr,-i, a,,I
| This telegram asked for 500 TO be sent by
| money order to Cincinnati. 1t also CON
tanned request that Mrs. Lindsey notify
| her husband at the Braddock House Ajax
andria, as soon as she sent the money.
This she did, and Boston Charley" it
| is claimed, is the man who impersonatod
| the judge at the Alexandria Hotel We'd
! neSday night, and then left for Cincinnati ii
| to get the 300. Yesterday afternoon the
| police learned from the Alexandra au-
| thor,ueS that the man whom they wanted
| mad started for Cincinnati, and message
was sent to the authorities there without
| delay. Then the police started out in
| search of the other two men, and before
| midnight Precinct Detective Sutton had
| them both behind the bars.
| Richard RoZelle, messenger boy. went
| with the cfficer and pointed ont Dwyer as
| the man who had sent MIN with the mes
sage to be telegraphed to Mrs. Lindsey,
| and Cunningham, the Texan, was arrest
| ed later in the night as the luan who had
| participated in the conspiracy.
| The Judge Annoyed.
When Judge Lindsey heard that the
| newspaper reporters had been given the
| story he was very much displeased and Sc
| Verely criticised the police methods here
| 1t developed that the post Office inspectors
had also been working on the case and
they. too. felt anything but pleased At the
! publicity. 1t is said that TIE post office
| cfhcials made complaint to Major Moore
| ard this had caused the latter official to
call on Inspector Hollinberger and give his
| directions about keeping the reporters ont
of the room where the detectives meet and
| make their reports every day
| Just what, If anything, was said to the
| detectives about keeping things dark is not
known, but some of the officers about head
| quarters assumed an air of mystery which
! might have indicated to an outsider Thai
The burglars who had made the big hauls
| CT sllverware here this winter would soon
| lie in durance vile.
Another SwindIe.
In connection with the investga ton of
the attempted 500 swindle of Mrs. Judge
Lindsey, it is stated that the post office in
| spectors are investigating another swindle
| of this kind, perpetrated on a real estate
agent in Montana. According to the story
related to Star reporter today, a busi-
| ness man of high standing from Montana
was in the lobby of downtown hotel not
| many days ago, when he was approa ached
| by a stranger, who made some anxious in
| quirles about Montana property, saying he
| wanted TO make a purchase out there and
| make it his home.
| The Montana citizen, wanting to be oblig-
| ing, gave him the name Of real estate
| dealer, and also gave the stranger permis-
! sion to use his name. The stranger, it is
| reported, used his name without any
| trouble, and on the strength of it secured
| the loan of large sum from the real estate
| man in the far off west.
The police, well as the post office in
| spectors. it is reported, knew Of this case,
| but, SO far as can be ascertained, it has not
| been recorded in the books at headquar-
| terS.
No One Arrested Yet.
| Inspector Hollinberger had not heard
from the Cincinnati authorities at . o'clock
this afternoon, and it is thought likely
that Boston Charley" probably became
frightened and did not go there. Several
| persons from Baltimore came here today
| to make inquiries concerning the two men
| under arrest, and they also made anxious
| inquiries for the Boston man whom the
| police had in custody and released before
| any complaint had been received.
| The arrests Of Boston Charley and
| Chauncey johnson here early in the week,
| it is said. was brought about by Private
| Detective McDevitt, who gave Precinct De
| tective Sutton information about them.
McDevitt, who is one of the shrewdest de-
| tectives in the business, and who knows
so many of the bish-class criminals, has
4
| to make a search for his stolen property,
and 1t was in this investigation that he
| happened to run across these two alleged
| noted crooks.
| Boston Charley" who, as already stated,
| Is known Mortis and Mason, 1t appears,
| has been in Montana, and, according to the
| information received here today by the po-
| lice, he was driven out of Butte City by a
| vigilance committee when he and a COM
| panion attempted to operate confidence
| games.
| After his release he called at the Capitol
| and saw Senator Carter Of Montana, who
he wanted to get through a viii for stockade
| prize money 10 which he claimed he was
| entitled, ana the Senator, it is reported,
| promised to assist him. He also called on
Mr.. Coakley, one of the House doorkeepers,
| whom he had known il New York, and bor-
| rowed IS from him.
| Inspector Hollinberger said this afternoon
| that he thought some friend Of the fugitive's s
| had telegrapled him that the officers are
| after him, and that he left the train before
| reaching Cincinnati