The times., 1898-12-26
A PAIR OF sWINDlERs.
The Police Make Two Clever Cap
tures On Christmas Dny.


The Police Make Two Clever Cap
turps On Christmas Dny.
Two well dressed but reticent and ap-
parently shrewd young men who gave
their names as Louis j. Smith, of Chi
cago. and Joseph Kerns. of Lexington,
KY, were arrested by Policeman Gustav
Joseph shortly before II o'clock yesterday
morning and placed behind the bars in a
cell at the Third precinct police station,
charged with obtaining money under
false pretenses.
The strangers were asserted by the
policeman to be bogus collectors. 1t is
claimed that they have been obtaining
money from certain benevolent persons
during the past few days under the guise
of agents of the Newsboys' Home, and
strong evidence that such was the case
has been secured against the men.
The arrest was the result of a complaint
made last Saturday evening by DR.. c. ".
Charles, who called at one of the police
stations and stated that two young men
had been at certain houses, soliciting
funds to be devoted to the care of news
boys and waits at the institution in ques-
ton. He described one of them as being
nearly six feet tall. of slender build,
rough looking, wearing brown derby
hat and light colored overcoat. A de-
scription of the other man was also Sc
cured, and a dispatch sent out from po-
lice headquarters directing that the men
should be arrested.
About 10 o'clock yesterday morning
Policeman Joseph, of the Third police
precinct. saw man answering the de-
scription already given walking along
Connecticut Avenue in the vicinity OF
Dupont circle. He arrested the man and
sent him to the station house. The
prisoner gave his name as Louis ].
Smith, his age twenty-three years and
occupation as plasterer. When
searched, numerous damaging papers
were found on his person. including a
card announcing that a Christmas treat
would be given the waits at the George
Maulsby Newsboys Home. in this city
on the evening of December 20. and re-
questing donations of clothing and dell
cacies from the public.
a second paper was headed with a
printed statement to the effect that the
bearer was James Lyman. duly accre1-
tied collector in behalf of the waits and
newsboys of the Newsboys' Home, and
signed by C. h Johnson, superintendent.
c. Mordant Wilson Is the superln-
tendent of the local newsboy home. and
on the prisoner. The paper contained the
| names of a number of well-known persons
| with various amounts set beside their
names as having been given toward the
home. The largest amount was signed
| Cash, fifty dollars" About twenty
| signers were included in the list. among
| them being Mrs. II. Cleveland Perkins. j.
| p Hammond. Mrs. Westinghouse. Mrs.
| HUFF. G. d. Litchfield, ]. Maury Dove and
| others.
| Shortly after Smith had been placed In
one of the station cells there was another
| call fer the patrol by Policeman Gustav
| Joseph, who stated that he had arrested
man presumably the partner Of the one
already in custody. When taken to the
station and searched he was found TO have
| papers similar to those taken from Smith.
| The man seized one of the papers from
the hand of the officer and tearing of 4
| portion of it put 1t in his mouth and
swallowed il. After a struggle, the off,
GERS secured the torn fragment which the
man still held in his hand, and found that
1t was similar. to the one taken from the
prisoner Smith. The second Individual
| gave his name as Joseph Kerns. his &C.
| cupation as plasterer and his age as twep-
| ty-three years. He was a fairly good
| looking fellow, but not of the same pleas
| ing appearance as Smith. His face is
| clear-cut and full of shrewdness.
I Precinct Detective McGlue Is working on
| the case and will not be ready to have
| the captives taken to court until tomor-
| row morning, or possibly later. 1t is
| thought that other persons are working
| the same game and an effort will be made
! TO apprehend them before the prisoners
| are placed on trial. In the meantime more
evidence will, IL possible, be obtained
| against Smith and Kerns.