Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-09
ALLEGED PENSION SWIaDLER.,
Charles uarris Held IN $4,000 fsaii for q
Trial In tho United states Court,

Trial In the United States Court.
Charles Harris was arraigned before
United States Commissioner Smith in
tho Federal Building on Saturday on
four charges OF obtaining money under
false pretences by means of fraudulent
pension schemes. He was accused Of
having collected 81 from Martha
Walmsley of this city on January 3lst
last, and another dollar from hor on
the following day, and also So from
William J. Chase of Seaford on Feb
ruary 23d. Thelourth charge was SINH
lar to the other throe. Harris waived u
hearing and was held in $1,000 bail,
81, 200 on each charge, for hearing at
tho April term of tho United States
District Court. He will BIO taken to
New Castle Jail this afternoon il Sc
curity is not furnished. lie intimated
this morning that his brother, who
lives in Boston, Mass. might go on his
bond.
Harris, who is said to be an old
offender in the pension swinding bust
ness. was arrested in Salisbury, Nd,
on Friday by Chief of Police E. NJ.
Elliott and Capt. T.. II. Carver, n
secret service detective, but DR. r. r.
Fletcher of this city, the pension ex-
amner for this district, is largely ac-
countable for the capture, having been
working on the case for some time and
tracking him from place to place.
As Mrs. Walmsley identified Harris
as the man who had taken her money,
it is believed he is the ono who
swindled number of other colored
people in the city the latter part of
last month and early this month. Ac-
cording 10 one of the victims, his
scheme was to present bogus checks for
supposed pension claims and charged
for his services in obtaining tho money.
As a rule, the charges have been small
and the deception worked SO well that
many people paid the money almost
without asking questions. They did
not know that they had been duped
until they went to the bank and found
that the checks given them were bogus.
The trick WAS worked chiefly among
colored people in this city and it is
believed the swindler Jared pretty we'll
while he was here. He claimed to be
an authorized government agent and
his appearance did not betray him.
After he left this city the matter was
| brought to the attention of Examiner
| Fletcher, who went to work on the case
| INV i'uat tihu tiio oNihiitI Nhs WIN
ing his way down the State, going
from town to town. Victims were
! found in Middletown, Dover, Seaford
| and other places.
Harris, who has done time for a
| similar offence, was suspected and he
was located at Salisbury. He evidently
suspected that the officers were after
him, as he made an effort to escape,
but was unsuccessful Hearing that
the man was there DIR. Fletcher went
down on Friday to join the secret SER
vice detective.
Harris was brought to this city Friday
night and turned over to United States
Marshal Short, who kept him under
lock and key until about noon Saturday,
when he was arraigned before the com
missioner. He was not represented by
counsel and the officials were of the
opinion that he would plead guilty,
either at the preliminary hearing or
at the trial next month. So far he has
not admitted his guilt.
The prisoner, who is of French
| Canadian parentage, was born ut Port
land, Me-, and is about 20 years Of age