Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-20
cox RESTING IN JAIL
Period Put to a Spectacular
Career of Crime.
HAS CONFESSED FORGERY
Once Known as 1.-The Best Spender'
in Philadelphia.
SOME OF HIS PAST HISTORY
Apologies Good-Naturedly to De-
teciive He Almost Knocked
Out When Arrested.
SOME OF HIS PAST HISTORY

PHILADELPHIA. February 2o.-Accus-
toned to the luxurious apartments OF
the most fashionable hotels in the princi-
pal cities in this country and Europe
Lewis S. Cox insurance broker, known
Familiarity as Dandy Lew is languish-
ing now in a cell In the Bucks county Jail
at DoyIestown. awaiting trial on the
charge of forging the names of promi-
nent business men In this city to obtain
upward of $4,000.
He was sent there yesterday by JUS
tice of the Peace Willis Wall. after a
preliminary hearing in Central station.
and had been remanded by Magistrate
Beaton to the custody of the Bucks coun-
~ authorities in default of $4,000 bail.
Saturday of next week was fixed for
he date for a hearing on the specinc
charge of forging the name of Joseph
III. Bromley. the tex tile manufacturer. to
a note for S12144. which was discounted
by the QuakertOwn National Bank after
the signature of its president. DR.. Joseph
Thomas. had gone surety for It,
This. however, will not be the only
charge against Cox. since it is known
that the estate of DR.. Thomas will have
to make good between 10000 and $4,000
which Cox is alleged to have obtained
through forged notes. These notes bore
the signatures of merchants in this city
for large Sums. They were declared by
the prisoner to represent advance pre-
Tniums on insurance policies which, it
develops. are myths.
Makes Partial Confession.
Names of several Philadelphia banks
have been mentioned as holding forged
paper presented by Cox with the indorse-
ment of DR.. Thomas. but Cox, in a par
tial confession, denied the assertion and
declared that all of the irregular paper
is held by the Quakertown National Bank.
He declined to say how much this amount
ed TO, and would admit only the existence
of the fraudulent Bromley note.
No one will suffer but the Thomas es-
tate he said. I'm sorry for his heirs.
since the doctor was bully good fellow
and one of the shrewdest tinanciers l ever
knew. | am glad. however, that he died
without knowing anything of the unfor-
tunate affair."
Byron Thomas admitted that his estate
viii be the only sufferer. and that the
OF them which were Endorsed by. his
father. The police do not believe there
are any which did not carry tins lndorse-
mept, although they are looking into a
for forgery. Captain of Detectives DOna-
ghy telegraphed to that city last night
in an effort to verify the rumor, but he
has not yet received a reply.
ASKED what power. IL any. the uappeT
Cox had over the old doctor, Byron Thorn
AS declared that there was nothing mys-
FERROUS about the affair. since Cox married
a relative of Mrs. Thomas and that what
ever business transactions occurred be-
tween them were the result Of personal
feelings and a desire to help relative"
: KnownS always is a good sport" Cox
was game to the end. A night spent
in a city hall cell, however, changed
somewhat the air of bravado which he
showed soon after being placed under ar
rest. when he attempted to commit suicide
by shooting himself in his Office in the
ing yesterday he apologized to Detectives
Duey and Tucker, who arrested him. for
trying to resist arrest, and thanked them
for saving his life.
NO hard feelings. / hope" he shouted
as the detectives left his cell.
Friends Are Shocked.
Among longtime chums of Cox. the pre-
dicament into which he has enmeshed
himself proved a great shock and sur
prise. His sensational arrest on the charge
of forgery was the subject for regretful
comment~by all of the older men-about-
town yesterday wherever they gathered.
Particularly was this true among the older
habitues of the Belevue-Stratford, ST.
James and Stenton Hotels, at one or the
other Of which Cox lived during the last
half dozen years when not in Europe.
That some serious trouble hung over him.
however has not been unObserved by hts
friends since his return from Europe
cary last fall
Stories of CoX's proflgacy, his mania
for high life. fine clothes. ep.curean tastes
and fondness for women were told yester-
day wherever his friends and associates
gathered
LAS a young fellow" one man said.
Cox was the best-groomed and best
spender in his set. Fastidious in the eX-
IRENE. his clothes and his manner of liv-
ing set d pace in Philadelphia during the
early tbs. When he moved his original
manufacturing establishment from Alter
mailer street to Sth and Dauphn streets.
and later cast a spell over William NJ.
Singcr!y. inducing him to inGOrse notes for
mammoth sums. CoX's tastes ran riot.
Not shaken i'm the least by his sudden
reverse. Cox has continued to maintain
q luxurious mode of living. Mrs. Cox
and her daughters have resided most OF
the time in Europe. while Cox himself d.
vided his time between Philadelphia and
Paris always living at the highest-priced
hotels. A fact commented on yesterday
was that no word to their father came
from daughter, Mrs. DIR. Reed. living IN
Germantown, Lieut.. Cox, l.. >. N.
stationed at Brooklyn. George Cox. an
elder son. who Is said to- have married a
wealthy Newark woman. is in Europe.
GDNYYNn