Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-28
CHICAGO POLICE CLAIMS
Chief Insists That Man Arrested Here is
Wanted There.
Jesse F.. Smith Held ON Charge That
He is Embesxler-Hfs Con-
Adent Denial.

Major Sylvester, superintendent of police,
today received a telegram from the CHIEF
of police of Chicago, stating that he has
no doubt that Jesse F. Smith. who was ar
rested here yesterday by Detective McDon-
aid is VIM. D. Rice, alias VIM. r. Davis,
who is wanted in Chicago for embezzle-
ment and the larceny of diamond valued
at $3.50 The dispatch also stated that the
matter would be further investigated and
the result wired to Major Sylvester later
in the day.
Smith denies that he is guilty of any
crime, and declares he is unfortunate in
resembling the real criminal very closely
1t is stated to be quite sure that IL the
man under arrest is not the right one, he
answers precisely the description furnish
ed to the Washington police authorities OIL
the man desired in the western city.
Smith was arrested yesterday just as ne
was about to take the 1870 a. m tram west
on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad He
had Intended to go to Pittsburg. When IN
formed that he was under arrest he will
ingiy accompanied Detective Mcdonald TO
police headquarters, where he was ques-
toned by Acting Inspector Carter. Ihe lat
ter sent Smith to the first precinct statlon'
where he was placed in witness room.
Says He is an Enslishman.
The man under detention claims to be an
a large business in London He asserted
that he departed from Southampton the 9th
instant and reached New York a week
later After remaining at the Waldorf
Astoria five days. his story is, he went to
Philadelphia, where he stayed four days.
reaching here about week ago. On the
way across the ocean Smith kept diary.
One of the entries stated that Croker won
the pool August 8. and again the next
day. 1t was further stated that Croker
was tried by an investigating committee
and was whitewashed, after which Croker
gave 500 to the Sailors Home"
Smith claims that during his residence
in London he met a MIR. Woodside of Chi
oago. and that he expects to meet him
upon his arrival in that city. He has
number of tattoo marks on his body and
arms. Among these a ful-rigged ship.
Goddess of Liberty, etc. He explains his
having these by stating that he had them
placed there while sailor on the Franklin,
and that he served in the United States
navy from 1878 to 1876. being discharged
at New York From there he went, he
says, to London, and has lived there ever
since.
COrrobOratinE Testimony.
Today Smiths baggage, which on
the train when he was arrested, was sent
to police headquarters, having been return
ed from Cumberland. Md, which place the
train had reached before it was known to
the train authorities that the owner had
been arrested. The baggage consisted of
large leather steamer trunk and an I'M
mense leather grip, each Of which was
marked y. f. S., London An examna-
ton by the detectives showed that the con-
tents were about as represented by Mr..
Smith, and that each article was marked
similarly to the grip and trunk
Smith takes his arrest good-naturedly,
and says that the police will soon discover
that mistake has been made in placing
him in custody.
Major Sylvester this afternoon received a
telegram from Mr.. Woodside of Chicago,
whose name was given by Smith as one
who knew him. Mr. Woodside stated that
the man arrested here and the one wanted
in Chicago are, in his opinion, the same in
dividual.