The record-union., 1896-10-04
Two Americans Who Pretended TO be
Officers in the United States Army.
Found Many Dupes at the Metropolis
of the Empire.
For Certain Monetary Considerations
Ihey Promised Good Positions to
Their Victims in Uncle Sans
Army - One of the SwindlerS
Claimed Residence i'm California.

BERLIN, Oct. 3.-The United States
Embassy here has learned that two
Americans, giving the their names as
Captain George Hubbard of New Or
leans and Captain Fred Williams Of
San Francisco, both pretending to be Of
ficers of the United States Army, have
been operating a lucrative swindle by
inducing persons of means to enlist, as
they supposed, in the United States
Army, and inducing them to pay for the
privilege of doing so under a promise
made by the two pretended officers that
they would exert their personal inf1u-
ence to secure the speedy promotion Of
their recruits to the rank of Lieuten-
ant, Captain, etc.
All of those who paid for their en-
liStment were asked to meet the Cap
| tains at the railroad station one day last
week for the purpose of arranging for
their passage to America Many of them
made their appearance at the station,
but failed to find the Captains" The
dupeS of the Captains then went to
the United States Consulate TO inquire.
ard were informed that the Captains
were frauds. The swindlers appear to
be German-Americans.
Some of the details of the swindle are
L
listed with Hubbard and Williams. and
paid them the money they demanded.
Becoming suspicious they wanted to
have the Captains identified at the
United States Consulate. The Cap
tains" acceded to this, and readily ac-
companied their victims. Arriving at
the first floor of the building occupied
by the Consulate, the visitors, upon as
certaining if the Consul would see them,
Immediately went to the second floor,
where the Consuls offices are situated,
leaving their victims on the floor below.
Instead of going to the Consuls office
however. they took the elevator, de-
scended to the ground floor, and hur-
riedly took their departure. leaving the
dupes waiting for them to return to the
first floor.
In another case their victim gave
them money with which to purchase his
railway ticket to the port from which
he was to embark for America The
swindlers took the money and entered
the booking office, through which they
quickly passed and walked out of the
end of the office. The waiting victim
has not seen them since.
Another case, involving the claimant
to the honor Of being an officer of the
United States Army, is being discussed
in the clubs and cafes. An American
claiming to be the new military alta me
to the United States Embassy to sue
ceed Captain Evans, who has just re-
tired from the Office, arrived at Ham
burg from New York on September 10Th
on board the steamship Fuerst Bis
narck, travelling second-class. The
American wore the uniform of an office
in the United States Army, and when he
landed he created a scene upon the Oc-
casion of his being confronted by the
customs officers He talked in a loud
and clustering fashion and said he
would make complaint against the con-
Guctor of the customs service to the
American ambassador. He has not yet
appeared at the Embassy, however