The Washington times., 1907-04-06
Polished Briton Arrested for
Unpaid Hotel
Bill.
Had Cards in All Swell
Clubs, and Claimed
Noble Relatives.
Detectives of Many Hostel
ries Have Been Trailing
Him Around Metropolis.

NEW YORK, April s-Quck transit
tion was made yesterday in the life of
q man calling himself capt Alexander
Elphinston, OF the British army" who
went from clubs where he had cards
and from the houses Of persons social
Iy prominent TO q prison cell because
he could not pay hotel bill.
IN the proceedings in the west side
police court the complainant was E. NJ.
Jenness, proprietor of the Hotel Uni
S-ersIty, III West Forty-seventh street.
The amount he had vainly tried 10 coli
leet was $3.50.
Captain Elphinston" was remanded
for examination this afternoon, when 1t
is expected more complaints viii be
made against him, for detectives con-
nected with various hotels have been
searching for him for months
Cards for Good Clubs.
The prisoner has had cards for such
clubs as the Army and Navy, the LOtOs,
the Union League, and the Manhattan,
where he was received IN the most
cordial manner by the members. and
invited by many OF them 10 their homes.
influential men TO whom he WIS pre-
scented by an officer nov living in the
Hotel Manhattan became his sponsors
in the clubs. which at once assured his
social standing Ia Nov York.
"Elphinston," If that indeed be his
name, is easy and fluent Of speech He
is tall and athletic in build. although
slender. and in appearance Is a typical
well bred Englishman He is thirty
yeaFa old Some Of those who had aided
him in his social campaign and had lent
him money without security declared
they had made inquiries concerning his
account Of himself from the British con-
sui general, who had spoken In the
highest terms OF hir9.
Arrived Here a Year Ago.
captain Elphinston. as near as can
be aseertained. arrived in this country
first a year ago, but his social campaign
did not begin until late last December.
Hotel detectives say since that date he
must have lived regardless OF expense
and without it,
His cards at the various social clubs
nave now all expired. His. sponsor at
the Union League on February a last
was DR.. William Allen Bartlett, and the
card was countersgned by s. ". Fair
child. IL expired IN two weeks A r.
=. G0OdrIdge was his sponsor at the
IotOs and the house committee,
through George II. Daniels, stamped It's
approval.
At tire Manhattan CLUB he was intro
cuced by P +. Thompson. and p. +.
Mcdonald, Of the house committee, APP
proved, The military friend OF the cap
tain interceded in his behalf with Cen
erai Pierson, president of the Army and
Navy Club. by letter. and the general
without seeing the candidate issued a
card on his own responsibility.
Hotel Owners Know Name.
Hotel owners throughout the city are
generally acquainted with the name Ell
phlnston-" A man using that name was
in the Victoria last January. nut dis
appeared from the cafe one day JUST
before a detective called there. in
Dreathless haste. looking FOR him.
A balance due Of nearly soc is against
the name in the Caledonia. in West
TWenty-siXth street II is said there is
similar unpaid account in The Holland
House. where the man was received
cordially on account OF his prOfessed re-
lationship 10 Lord Elphinston. who has
several times patronized that hotel
Captain Elphlnston was held in $500
bail and late last night ne had not
furnished the necessary bond.