Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-14
Fools Chauffeur Out of $35 for
Automobile Ride.
POLICE SEE NO CAUSE TO ACT
Young Man Takes Daughter of One
Of His Dupes to Dinner at Hotel
and Disappears.

Representing himself as Thomas F.
Ryan. jr. son of the multi-m'llionairc,
a well dressed young man spent several
| days in this city recently. He lived we'll,
went the pace INDUCED in champagne and
automobile rides and gave worthless
checks
| 1t happens that there is no Thomas F.
Ryan. jr., who is a son of the Virginia
magnate. Two bear the name In the
Ryan family, both his grandchildren, one
five and the other nine years of age.
Those victimized by the impostor and
who accepted his bad checks knew but
little Of the Ryan family. 1t was too late
when they realized they had probably
! been duped But they have not asked the
police to help.
| The--young man first registered at a
| hotel in Pennsylvania avenue as Ross c.
| Wellsford, but d d not succeed in getting
! free entertainment there. AS he had no
! baggage the clerk insisted OH pay in adj
vance.
| The guest did not enjoy the demand. but
, finally paid cash. He remained there only
| one night.
He hired automobiles he made himself
| popular by taking several young ladies
out riding. Friday night he went to Rock
| Spring Club, a roadhouse on the Cabin
| John road. accompanied in an automobile
| by stylishly dressed woman. She did
not remain long, returning to the city
without him.
| and told of the wealth Of his dad" J.
| l.. Schmitz. proprietor of the club. was.
for the time convinced of his financial
standing. Schmitz became suspicious
| later and wanted the account squared up
Chauffeur After His Pay.
BENJAMIN F. Rider. chauffeur for the
Federal Taxicab Company. also became
suspicious. The young man owed him
SIS for the trip to Rock Spring. When the
money was not forthcoming the chauffeur
insisted that his fare accompany him
to the Office of the company
Saturday last. the morning after the
trip to Rock Spring. the chauffeur went
back to the roadhouse. He took Thomas
F.. Ryan, jr.,' to the garage OF his en-
ployers.
"Send for DR.. W. P Carr" sad the
D.. Carr responded to the call and saw
the youth. He had seen him upon
prior occasion when he had called at the
physicians Office 141S l. street. and intro
duced himself. The physician, however.
could not be induced to vouch for him.
He knew nothing of him but what the
! young man had told him and so stated.
A request for the loan of 800 was
promptly refused. When DR.: Carr left
| the g rage at 18th street and Ohio avenue
his prisoner we're having an exciting
time.
Dispatches were sent to New York at
the request of the stranger. No money
came in response: Yet: although mere
had. been no settlement of the taxicab
bill, the young man was permitted to de-
part
Schmitz took the stranger back to Rock
Spring Saturday night. The young man
/ was again able to talk Schmitz out OF the
that no commence man.
| Sunday morning the stranger got up and
enjoyed a stroll about the country. The
Schmitz family was now so favorably I'M
pressed with him that MISS Scninitz ac-
| companied him.
That afternoon. so the story goes. Miss
| Schmitz accepted an invitation from the
stranger to take a car ride to the city
| and have dinner at motel. ABOUT the
| time the meal was finished he asked that
| he be excused for a few minutes. He
did not return.
Police See No Cause to Act.
BENJAMIN T.. Dakin, superintendent OF
| the shops at the garage of the Federal
Taxicab Company, called upon Inspector
| Boardman Sunday morning and told him
! the man. was at Rock Spring. His state
ment contained nothing to show vio-
lation of law in this city. Inspector Board
| man said this morning, and no action
was taken.
1t was simply mater OF man pc
| ing trusted and not paying his bills" In
| spector Boardman stated.
| The alleged impOstor was introduced
| here by feminine friends as the son or
nephew of the millionaire. The statement
| was made to one friend that he was gen.
| eral manager of a New York laundry.
and that he had invested much money in
the business.
Checks for small sums were given as
tips by the Man who lived the pace for a
while No OAp who accented checks
| from hin, has complained to the police
Until there is complaint. Inspector
! Boardman said this afternoon, no effort
will be made to arrest him.
| Mrs. Thomas r. Ryan is in the city.
| Mrs. Ryan knows nothing OF the young
man. She suggests that the victims are
| the ones who should worry about him.