The Washington times., 1907-10-12
ARMY OFFICER
IS CAUGHT BY
COL. HATFIELD
Alleged Attempt to Raise
900 on Bogus Vouch-
er Frustrated.
Lefort in Jail in New
York Through Efforts
of Fort Myer Officer,

To Col. Charles a. P. Hatfield. COM
mandant OF Fort liver, credit is given
for the discovery Of the alleged forging
Of pay accounts by Lieut.. Allan Lefort.
Of the Coast Artillery. who was arrested
yesterday in New York II was the
combined efforts OF Colonel Hatfield and
Major Sylvester that resulted In the
arrest.
On last Monday Colonel Hatfield
turned over to Major Sylvester a special
delivery letter which had been addressed
by l.. Snverman, a New York broker,
to "Col. c. A. p Hatfield, care Hotel
st. James. Washington" This letter
was finally turned over by the war
Department to Colonel Hatfield. at Fort
Myer. 1t contained a check for more
than $1,000. superintendent Sylvester
sent Detective Evans TO New York and
he found that some unknown individual
had used Hatnelds name. although he
did not sign it as the colonel usually
does.
Frightened Away.
This unknown person had asked that
the advance on Fay vouchers be sent
TO HIM at the St James. These pay
vouchers were forged Mr.. Silverman
sent WORD that he would be here, and
bring the check. This evidently caused
the solicitor Of the favor to leave the
city. and when SilveIman mailed the
check instead 1t fell into the hands of
The real Colonel Hatfield. To what eX-
tent the unknown mall carried on tlils
scheme by using the names Of army o.
nccrs IS not kaowu, but this mOIniu1 &;
Major Sylvester called In Paymaster
General Smuen, OF the United states
Army. and 4 long conference was nCld.
No Individual pay could be affected
would cash any such checks would be
the losers.
The arrests In New York followed
immed lately upon the action taken here
AMI further investigation of the mat
ter by the paymaster seLcral is eA-
pected 70 bring even more Interesting
developments II is stated at Police
Headquarters that while the person In
New York has not been identified as
the one who put forth the forgery in the
case of Colonel Hatfield, lhC real person
who did operate al the Washington end
with l. 5. SiivermCu, VIII DC discov-
cred before the case is closed
Dealt With Wheeling Firm.
Lieut.. Lefort is said to have tried
to work this alleged scheme on Norton
&. Co., Of Wheeling, who make a spe-
cialty Of lending tc army officers. Le-
forts first loan is alleged TO have been
negotiated in September, when ne ap-
piled for 1850 on FIVE notes for 500
apiece. signed By Lieut.. Col. h. T.
dodge" Of the Engineer Corps. now in
Panama The notcS were indcrsed by
William L. Marshall. Colonel of En-
gincers,' and y. Jeryey. Major of En-
giheers. The Officers deny all kncwl-
edge Of the notes. Hodge" gave the
Grand Union Hotel Is his address.
The bank received ABOUT The same
tine another application purI Orting 10
be from Major Marsh, Offering Col
oncl Hatfield, Of Fort Myer," as in
dorser, and asking that $1,yJ0 be sent
Linn payable at the American Exchange
National Bank, New YORK This was
followed by an application puTporting
TO be from G. p. White. OF the Sixth
Cavalry, now in the Philippines, for
$3.50. The suspicion Of the bank was
aroused and detectives were put TO work
Decoy letters were mailed to Hodges
al the address given, and when he
called for his mail detectives pounced
upon him.
With the exception of Colonels Hatfield
and Marshall. all the officers whose
names were forged are stationed some
distance from the scene Of the bor-
rOver's operations.
The officers whose names agree with
those furnished by the bankers and the
authorities, are stationed as follows
Lieutenant Colonel Hodges. Panama;
/ Col. William L. Marshall, New York:
( Mai II. Jervey. Mobile; Maj. Fred
( Mdrsl Fort Mott, n. J.; Col. {. a. r.
/ Hatfirid. Fort Myer Va; Can't. G.. F.
( White. the Philippines.
LefOft has been stationed with the ar
| tiilery al Fort Siocum, New York, and
| is now on sick leave.
! Lieutenant Lefort was a volunteer ir
i the Spanish war. after which he was
/ appoirts., as a second lieutenant In the
army, from the District, at large, by
! Presiden. Mckinley. He recently was
stationed in Cuba.