The evening times., 1896-04-27
HOTELS ARE HIS SPECIALITY
Guests at Willard's Robbed by a
Well Dressed Stranger.
Assigned to an Expensive. RooM, He
Entered Others Whit Their
Occupants Were Abssnt.

The police are very anxious to ascertain
| the whereabouts of a man giving his name
| as George Duncan, and claiming TO be i
| drummer for Baltimore house. Duncan is
| hotel beat and thief md robbed he rooms
| OF several guests at Wizards Hotel last
Monday night. He registered there for
| lunch Monday afternoon and carried two
heavy valises. He had the appearance OF
being an individual of some consequence.
Clerk Edeien assigned him to room 116,
which is situated on the fourth floor OF
the building ard is considered one Of the
best in the house. Duncan was very partic-
uIar about the two satcliels and created the
| impression that they contained goods OF
| great value.
| The new arrival informed the clerk that
he was travelling for a Baltimore house.
When interrogated as to the name of the
| firm he represented. Mr.. Edelen now re-
members. Duncan failed TO reply. He is a
sleek. well-groomcd and sweil-looking fell
| low. and dressed in the height OF fashion.
He smoked Havana pcrfectos, and TO all
appearances had money to burn" OF
course. guest of this character would not
be expected TO pay in advance.
Duncan was not in evidence about the ho-
tel except during luncheon and dinner
hours. He was decidedly conspicuous in
other places. however, for when three
| ladies. who were guests at the hotel and
who had rooms on the same floor. returned
| from the theater. they discovered that a
sneak thief had been in their rooms and
helped himself TO scalskin coats valued al
SlI5. combs, brushes, toilet articles and
other small articles OF 4 travelling womAn's
wardrobe. The thief had evidently con-
Guided to lose no time, so he gathered in
two clocks along with the other things.
The victims were Mrs. Isaac S. yres and
the Misses Newman of Brooklyn. The rob
Der was apparently frightened 4 something
and ra n from the rooms without completing
his work. as the trunks OF the ladies had
been left open by them when they left the
hotel. In Mrs. Ayres' trunk was a purse
containing about $40 in money and much
valuable jewelry. The trunk of the Misses
Newman also had money and Jewels in it.
Nothing was missing from these trunks.
The robbery was reported to Mana ger
Lc wis and lie started an Investigation.
No one about the house could throw any
light on the matter. The thought OF dis
turbing the slumbers OF the Baltimore
Commercial traveller never entered Mr..
Lewis mind. When the chambe rmaid en-
tered Duncan's room the ne xt morning she
noticed that the bed had not beenristurbed
during the night.
On the floor were two large heavy bags
which. upon investigation, were found to
contain salt The salt was the contents of
the two satchels carried by Duncan. He
had placed the cloaks, clocks. etc, in his
satchcls as a substitute for the salt skipped
from the hotel without pa wing his bill aud
boarded the midnight train for Baltimore
Mr.. Lewis still has the salt
Detective he adquarters was notified In
spcctor Hollinberccr telephoued the police
department in Baltimore and on Tuesday
detectives in that city recovered the two
scalskn coats that had been pa wned for
SO by man answering the description of
Duncan. The clocks have not been found.
Detective Weldon went to Baltimore SAT-
urday and brought back the stolen property.
The Officers in both cities have n good
description OF the thief aud are ma king
every effort TO appretend him. He is
about 8 feet, seven inches in height,
weighs about 135 pounds. has dark hair
ana mustach and is apparently thirty years
oil age. Duncan is wanted IN Baltimore
Tor pa ssing false check for S4at the Hotel
Renn"rt. where. after securing the money,
ne skipped forgetting Ia pay his bill at the
hotel. He tried to pc rsuade c as hier Lcavens.
at Wizards TO cash a draft he had in his
possession. but Leavens refused to do so.