Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-28
SW|ND!!ER IS CAUGHT
REPRESENTED Himself as Pen
sion Bureau Auditor.
VICTIMS IN MANY TOWNS
Boasts That He Made $50 to SIS
Daily by Scheme.
TAINTED THOSE WHO GAVE UP
Robert B. Otis, Son Of Prominent
Resident Of New Haven, Conn.
Had Many Aliases.

BUFFALO, N. T.. October 2s.-Robert
B. Otis, son Of a wealthy Connecticut fam
lily, has been arrested here on a charge OF
obtaining money under false pretenses.
He is said to have represented himself
as an auditor from the pension bureau in
Washington, and in this way to have Sc
cured large sums Of money from unsus-
pecting people.
Statement Of Otis Career.
The pension Office today gave out the
following statement about Otis case:
"A young man who states that his cor
rect name Is Robert Otis and that he is
from New Haven. Conn.,, has been ar
rested at Buffalo. N. Y, for obtaining
money under false pretenses by falsely
representing himself to be the auditor
of the bureau Of pensions.
Under the name Of Herbert M. Davis
the accused appeared at Bayonne, N. j.,
In June last. and by presenting a printed
card. purporttng to show that he was the
auditor of the pension bureau, to a lady
residing at that place, and by pretending
to be personal friend of friend of his
victim. and by representing that he had
failed to receive his salary check. and
that he and his wife were stranded in
New York. he obtained a sum of money
for the alleged purpose of defraying thhe
expenses of his return to Washington,
Tor the alleged purpose of defraying the
stating that he would promptly refund the
''On June "a 1908. under the assumed
name of Fred E. Stevens, he obtained
money from, gentleman residing at
Bayonne; on the 18th of June. under the
"a Hyfotfr
Paterson. N. j., and thereafter residents
OF Rutherford, Harrison and East Or
ange. N. j. On July Is he appeared at
Cambridge. Mass. and thereafter swim
died various persons at Cambridge. at
Braintree. Quincy and at Springfield,
Mass.
Heard Of in Many Places.
ION August 10 he returned to New Jer-
sey, and under the assumed name of Rob-
ert H. Butler victimized residents Of
Clifton and Bloomfield. His next appear
ance was at Rochester, N. Y, where he
obtained money under similar representa-
lions. He obtained various sums from
persons residing at Hampstead, L. l.; Pas
saic. ~ j.: West Brighton. L. l., and
The impostor next appeared at Sche-
nectady, N. Y. where he swindled a lady
out OF the sum Of $25, and also obtained
the sum of So from a lady residing in
Troy. He was next heard from at Mon
treal. Canada, where he is known to have
victimized three persons by pretending to
be an officer Of the government of the
United States.
His appearance at Montreal was coinci-
dent with the appearance of theatrical
troupe. 1t Is alleged that to his victims
In that city he represented his name to be
Robert j. Russell. while in registering at
the hotel he gave his name as Otis. The
company proceeded to Toronto, and on
october 10 he victimized a lady residing
IN that city by representing himself to be
temporarily stranded 10 be a citizen of
Richmond, Va, to be the auditor of the
pension bureau. and to be an acquaint-
ance of cousin of his victim, and there
upon negotiated an alleged loan Of $40.
Brags Of His Success.
The theatrical company was billed to
appear at a Buffalo theater for an en-
gagement commencing on Monday last.
The fmpostor was arrested in that city,
and is alleged to have boosted to the po-
lice that he had made from $50 to SIS
day by obtaining money in many towns
IN New Jersey. Massachusetts and New
york. and at Montreal and Toronto. Can
ada. by representing himself to be an
officer Of the United States government.
'One OF Otis victims, who resides at
Bloomfield. N. j., after willingly giving
up the sum of S. to Otis. received a pos
tai card. which reads as follows:
Come again. The pension office could
not catch Robert H. Butler. auditor. pen
sion bureau. Washington, O. c. Stung.
Flies! You know. Write me out west
'On the reverse of this card was the
statement: Ask Frelinghuysen il he met
me-
There Is An indictment now pending
against this man for offenses committed
In New Jersey. and warrant for his ar
rest has been issued out of the United
states district court at Boston. He Is
also wanted in the eastern, northern and
western judicial districts of New York
for offenses of a similar character"