Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-01
WORKING MEN DUPED.
Arrest of an Alleged Swindler In
Alexandria Today.

Laboring men from the southeastern part
of the city were at the Anacostia bridge
this morning to begin work there, having
been instructed yesterday by man call
ing himself Inspector Turner Of the Penn
sylvana Steel Company to be on hand this
morning to start work at repairing the
structure. Workmen from Anacostia had
yesterday been at the same place for
similar purpose, as they understood it, for
they, too, had been told Thursday by the
man known as Turner that he could give
them employment at the repair work on
the bridge. The Anacostia men learned
that they had been duped by man,
who was arrested this morning in Alexan-
dria.
When taken in custody there he gave his
name as William T. Turner of Elmira, N.
Y He was before Mayor Simpson In the
Police Court this morning on the charge or
being a suspicious character He was ar
rested about o'clock yesterday afternoon
by Officer Lyles at Roberts mill in Fair
testified that the prisoner owed small bills
to a number of parties in this city. 1t was
claimed that after contracting these debts
he had attempted to leave without paying
them. At the time of his arrest he was,
Officer Lyles stated, going away from the
city. 1t was testified that the prisoner had
gone to the lumber yard of Henry K. Field
& Co., representing himself as bridge
road Company, and ordered a large guam
tity OF lumber. He then stated his inten-
ton Of going to a bank to get check
cashed and attempted to borrow small
amount of money. These and other matters
of suspicious character being reported to
the police department led to his apprehen-
sion as above stated Inspector Boardman,
in Washington, was communicated with
this morning and stated that he would send
to Alexandria for the prisoner. as it was
thought that he was party for whom the
Washington police had been on the lookout.
Turner made his appearance in Anacos-
tia last Wednesday afternoon, at which
time he visited number Of business places.
including the firms OF e. V. Stephenson, S..
M. Frazier, H. Penn and others. and en-
deavored to have cashed a check for $50,
but without success He gave out to per-
sons whom he met that he was a repre-
sentative Of the Pennsylvania Steel Com
pany Of Philadelphia, and that the COM
pany had a contract for reconstructing the
Anacostia bridge. He offered a number Of
men work. instructing them to be at the
bridge next morning, which about dozen
Of them did. subsequently learning they had
been deceived Turner, after securing sew
eral meals and borrowing some small
sums, had left Anacostia Thursday at noon.
He had left word at two boarding places
that he would send in several workmen
from distant points as dodgers within a
few days The police learned that yester-
day he had succeeded in operating in the
southeastern part of the city.
Detective Peck went to Alexandria today
and brought the prisoner here for trial. He
gave his name as William G. Turner, and
said he came here from Elyria, Ohio The
prisoner Is one of the four men who were
suspected of blowing open and robbing the
safe at the dry goods store of Jones &
Robinson at Brunswick, Nd, this side of
Harper's Ferry.
When he reached police headquarters this
afternoon Turner told Inspector Boardman
that he had been drinking. He thought he
had obtained not more than $40 from diff
ferent people.