Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-02
A SLICK SWi DIE r.
HE FORMERLY LIVED IN THIS CITY
AND OPERATED HERE.
Now Under Arrest at Michigan City
Indiana, for Violation of PEN
sion Laws.

The officials of the pension bureau have
just succeeded in running down one OF the
most clever and active of swindiers who
has operated within the jurisdiction OF the
bureau in years. He is William H. Swallow.
alias William Law. alias Ford, who claims
to be a confederate veteran, and who at
one time lived in Washington. He is man
sixty years of age, tall and slim, with
white chin whiskers, affable manners and
man evidently conversant with the mode
of operation Of some Of the smoothest
swindlers Of the country.
Swallow is now in jail at Michigan City.
Ind. awaiting trial for swindling the Rev.
Father John Bleckmann, pastor of St.
Mary's Catholic Chur~, of that city. He
will be prosecuted by the United States au-
thorities of that town in conjunction with
assistance which will be lent them by the
pension Office prosecutors.
He Operated Here.
Swallow formerly served a year and a
day in the Albany penitentiary for forgery
committed in this city. After his release
from Albany he returned to Washington,
and shortly afterward claimed to his
friends that ne had secured position as a
messenger in one of the departments here.
Last spring he victimized the pastor Of a
weli-known church in West Washington.
He secured the sun of $3.25 Eom this
clergyman, who subsequently made COM
plant about the matter to the police au-
thorities.
In addition to swindling the Georgetown
preacher, Swallow piled his efforts all over
the east, and succeeded in victimZng
priests and preachers in many cities. Swai-
lows plan of action was to go to the pas
tor Of church and represent himself as a
referee from the pension bureau, ap-
pointed by will and testament by some per-
son deceased formerly belonging to the
pastors flock, and who had just come into
possession of a large sum of pension mon
ey, to pay that money over to the pastor
for the benefit of the church. In most in
stances he would draw checks for the
amount Indicated, usually sums In the
ne1ghborhood of 81, 600, and hand them over
to the pastors. He would then make a re-
quest for a small loan with which to defray
expenses incurred in executing the matter.
After victimizing the Georgetown preach
er Swallow left Washington, and was
later at Gardenville. Nd. The pension Of
fice authorities next heard of his opera
tons at York, Pa, and then at Columbus
Ohio. where he swindied a Catholic priest
ana a Lutheran preacher. From Columbus
he went to Indianapolis, where he contin-
ued operations with success, and finally
turned up at Michigan City
Priest Trapped Him.
At the latter town he approach Father
Bleckmann and made the usual proposition
The pension Office in the meantime had
been sending notices broadcast explaining
Swallows operations, and thanks to its
EFFORTS the country generally had been pref
ty we'll posted upon the scheme being prac-
dced by him. 1t happened, therefore, that
when he approached Father Bleckmann with
his usual proposition trap was laid for
him. One day about two weeks ago he
went to Father Bleckmann's church I'm Mich
igan City, and having written in advance
that he was coming. and also explaining in
his letter the nature of his mission, intro
duced himself to the Catholic divine Fa-
Their Bleckmann was prepared for him.
Swallow claimed that he had in his pos
session the sum of 81 900 in pension money
bequeathed to the church by a deceased
member Of the flock, and asked for a loan
OF $5.25 with which to pay the expense in
cident to the work Of bringing the check to
the priest. Father Bleckmann ushered Swal-
low into the library of the rectory and then
quietly summoned policeman He en-
gagged the swindler in conversation until
the officer put in an appearance, when he
denounced the impostor and caused his ar
rest. Swallow was a much-surprised man,
but submitted and was locked up He Is
now held for trial.