Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-27
James B. Laughlin, a Prominent
Pittsburg Man, Taken For
a Burglar
HIS CHECK REFUSED FOR BOND
Officers Laughed at Him When He
Claimed to Be Himself and Thought
He Was an Impostor-In the Morn
Ing They Discovered Their Mistake
and Released Prisoner.

Pittsburg, Pa, April 21.--MlstaRefl
BY q policeman for a burglar, james Is.
Iaughlin. treasurer Of the Jones "
Laughlin Steel Company, the largest
steel concern In the world outside the
trust, club man. society man and worth
81. 1000, 900, was placed under arrest
shortly after midnight by Police
man Phillip Reinlinger and was taken
to No. a police station In patrol wag-
on, where he passed the night In
cellswith pickpocket on one side ana
a. common drunk on the other.
Attic he offered to write his per-
.onal check for any amount up to
s100 900 and post it as forfeit he was
told by a sergeant to explain 10 tile
Judge in the morning. Mr.. Laughllh
had spent last evening at the Duquesne
club and shortly after midnight start
ed home in his carriage. lie liVes
In a mansion at Center avenue ana
Negley street, surrounded oy seVerai
acres of ground. That his coachman
might get to bed he dismissed MN
when he reached point near the
stables and started to walk lew
stems down the street to the gate lead
ing to the house. Mr.. Laughlin had
gone but step when Relnlfngef APP
nr.oached and asked him where he was
going. Mr.. Laughlin was just walking
into his own grounds and told the man
that 1t was none of his business. klein
linger then announced that he was
policeman and told Laughlin that ne
was under arrest.
Appreciating his predicament MI.
Iaughlin invited the officer to come
to the house, wheee he would estapllsil
his identity. This the officer refused
to do. but instead dragged Mr.. Laugh
lin to the nearest patrol box, over
square away, where he rang for q
wagon. While they were waiting MI
Laughlin pleaded to the officer to ac-
company him across the street 10 u
doctors office, where he could be lden-
tilted. but this also was refused. Then
fhe wagon carne and he was hauled
10 the station house. The multimil-
lionaire explained matters to the SER
reant. but the latter insisted that was
an old story. Laughlin asked II ne
could deposit forfeit, and was told
that $50 cash would be required. He
searched himself and found that ne
had but SIG. He offered to write his
check, producing his personal check
book, but was laughed at by the SER
Eeant.. Every other effort to identify
himself having failed, Laughlin asked
permission to telephone his butler OF
his wife or Some Of his friends 10
bring the required amount OF casn.
He was refused permission to use the
telephone and was finally hustled back
into a cell.
mo attention was paid to me during
the remainder Of the night" said Mr..
Laughlin yesterday afternoon. There
was a little window in the cell and
thru it could look and see the Hotel
Schenley, only O. short distance away,
! where Mr.. Jones, our president, re-
sides, and was sleeping peacefully. The
place was fairly alive with cock
reaches and rats and killed hundreds
Of the vermil1 to keep them off.
"About o'clock I became desperate.
I kicked on the cell door until the
!. sergeant finally came. BY threats I
finally compelled him to notify my
wife. She deposited enough money to
secure my release"
The hearing was held before Magis-
trate Negley. Congressman James
Francis Burke, Mr.. Laughnn's attor-
ed the magistrate Of the identity of
ney, had been summoned and convinc-
ed the magistrate Of the identity of
the multimillionaire, who ordered his
Immediate release.
Mayor Hayes is personally invests
eating the outrage.