New-York tribune., 1896-01-05
4 CLEVER SWINDLER CAUGHT.

rur.TprCM PEOPLE AND BOARDING.
HOUSE KEEPERS HIS VICTIMS.
Herbert Saunders. twenty-three years old. OF NO
8l6 West Fifty elghth-st., dark haired eoou-iooh
ing man. was committed by Magistrate Mott In
Yortville Court yesterday morning for violating
Section 3s2 Of the Penal Code. Saunders, under the
name Of Henry Hamilton. the English journalist and
,avwrirht has swindled actors. theatrical man
ayers hotel and boarding house keepers and others
lie was finally arrested by Central Office detectives
on complaint of Mrs. VI. l. Appleton. boarding.
hous. keeper OF No 36 West Fifty -eighth-st, whom
Saunders tried TO swindle.
Saunders called on Mrs Appleton on Thursday
and asked n he could engage suite or apartments
ue said he was Henry Hamilton, critic and play
wright of London England His mother. he SAID
owned five hotels in London the Savoy among the
number.
Mrs Appleton had a fat adjoining her house that
She rented and Saunders seeing this desired her
to furnish the whole thing for him He would nave
4 good deal Of distinguished company. he said. and
required much room.
on learning that it would take several DAYS 10
furnish the apartments. Saunders grew melancholy
couldn't YOU take me In for the night, he asked
FOR have made no arrangements?
Mrs Appleton arranged a room with couch Tor
him lie dined there that evening ana was intro
duced to the boarders lie was glo talKer anu en-
tertained the company most delightfully."- But Mrs
An,s,on WAS suspicious The fact that he had
nowhere to go for a single night looked odd for
man OF his supposed standing II thought 10 my
self" said she that Henry Hamilton would go TO
the Waldorf or Savoy for single night.
Saunders remained over night and the following
morning he assured Mrs. Appleton that he had
thoughts OF opening a high class hotel and sug-
pested that she engage with him. She told him she
could run a hotel II she had the chance. on lVo
got plenty of money" Saunders said Then ne went
away When he returned at noon he said re had
been in Fifth-ave looking for place to open MOTEL
He had Inspected a number OF houses, but had de-
clded nothing
That afternoon Mrs. Appleton went uo"" anu
called on Charles Frohlnan.
When Frohman heard Of her experience with her
new boarder he exclaimed;
"Why. Harry Hamilton IL in England and never
was on this side Of the waterl There Is man go
ing around who represents himself as the play
wright who IS an unmitIgated fraud. We nave
heard Of him on every hand He has lived on the
IA, OF ~ land AZ the expense of the profession.
has had boxes at the best performances. has been
wined and dned and feted Ike a prince
Mrs Appleton then lost no time in communicating
with Police Headquarters. Detectives Price ana
O'Donoghue were detailed on the case. They found
the fake Hamilton peacefully smoking a meer-
schaum belonging to one of Mrs. Appetons board.
crs He took arrest cooy. but almost Immediately
asked the detectives TO take him before medcdl
board TO see il am quite sane .,.,,.
lie then explained thai he received shock a
been quite right I'm his mind since.
When the or soner was searched there were found
In his possession a large number Of letters rom
,heafrcal people Many Of these contained passes
to theatres ,, -. ,, .oia
Inst before the detectives arrived at Mrs. Apple
ton's Saunders had asked permission To bring Miss
olga \ethersole to dinner on Sunday. and also said
that Nine Meba had Informed h.m that she was
coming To see him the next week.
Yesterday when the prisoner was caiied on IN
yorkville Court to plead to the detectives affidavit,
he said. !, .., .., r
cannot explain afterward | had an accident In
the summer OF 1884, which has much to do with
such acts. | presume | am guilty