Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-21
UNDER GRAVE CHARGE
FORMER LIEUT., OWEN SAID TO
BE NV CUSTODY.
Arrested Party Gave Name Of Alfred
Crosby owen-Is Accused
Of Fraud.
ar

hotels with had1 checks. The man in GUS
tody gave his name to the authorities as
Alfred Crosby Owen. He said he was a
graduate of the Naval Academy and up to
December of last year a junior lieutenant
in the navy. 1t is thought by the police
officials that the man is the person who
has been going through the west represent
ing himself to be Stephen B. Elkins, jr.,
son of the United States senator from West
Virginia. Young Mr.. Elkins was in Chi
cago Saturday and found that somebody
had been there ahead of him and had been
hiring special cars in his name on at least
two railroads.
Alfred c.. Owen. the former naval officer,
is well connected here, being the son of a
former naval officer He was born In
Brazil and was appointed to the Annapolis
Naval Academy in 1893, whence he gradu-
ated in 1887 He was in the naval service
with rank of ensign until his dismissal
from the navy in December. 102
Lieut.. Owen was dismissed from the navy.
as stated. in December of last year, the
court-martial's decision in the case being
sustained by the President, for being alb
sent from the battle ship Massachusetts
without leave. and for alleged financial ir-
regularitfes. In the latter charge 1t was
said he borrowed money from brother Of
hcers which was not paid back and that
he passed worthless checks. His conduct
at the time was such that 1t was thought
sion of the court-martial was withheld until
an examination of the officer was had. when
the decision noted was carried into enect.
Lieut.. Owen Is brOther-in-law. 1t IS
stated, of William G.. Crawford of this city.
against whom an indictment was found by
the grand jury following the post office IN
vestigation for presenting a false claim
against the government
His Operations in New York.
The man alleged to have given his name
as Lieut.. Owen. is of good appearance
and clever talker. He was arrested as
the result of inquiries made by the cashier
of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, who saw the
name stephen B. Elkins, jr," upon the
register. The cashier knew that when Mr..
Elkins visited New York city he stopped
at the Waldorf-Astoria. While at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel he presented a check
for s. on the National Bank of Elkins,
w. Va. and had 1t cashed at that hotel.
Upon inquiry at the WaldOrfAstOria 1t
was learned that a man had stopped there
and registered ct. d. Elkins' He en-
gagged an expensive suite of rooms at that
hosiery and then presented a check for
W signed stephen B. Elkins. jr.' Upon
presenting the check to the cashier the
latter stated that the holder Of the check
was not young MT. Elkins.
The man went away in a huff upon hear
ing this, and was later arrested at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel and taken to the police
himself. stating that he was born in Brazil,
graduated from Annapolis in 1897 and was
dismissed from the navy in 1902.
The man under arrest became ill at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel and was attended by
a physician. who was himself a graduate
of the Naval Academy, but who, it is
stated. did not recognize a former class
mate in the sick man.
Was Club Man.
AT one time Alfred c. Owen was a MEM
Der Of the Metropolitan Club and the Army
and Navy Club, both of this city, his mem
bership having iapsed about two years ago.
A prominent member of the club was seen
this afternoon. who said, in response to an
inquiry as to whether the man arrested in
New York was thought to be former Lieut..
Owen. that nothing was known of Owen 8
whereabouts by the club members.
He said the meager description of the ar
rested man. given by the New York news
papers. Tailed with his own recollections of
Owen. but that there was nothing else to
make 1t seem probable that the two were
the same They might and they might not
be.
mer member of the Metropolitan Club, was
the grandson of Rear Admiral Queen, u S.
NJ, and the son of DR.. Owen, surgeon In
the navy. who died of the fever several
years ago in the Dry Tortugas. The mem
Der said his son was on intimate terms with
Alfred c. Owen, during his residence in this
city. but after he left. about two years ago
he lost track of him. He added that he
met him in few months later in New York
City while the Massachusetts was lying
off Tompkinsvlle.
At that time, he said, he had been told
that Owen was greatly overdrawing his
account at the Riggs National Bank in
Washington and that he was also in debt
to naval officers on the Massa chusetts
The member of the Metropolitan Club re-
ferred to said further he had read of his
court-martial in the newspapers and since
then had heard nothing more of him.