Evening star., 1896-10-20
FOR FALSE PRETENSES
Frederick Smith Held for the Grand Jury
by Judge Miller.
Charged With Having Secured Money
by Forging the Names of Dis
tinEuished People.

gineer United States navy, was made the
victim Of an attempt to extort money last
evening. but, suspecting something wrt ng,
he reported the matter to the police and
within an hour Frederick Smith, middle
aged white man, was behind the bars at the
first precinct station, charged with va
grancy.
When the case was called in the Police
Court today an array of witnesses lined up
against Smith. The first to take the stand
was Chief Engineer Melville. He explained
that about Z o'clock last evening a boy
called at his residence, 172O H street, and
delivered a sealed communication. 1t read
as follows:
WASHINGTON, D. c., October 49, 1896.
My Dear Friend: have just got to the
city with Mrs. Kirkland, and l am in
predicament. Some scamp got away with
my purse or else 1 lost it Oh the train.
desire to avoid publicity in the matter, and
l cannot realize on any moneys before We'd
nesday. I do not care in going to the club,
which would let the cat out of the bag.
Please send me by the bearer ten &1D dol
lars. Will have the pleasure to call with
Mrs. kirkland on Wednesday and pay our
respects and refund above loan 1 am
yours, w. A. KIRKLAND,
Admiral U. s. Navy"
Chief Engineer Melville at once concluded
that the letter was a forgery, although he
said the signature was fair imitation of
that of Admiral kirkland. with whom he
Is In the habit Of communicating. The wit
hess happened to know that Admiral Kirk
land Is at present at the Mare Island navy
yard, Cal, so he asked the boy who sent
the letter.
"A man on Pennsylvania avenue. who
tGld me to bring the answer to Wizards
Chief Engineer Melville accompanied the
boy to Wizards Hotel and there turned him
over to Policemen Carlson and Melen. A:
the station the boy, who gave his name as
Queeny' Lewis, repeated his story, and
a search was made for Smith, who was
found on Pennsylvania avenue near 10th
street.
Detective SuttOn's Testimony.
Detective Sutton testified that when taken
Into custody Smith was in an intoxicated
condition. On his person were several let
ters, which he attempted to destroy. One,
asking for the loan of SO, was addressed
to Mrs. Aida G. Almy. widow of Admiral
Almy and was signed 1T. G. Phelps. ad-
miral.'
"Queeny,' Lewis. the messenger boy.
1dent1hed Smith as the man VINO requested
him to deliver the letter TO Chief Engineer
Melville.
Several other boys took the stand and
stated that they were present when Smith
handed the letter to Lewis.
William Edwards, cigar dealer, of 1906
Pennsylvania avenue, testified that Smith
last evening entered his place of business
borrowed pen and ink and wrote letter.
The Defendants Denial.
The defendant took the stand and de-
t!ared himself innocent of the charge. He
has q wife and three children, he said
and lives on K street. He Is a book agent
by occupation. Smith admitted that he
gave the letter to Lewis but claimed that
the epistle, with three others, was given
70 him to deliver by man named Nc
Laughlin. AS the letters were sealed. he
was not familiar with their contents, al
though he knew they contained request
for money. Smith said that he had once
before delivered letters for Mclaughlin
and had been paid fifty cents for SO doing
AS he was intoxicated last evening. and in
no condition to present himself at the resi-
dence of Chief Engineer Melville. he asked
Lewis to deliver the letter. He could not
give any information as to the whereabouts
Of Mclaughlin. He has been In the habit,
he says, of meeting Mclaughlin on Penn
sylvania az enue. +-'-'s
More Letters.
At this point DIR. Hammonds secretary
reached the court room, in company with
Inspector Holinberger. bearing several let
ters thought to have been written by Smith,
and by means of which money had been
secured. The letters were submitted to
Prosecuting Attorney Pugh, who directed
that an additional information charging
Smith with false pretenses be secured. The
trial of the vagrancy charge was then con-
tinued until later in the day, while the
papers in the false pretenses case were
being prepared.
Charge of False Pretenses.
Smith was aIraigI ed or a charge OF false
pretenses this afternoon before Judge Mil
ler DR.. William A. Hammond appeared as
a complaining witness, and he testified that
Smith recently secured SO from him by
means of a letter similar to that sent last
evening to Chef Engineer Melville. The
man was fully identified. and Judge Miller
directed that he be held in 5000 bonds to
await the action of the grand jury.