The Washington herald., 1906-10-21

New York, Oct. 20.-Arthur c. Babbitt.
who described himself as a consulting
engineer, was arrested at the Hotel Ma
varre tonight, charged with ut1ering a
number Of forged checks on Capt. WI
liam H Wheeler. a retired army officer,
Of Sc West Fifty-hrst street Police IN
spectoF Mclaughlin, who arrested Bah
bltt at the instance Of the PinkeFtons and
the officials Of the Mutual Bank. at
Broadway and Thirty-third street. said
that Babbitt's forgeries viii total nearly
$4,000.
Inspector Mclaughlin saic that Bab-
bits bogus checks might have kept on
going into the Mutual Bank for some
time If he hadn't neglected 20 find out
just how much money Capt. Wheeler had
In the bank. The swindle was discovered
wher Babbitt, who had gone TO Phila-
delphia with a party Of friends in an
automobile for few days lark early
this week, sent a forged check for $500
TO the Second National Bank, 100 Fifth
avenue, with which Babbitt opened an
account last spring, when the police say
he started mis- wholesale system Of for
geries.
The Second National sent this check to
the Mutual and when the cashier of
that concern. Hugh n. Kirkland, came
to look into Capt. WheeIer's account, he
found that there was only 81 200 left.
Become Suspicious Too Late.
The Mutual officials then became sus-
picious Of al the checks that had COM.
to them from the Second National, and
when they found that Capt. wheeler's
account had been rapidly vanishing since
I last March through the same channel,
/ they notified their lawyers Stern & Rush.
more. Of 20 Wall street
Eldon Bjsbee, member Of the firm. went
to work upon the case. He learned that
+ Babbitt had opened an account with the
Second National IN March By dep0siting
"A check for $500. which was drawn on
+ the Mutual payable TO himself and had
the alleged signature o. William n.
+ Wheeler When the check was sent TO
the Mutual it was paid without question.
and, according 70 the police, Babbitt then
nE bolder, began spending money
+ Aeely. and issuing bogus checks for big
sums on Capt Wheelers account when
ever his funds ran low.
The lawyer Immediately called in ths
4 PinkeTtons. They traced Babbitt and =
r1DfHf.
Philadelphia where they had gone 10
see the Corbett-McGovern fight, which
took place Thursday night The detec-
tiyes reported 10 MT- BiSbee that Bah
b!tt and his friends were coming back
10 New York to-day Inspector Nc
Laughlin was informed Of the whole case
this afternoon, and learning that Bah
bitt had been staying at the Hotel Ma
/ varre since last June. went there looking
for him tonight with Detective Sergeant
Lyons.
Not Surprised at Arrest
/ Babbitt didn't seem much surprised
at his arrest, the inspector said. I
guess the jig's up.aH right" the inspector
/ says Babbitt told him I felt little
/ bit squamish when I sent in that last
$500 check and heard that Wheeler only
had $500 left. I've had a good time with
the money while it lasted, so there IS no
use worrying about il"
After Babbitt had been taken to police
/ headquarters. where he was locked UP, he
/ confessed, Inspector Mclaughlin said,
that he had drawn nearly $4,000 Of Capt
1 Wheeler's money. He said he had spent
all he wanted to and had cost the rest IN
/ Wall street and at the race tracks. He
said he had balance Of S145 in the
/ h
when he was searched.
! Capt. Wheeler. who is said to have
other bank accounts thar the one wiped
eat. had been in Europe since last fall
and returned to-day on the Amerika,
! from Hamburg. He was met at the pier
1 by representatives Of the bank and was
made acquainted with Babbitt's actions.
He was stunned when he realized the full
amount of his loss. Capt. Wheeler did
not go to his home tonight and could
not be located.
Mother Lives in Chicago
Inspector Mclaughlin said Babbitt was
a native of Chicago, where he has a
mother living. He met Capt. Wheelers
niece there. and was married in that city.
The Inspector was given to understand
that Mrs Babbitt left her husband some
time ago.
"Babbitt had forged checks on Capt.
/ Wheeler before, and was forgiven. said
| the inspector Il know of one instance
where ne got $500 in this way. He was
still living with his wife, and on her ac-
count Capt Wheeler forgave him. I IN
derstand that Babbitt became very hard
up this spring and forged "a check on
Capt. Wheeler for $3.50. which was cashed
/ by Charles G. Gates & Co. He got this 80
easily that ne opened the account at the
Second National Bank and started out to
/ lead a gay life entirely upon the strength
/ of Capt. Wheeler's bank account"
/ While Babbitt said that his business vas
that of a consulting engineer, he could
not speak of any firms in this city he had
worked for. He worked for a time last
winter when the building strike was on.