The times., 1899-08-11
ARTHUR JACK IN TROUBLE.
Charged With Fraud by "a New York
Hotel Proprietor.

The arrest of Arthur B. Jack in New
York yesterday recalls many alleged pc
culiarities of his conduct while in Wash
ington. Jack left this city about ten days
ago and he was arrested in New York
on warrant sworn out by Rufus w.
Frost, Manager of the Broadway Central
Hotel. Mr.. Frost charges that Jack de-
frauded him of $40 Frost states that the
young man represented that he was cap
tain in the Regular Army and was in the
city ON Government business and that he
would receive a large sum of money due
him in pay from the Quartermaster's De-
partment in a few days. Investigation,
it is alleged, proved all of his statements
to be false. He was held in $500 bonds
for examination, and, being unable to Sc
cure a bondsman. was locked up.
While in this city, it is alleged, jack, or
Captain Jack" as he styled himself, be-
came involved in several difficulties. On
several occasions he was arrested. but
each time managed to be released through
the interposition of friends. On one oc-
casion he was arrested for failing to pay
quite large cab bill. This matter was
finally arranged and Jack was released
According to the statements of several ho-
tel and boarding house keepers, Jack failed
to pay many of his board bills contracted
while in this city.
His first stopping place was the Hotel
Lawrence, where. according to the state
ment of the proprietor, he ran up bill
of over $40. He always stated it is said
that he was on General Skaters staff
while in Cuba, and that he would receive
an appointment in the Regular Army in a
few days. He is also alleged to have Sc
cured board at the National Hotel for
which he failed to pay.
His last stopping place In this city was
the Metropolitan Manager Burton stated
last night that Jack boarded in his house
for over a week and ran up bill of 500.
Mr.. Burton also states that he claimed
that he was a captain in the Army, and
was awaiting orders to go to the Philip
pines. He left the Metropolitan, it is
claimed. without paying his bill. and was
not heard of until the notice of his arrest
in New York was received here yesterday.
During the Peace Jubilee Jack served on
General Hawley's staff and for several
days paraded the streets in the uniform
of a captain. 1t is said that the young man
told many conflicting stories To some he
stated that he was an interpreter, and was
going to the Philippines, where he had
been appointed on General Otis staff.
Another stoEy accredited to him was that
he was a Secret Service agent and had
acted as a spy in the Cuban campaign.
According to those acquainted with the
military aspiraGt, he is highly connected
in Virginia, his grandfather being ]. T.
Tracy, of Harrisonburg, THAI State. 1t Is
said that his parents are dead and that
! he was educated by his grandfather. who
is represented to be very wealthy Several
letters were written to his kinsman re-
garding his conduct in this city. The
grandfather, however, declined to pay any
of his bills stating that he had discarded
the young man on account of his disgrace
full conduct.
During the Cuban struggle against Spain
Captain Jack" ran away from school
and went TO the island. His career in
Cuba seems to have been just as check
cred as in this city. A prominent news
paper man who was one of the war cor
| respondents stationed in Havana, last
night gave the following account Of Jacks
career in that city:
THE first time I saw the captain was
at the Engleterra Hotel about the first
of last November. He came to Havana
from the eastern part of the island. The
captain of the vessel on which he reached
! Havana says that Jack beat his way by
stating that ne was an Army officer and
was on official business. On the trip he
borrowed $50 from Lieutenant Sanchez, of
the Spanish army, telling him that he was
a quartermaster in the Army. He regis
| tered at the hotel as Lieut.. Arthur j.
Tracy, United States Army. He only re-
mained at the hotel for short time and
| it is said ran up bill OF $S5 for wine.
| He also, ii Is alleged, succeeded in bor-
! rowing money of many of the newspaper
men in that city. Carriage hire made an
h other large item in his expense account
He told the newspaper men that he was
| a Secret Service officer and had been de-
| tailed to investigate big commissary steal
! This he would do, he said, when his dis
/ guises arrived. In the mean time General
F.! Wade, who was chairman of the evacua-
| ton committee, became advised of the
! young mans conduct, and detailed Captain
! Benson Parker to investigate the case
! Jack got wind of the matter, it is said
! and slowed away on the cattle steamer
! Galveston, and came to the United States
! Jack speaks Spanish fluently and has q
/ rather pleasing address He looks to BIZ
very young, and can hardly be over twenty
years of age. Several hotel keepers last
night showed Times reporter orders fol
various amounts on the Auditor of the
! War Department which had been giveI
! them by the captain" Some have pre-
sented these orders, and in each instance
! the paper was pronounced worthless.
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