The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-08-10
Another PittSburger in
the UnenViable Lime
light of Court.
REPORTERS HIS FRIENDS
George B. Rafferty, Lands in
Prison for Passing Worth
less Checks.

Free as the air he breathed and re
/ heved of a great strain. George y.
/ Rafferty,, friend OF Harry Kendall Thavi
/ and son OF Gilbert T. Rafferty,. ST.. the
coke king OF PIttshurg. Pa. who is
| being sIed by Georges wife for $500 O0l
for alternating Georges affections. walked
! out Of District Attorney Bakers office
| IN the Police COgTt building today with
! several Washington newspaper men. who
! made good the si5 which he was ac-
! cused OF having obtained by means Of
! worthless checks.
Rafferty, is a tail. good looking young
| man, but this morning his eyes were
/ swollen, there was an expression Of
/ pain about his mouth, and ne was badly
| IN need OF a shave. His clothing was
! somewhat disheveled and he looked
/ much the worse for wear and tear dur
/ Ing his spree IN this city.
In a Dungeon Cell.
/ Rafferty, spent the night at the Sew
/ enth Precinct Station. At 7:45 O'Clock
/ this morning he climbed into the var
I with a score OF cOlorcd men and women
and rode 20 the Police Court. Shortly
after be was placed In a wire pen he
I ~
Of black coffee which he devoured with
a relish.
few moments after he had partaken
Of the scanty repast ne was ushered into
District Attorney Bakers office. There
he was confronted by A. c. Appler and
Joseph WaddelI. Of Georgetown. upon
whom lie is said to have admitted that
he passed worthless checks for SO and
s.. respectively. Neither Mr. Baker nor
his assistant, Hugh Taggart, had nIed
q warrant or Information against Raf-
forty.
Visiting Fort Myer.
The two Georgetown merchants stated
20 Mr.. Baker that Rafferty,, who had
I been spending "a week at Fort Mver with
chum, who is a member Of Troop c.
Of the Thirteenth Cavalry, bought a
number of articles from them. and ten
dered checks IN payment therefor. The
drafts were drawn on a national bank
IN Plttsburg. where Rafferty, At one time
had an account. The Georgetown mer-
chants sent the checks on for collection
and they were returned marked IN. @.
Rafferty, was taken into custody By Pre-
cinct Detective FurT. He made a clean
breast OF the entire affair, and attribut-
ed all his troubles 10 Jag water" He
said he had run out Of spending money
while in the city. but went into the Two
stores ia Georgetown and purchased
what he wanted and giving checks. be-
cause he intended telegraphiug 10 his
father, and ask him 10 deposit the
money IN PiutsburE. Pa. so that lie
checks would be hOnOred
Inls morning the Georgetown .ien
were not soEcitous of pushing the case,
and il would not have matJered much
I they had desired 10 prosecute II with
yigQr because the matter rested en-
ureiy with Mr.. Baker They stated
that they merely wanted the amounts
called for on the checks, and IL that was
made good they would step down and
out Ar. Baker stated tha. so faT as
the Government knew, the checks were
good, and i'm order 70 establish the con-
traTy IL would be necessary 10 summon
several persons from Pittsburg at the
government expense.
Merchants Were Paid.
After the merchants were paid the
money which they lost by the checks
they turned the drafts over to Rafferty,
who tore them into small bits and
tossed them into a waste basket. He
thanked the District Attorney and mer-
chants and left the courthouse
Immediately after leaving the court
house. Rafferty, went to telegraph Of
ther who is summering at Thousand Is
lands. The young man stated in the dis
patch that he had been gotten out of
prison by friends, He requested his ia
tler 10 send him the WhereWithal TO
quit Washington and remained in the
telegraph office until the reply came
from his parents. The latter informed
the son that the money would reach him
this evening.
Last night oliver Rafferty,, Georges
brother. telegraphed this message. "Am
sorry you are in trouble. Father wants
10 know more about it before he will do
anything"
II is believed that Oliver will reach
Washington this evening and the two
Will leave the city together
While in his cell at the Seventh pre-
clnct last night, Rafferty, said he had
been a lifelong friend of Harry X ThaW
and lived near him In Pittsburg. He
added that he and Oliver were in New
YORK city several days ago and waited
70 visit Thaw in the Tombs. but tcey
were afraid the newspaper reportGi s
would write them up.
Young Rafferty, Will make a good wit
ness Tor his father when the suit for
S500,UD damages filed by Mrs George b
Rafferty, Is heard. She alleges that the
coke king was responsible for the
young man love growing cold. The
son denied this emphaticaily last night
He sa 81 he left his wife Of his own free
win and accord because he could not
live with her Rafferty, added that she
had been in the same city with him for
several years, but he had not spoken
to her since 1901.
Rafferty, says he and his father are on !
good terms, but he admitted that he
did not get a fabulous amount Of money
from his parent, although the latter IS
worth upward of $50 100000.
Rafferty, tried hard TO keep the story !
OF his arrest from the press because OF
what his father would say. When he
found he could not do this he told the D
eFn : hannapaT
T. pnItirnnra and Pat,,rn