Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-18
ON SERIOUS CHARGE
JOSEPH SMoOT ACCUSED OF
FALSE PRETENsEs.
Allegation Made by Local Publisher
and Warrant Issued for Young
Mans Arrest.

Joseph Smoot,s or Joe Smoot, as he is
famiiiarly known about the city. is wanted
by the police to answer a charge of false
pretenses. writ for his arrest being III
possession of Detectives Muller and Corn
well. The accusation against him Is that
ne obtained $50 from the publisher of
Spase's program, upon the allegation made
tfat his mother was i'll. 1t is further
charged that Smoot obtained a $40 note
from the publisher in addition to the
amount mentioned in the warrant.
The detectives have learned enough to
induce the belief that Smoot has gone to
ST Louis and the police of that city will
be asked to apprehend him. smoot, as his
most of friends are well aware, was good
dresser. A rain coat of the latest pat
ter and an English derby completed his
outht His appearance and manner made
MIN an ideal solicitor, and when he applied
10 the publisher for a position the latter
was Well pleased with him. He felt GER
tam that business would increase should
Smoot take hold of the work. There was
no vacancy on the staff, but Smoot, 1t is
SAID, was put at work on a probation of
Two weeks. He was to receive salary of
sio week, with promise of increases
should his work justify it,
Request for an Advance.
His work the first week amounted to
practically nothing, it is said. but he re-
ceived his salary, and it was not long
afterward that he requested that his salary
for the next week be advanced His mother
was i'll in Baltimore, he is alleged to have
told the publisher, and the money was
handed over. The next request was for
the advance of pay for two weeks This
Time, 1t is charged, Smoot said trained
nurse was necessary for his mother, and he
also had to purchase medicines. Instead
OF being given be El0 mil hor bop da1
MN check for S15, which he got cashed
at New York avenue saloon. Smoot fail
Ell TO return to the Office from his supposed
Baltimore trip Monday, but his absence
caused no alarm. Even the next morning
no attention was paid to his absence. When
q man from the Chesapeake and Potomac
Ieiephone Company, where Smoot had for
meriy worked, applied for the latter's po-
sftlon as solicitor on the theatrical publ
cation the publisher became suspicious that
there was something wrong, and started
an investigation. Smoot, the applicant
SAID told him he was going to start for
the Philippines that night.
Detective Office Advised.
Captain Boardman was consulted and the
War Department officials were asked If
Smoot had been appointed to position in
the Philippine service. The records. 1t is
stated, showed that no person named Smoot
had received such an appointment Then
the movements of the young man were
further investigated, and it was learned
that he had said he was going to St Louis.
where he has friends He had boarded at
a house on Park street, Mount Pleasant,
and the publisher was told that he had
slept there the nights he had said he spent
in Baltimore. Even after he procured the
warrant the publisher had the detectives
walt while before they made an effort to
serve 1t, as he hoped Smoot would return
and convince him that there had been a.
mistake. Smeot did not return and now
the detectives are anxious to locate him.
Inc publisher ascertained that the young
man took his trunk from the Park street
house, saying he was going to ST. Louis
1t was stated there that his mother is not
a resident of Baltimore