The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-12
A LOONY MOKE.
Goes About PerSOnating a Gov
eminent Inspector
At Country PostOffices and
ScareS the p. MS.
Is FINALLY CAUGHT
And is Being Tried in the Fed
eral Court.
His Name is CraIIe and He is
an EX-COnvict.

c c. CralIe, ex-convict, alias ]. B. Al
Ienr alias G, W. Bowen and half Z dozen
other names, is on trial in the federal
court this afternoon for impersonating
a federal officer.
The prisoner appeared in court neatly
dressed with a diamond sparkling in
the black puff tie he wore He appeared
unconcerned and looks like a sharper
his case Is the most peculiar that has
federal officers
CraIIe passed himself off for a special
pension examiner or postoffice inspector
AS suited MS fancy-but the remarka-
Die thing about his case is that though
the government inspectors and ietec-
tITes have been trailing him for nearly
a year, they have not found a single
place where he prOfited by his deception
except to secure meal or his board for
q day or two He always appeared to
have money, but where it came from
the government officials do not know
The specific charge upon which the
bogus detective is being tried. is de
frauding John Caruahan postmaster al
Berry ton in this county. of one meal
MIN by the grand jury but Judge Eos
ter quaShed all but one today. In the
other cases CraIIe did not even get a
meal for his trouble, and SO could not be
held
CraIIe went to Postmaster Carnahan
at BerrytOn one evening in February.
He said that he was a pOStOfTice in
spectOr and was considering the Ques-
ton of abOlishing the postofhee either
at BerFytOu or TeviS. which is only
mile and a half further south on the
Missouri Pacific He made careful
examination of the records and looked
over the list OF patrons OF the Office
Postmaster CaTnahan was rather anx-
ious. for he was not ready to give up his
position CraIle pretended TO be pleas
ed with the showing made at Berryton
and intima1ed that the TeFiS Office
would suffer in his report Then he in
QuiFed whether there was a place where
he could stay all night
Postmaster Carna han was anxious TO
please the detective, and said that ne
would keep him He ate supper and
said that he would walk down TO d
neighb0F'S and return. He did not re-
turn. but evidently started for Topeka
on foot because he was seen at a liter
airy society at the Deer Greek school
house that evening, and this is between
Berryton and Topeka
The postmaster at Berryton thought
that the inspector was a peculiar indi-
vidual, but pOstmasters in country vii
lagos have a particular dread of gov
eminent detectives and so the sudden
departure of Inspector" CraIIe was
overlooked.
At Michigan Valley. Cralie appeared
at G. w Bowen and made an examina-
ton Of Elizabeth Myers, whose hus-
band was an applicant for q pension He
made no demand for money and wrote
DOWN the questions ana answers anu
went away
At Richland, CralIe made an fnspec-
ton Of the posCofHce- He inspected the
cash and counted the stamps and pro-
nOunced everything all right, but he did
not ask for either board or money
At Pomona, Bowen or CraIle, was
pension examiner again. but got no
money. At Overlook he made an ex-
animation of the poSt0f1ce. At Ottawa
he was a pension examiner and made
several examinations, but got no mon
ey-
When CraIIe was at PaoIa, in Miami
county, where he pretended to be a pen
sion examiner. he walked into an alb
stract Office Some deeds were lying on
a desk and after he was gone one of the
deeds was missing.
This deed was found upon Cra1le
when he was arrested at HoIton-
Since last December the government
officers have been on the track of the
pretended detective. but they were IN
able to find him until last month when
a hotel keeper at Holton. who had seen
the pictures and description sent out
by the government, recognized guest
registered as G. W. Bowen. as the man
who was wanted and he was arrested
by the city marshal
CralIe was sent to the penitentiary
for one year at Chester. H. in 1888. for
impersonating an officer, he pleading
guilty There are now II indictments
will probably be completed today.