The Washington times., 1901-07-21
POSED AS MR.. HANNA'S SON
A Badly Wanted Swindler Fails to
Defraud Local Jewelry Stores.
An Exciting Chase on the Avenue
and n Desperate Struggle With De-
tectfves-Prisoucr Admits Crooked
Work-St. Louis Police Claim Him.

md n Desperate Struggle With De-
tectfves-PrisOucrA Admits Crooked
Work-St. Louis Police Claim Him.
After having successfully eluded cap
! ture for the past year by the police in
many of the large cities nearly all of
which have offered unusually large re-
wards for his apprehension. Lewis c.
Mcdowell, alias ]. Pierpont Morgan,
alias William j. Lemp, jr., alias Daniel
K. Hanna. one of the shrewdest crooks
in this country, was captured by
Detective Sergeants Muller and Weldon,
but only after a desperate struggle, yes
tcrday afternoon, near the corner of
Sixth and Streets northwest. The
prisoner is now safely locked up at the
First precinct police station.
4 McDowelrs capture was fraught with
danger and excitement, and although a
man of unusually short stature, he gave
nearly leo citizens a rapid chase for
several blocks through the most promi-
nent thoroughfares of the city, before he
was finally overtaken by the two detec
| tives
Dressed in clothes of the latest fashion
and wearing long light English sack
coat. the crook walked into Castelberg's
| jewelry store shortly after l o'clock yes
terday afternoon and selected pair of
diamond earrings valued at sl.O5O He re-
! Quested the unsuspcious clerk who wait
ed upon him to charge them to Dan r.
| Hanna. the son Of Senator Hanna which
name the crook gave upon entering, in
| forming the clerk that as his family in
tended to depart for the Senator's sum
mer home at Cleveland it was imperative
that he should receive the jewels at once
Despite the bold demeanor of his Gus
toner and the apparent truthfuiness of
! his statement. the clerk became suspi-
cious, and refused to accommodate him,
| stating that he would send the Jewels
to the Hanna residence after the alleged
Daniel r. Hanna had been identified to
the satisfaction of the jewelers..
But even at this state of affairs the
swindler did not become confused He
calmly gave the jewelers. his address as
q Lafayette Square and requested that
| the jewels be sent to his home before 5
o'clock The well-groomed stranger then
sauntered slowly out of the establishment.
Among those present in the store at the
time of his visit was man who at once
informed one of the jewelers. that the os-
tensfble purchaser of the gems was an
impostor. This statement created intense
excitement among them, they having at
first believed the story of the smooth talk
ing individual.
IN the meantime the customer who de-
nounced Mcdowell as a fraud followed !
him upon his departure and saw him en-
ter the store of Gait & Co. Tais man,
standing behind a tree box where he
could obtain a good view of the crook, |
saw the well-dressed stranger emerge |
from the establishment shortly and hur- !
riedly retrace his steps toward Ninth |
Il. Il tl..i
crook closely until the jewelry shop of |
c. a Goldsmith was reached and was
surprised to see the bold impostor enter |
that establishment.
The first thing Mcdowell did upon en- |
tering was to enquire for Mr. Goldsmith, |
and when he found the proprietor was alb
sent asked TO see a diamond breastpin. |
number of them were shown him, and he
finally selected magnificent diamond |
heart, valued at $1,000. I guess l will |
secure this one. said the bogus Mr.. Han I
ma, taking the costly decoration in his |
hand and examining it closely.
ITO whom shall 1 charge it. enquired
the clerk.
why. to NJ. A. Hanna, my father, of |
course replied the stranger. The clerk, !
believing his customer to be telling an |
honest story, stated that he would send |
the pin to the Hanna home, which met
with the strangers approval Thereupon /
politely bidding the salesman goodbye,
Mcdowell left the store. Mr.. Goldsmith,
who came in before the prospective Gus
toner departed, became suspicious of the
mans actions and at once sent one of the
store employees to follow him.
Now Mcdowell, evidently chagrined and
a triie anxious, put as much distance as
possible between him and his late visit
ing places, and was just about TO cross
Ninth Street at a rapid gait when his
shadower, seeing Crossing Policeman Ell
lott standing near by. cried out at the
top of his voice, Catch that mani" at
the same time flourishing his hands wild
ly in the direction of the startled ':Mr.
Hanna
Policeman Elliott at once sprang for
the neatly dressed gentleman pointed out
and was about to grasp him by the col
lar when Mcdowell, with a quick move
ment, suddenly drew a revolver from his
side pocket, and wheeling upon the stall
wart bluecoat leveled the weapon against
the latters head.
The unexpected sight of the revolver
50 startled the policeman that he invol-
halted and then Mcdowell start
ed off at a rapid pace down Pennsylvania
Avenue. Instantly Elliott started in pur-
suit. followed by a rapidly increasing
crowd of citizens, who were crying stop,
thief but were afraid to advance too
close upon the fugitive for fear he would
make use of his weapon, the barrel Of
which glistened brightly in the sunshine.
Every time his pursuers would seem to
gain upon him the determined crook