Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-22
HIGH ROLLER ABROAD
o. B. HITCHCOCK WANTED FOR
ALLEGED FRAUD.
Had Check Cashed at local Hotel Last
Wednesday Which Proved to
Be Worthless.

: Capt Robert H. Boardman, chief of de-
fectives. was advised this morning that o.
B. Hitchcock. who is wanted an this city to
answer a charge of false pretenses grow
Ing out of check transaction at the New
Willard Wednesday morning. as stated in
The Star at the time, is also wanted by the
Pittsburg police authorities. The check
passed upon George NJ. King, a clerk at the
New Willard. was for S75. but, it is al
legged. the paper left behind at Pittsburg by
the young man represent about sl5O.OOO.
Had Hitchcock asked the clerk at the Ne"
Willard to cash check for $500 he would
have been accommodated just readily.
1t is said. as for the smaller amount. Two
months ago Hitchcock was a guest at the
hotel, having come here from Pittsburg
with a delegation to see Secretary Shaw
about site for post Office in the Smoky
city.
Hitchcock remained at the hotel about
two weeks at that time, paying his bills
by check and getting checks cashed for
other purposes. He wanted the best the
hotel afforded, being willing to pay without
questioning the correctness of the bills.
He actually lived like a prince re-
marked one of the hotel men. "and
credit was good for any amount"
Hitchcock drifted into the hotel Wednes-
day morning about $50 O'Clock and saw the
clerk. He had seen him many times be-
fore. and had esta blished such credit that
no reasonable request WOulQ nave Deen de-
MED him. His story to the clerk was that
he had reached the city Tuesday night and
that he had remained at the house Of a
friend. The cashing of a check for $75. he
to him, and he informed the clerk that he
would register at the hotel later in the
day.
Leaves With the Cash.
The check was cashed and Hitchcock left
the hotel. For some reason the clerk after
ward became suspicious of the transaction
and wired the Lincoln National Bank of
Pittsburg to ascertain If the maker of the
check had an account there. Upon receiv
ing a negative response the clerk sent for
Detectives Hartigan and Evans, and a war
rant for Hitchcocks arrest procured.
According to press dispatches from Pitts
burg, Hitchcock was born at Sisterville, w.
Va, twenty-eight years ago. He clerked
in a country store at $40 a week until he
went to Pittsburg, which was in the year
1904. The young man married and lived
happily in the West Virginia town on the
small salary, but change came after he
reached the Smoky city. Life in the coun
try town was rather slow for him and he
thought Pittsburg offered opportunities for
broadening and giving him opportunity
to earn fortune. Upon reaching the city
he entered the real estate Office Of s. w.
Black & Co, and asked to be given
chance to show what he could do in the real
estate line. By selling real estate on COM
mission, 1t Is said, he managed to earn
about $50, 900 for himself In his first six
months in the big city.
Becomes Prey Of Gamblers.
Having met with such success with the
company named he found 1t an easy mat
ter to procure more lucrative employment
with the firm Of Nicon Bros. This firm,
it is reported paid him salary of $4,000
a year, his commissions in two years
amounting to about s1OO.OOO Hitchcock used
his wealth lavishly, 1t is reported, and soon
fell victim Of gamblers Of New York. 1t
is related that upon one trip from Pitts
burg to New York he lost more than $40 600
His money disappeared and then, 1t is al
legged, he gave bad checks for large sums.
He found no trouble In getting his checks
cashed. Hundreds Of them had been previ-
ously accepted by business men and others
and they knew of no reason for rejecting
them. 1t was not until after his departure
that they became uneasy.
Reports from Pittsburg indicate that
Hitchcock had large sum of money with
him at the time he was in this city. A
description Of the young man was sent to
the several police stations with instructions
to arrest him. but the police are satisfied
that he did not remain here long after he
got the check cashed at the New Willard