The Washington times., 1903-07-07
BAD CHECKS CASHED
BY CLERK OF HOTEL
Swindler Passed as Lieutenant w.
E. Murray"

Another fraud has been disclosed b.
the sudden flight of a Raleigh Hotel
guest, who while stopping there posed as
Lieut.. w. <. Murray. of the United
States Artillery" Using the prestige of
his assumed position as a barrier against
suspicion the missing guest passed two
bogus. checks on the management OF
the hotel, and then disappeared before
the worthless paper was presented for
payment at the local bank on which it
had been drawn. The operations of the
alleged swindler were not discovered
until yesterday owing to the fact that
business at the bank was suspended
over the Fourth of July and Sunday.
Immediately after the disappearance
of the sharper had been ascertained in
quiries were made at the War Depart
ment as to the existence of lieutenant
of the name given by the guest at the
hotel.
Real Lieutenant at New York.
A search of the records revealed that
the rightful owner of the name is sta
toned at Fort Constitution, New York
Harbor. That he has not been in Wash
ington recently is shown by the fact that
his name does not appear on the list Of
visiting officers. Moreover, a picture
OF the real lieutenant is convincing
proof that he was not the guest of the
Raleigh.
On Friday afternoon last tall broad
shouldered young man, attired in the
uniform Of a second lieutenant, walked
into the Office of the Raleigh and regis
tered simply as wv E. Murray. U. s. A.
New Hampshire"
Il expect to remain here several days,
he said, in explanation TO the clerk. He
was then assigned to a room.
On the following afternoon the young
man strolled up to the cashiers desk
Gould you accommodate me by cash
ing a small check?' he asked.
The request was granted at once. No
one questioned his identity. In fact
there was no reason why the suspicious
Of the cashier should have been aroused.
The guest wore the uniform of the regu-
lar army. and his bearing and manner
seemed to correspond to the assumed
title. Again on Sunday he had another
check cashed. tine total reaching s75.
Guest Was Reticent.
While stopping at the hotel the youth
full swindler had little to say to anyone
about the place, except on Friday night,
the clerks in the Office Even then he
did not give any information about him
self
All Of Sunday evening Lieutenant
Murray" remained away from the hotel.
While his absence was noticed by the
employees of the place. no Importance
was attached 10 It. He failed to ap-
pear the next morning, however. and the
management decided TO make a quiet
vestigation.
The room of the missing guest was
entered. A careful search was made.
but nothing was found save the uniform.
In one Of the pockets OF the coat The
name of q Chicago tailor was stamped
on a linen tag. which also bore The
name of Lieutenant Caproni, Chicago" "
No Lieutenant Caproni.
Following out the clue furnished by
these names the police. who had been
informed OF the affair, called at the War
Department and made inquiries con-
cerning Lieutenant Caproni." No such
name appeared on the official register
of officers.
The clever swindler has succeeded in
Z cox-priny I'm hie trackc aud not III
slightest clue TO his whereal outs ran be
found. His method of operating is con-
sidered one Of the most clever ever
brought to the attention OF the police.