The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-13
YOUNG BOSTON|AN
IS TURNING tricks
He Leaves Wilson Hotel With
ont the FormaIity of Pay
ing His Bill.
SEVERAL ITALIANS ALSO
ON THE M0URNERS' BENCH
Poses as a Mining Man and Is
Described as a Smooth
Article.

A young Bostonian, claiming to bear
a name which is well known In that city.
and who bids fair to become famous in
this western country II he continues his
tactics, was a visitor to this city on Tues
day last. and before leaving town In
hurried but very quiet manner had sue
ceeded In lCecing the Wilson hotel out or
small sum of money and several ltahans
out OF 50 each. All told, so far as IL
known. the young man who gives the
name OF q. r. tannlngi left town about
$50 better off than wnen he arrived.
Tanning Is an especially slick individual,
He has posed In various places as one
thing ana another, from Il foreign count
10 a miner. and this last was the role
he attempted 70 portray in tnis city Ac-
cordlng to his say so. he Is not only
miner but a capitalist as well. AS mat
ter Of fact. tins same fanaing is as poor
as the proverblal Jobs turkey, ii he Is the
son OF the man be claims TO be, for his
father has long since disowned him. In
the city of Boston Tanning is wnat is
commonly known as a crook, and from
what can be gained of his actions in this
city and number of otner places, he is
living up TO his reputation IN splendid
style.
His latest game has not only been to
fleece hotels for his lodgings, but TO
search about for those more ignorant
than himself. and finding them. he pro-
ceeds TO hold out such wonderful induce
ments OF money TO be made, tnat they
money TO pay their car fales To the ''land
OF untold wealth." and then fall To ever
locate their supposed bencfactor again.
He always stops at the best hotels
dresses in the latest fashion. has one or
two companions OF whom he speaks as
my interpreters" poses as one thing or
another, and tells his victims 10 call upon
aim al motel at such and such a time.
When tey appear, he has always been
there just a snort time before, but has
ilown the coop.
Appears Tuesday Afternoon.
The imitation Of a miner arrived at the
Wilson Tuesday afternoon and engaged a
room. After a time he ordered change.
saying he wanted a room with bath, and
as he had some baggage he was not re-
quIred 10 pay In advance; and thereby
during the day and night, and made
friends with everybody with whom he
came In contact. He related how he had
struck 1t rich In the hills OF Nevada,
a goodly dividend. He was accompanied
by an Interpreter" and told how upon
his arrival where he had struck such
snap he had met an old man who was
down and out. Taking pity upon this in
dividual. he loaned him $500 with which
10 purchase bit of ground near his mine
to work. The old man went through the
money. while in a short time Tanning had
cleared something like $1,000. With this
he proposed TO enjoy himself. and was on
the lookout for men to work the mine un-
In this city he met several Italians. and
after relating what he wanted. and Sc
curing their agreement to go with him,
he collected So each for their train pas
sage. The men were instructed 10 call
upon him Wednesday afternoon at the
Dotel and to be In readiness TO accom-
pany him. According TO their instructions.
they called, bag and baggage. They
asked Tor Mr.. Tanning, but he was not
In his room, and has not been there since.
An investigation resulted in IT being found
that his baggage had disappeared as we'll
as his person. Where he went Is not
known, but II is plainly apparent that he
has gone for good and has succeeded in
covering up his tracks.
Is Smooth Talker.
Information has been received hero 10
The effect that q man answering Fanning's
description has heeced several hotels In
Ida ho, Nevada and Colorado. He is de-
scribed as about thirty-two years of age,
a little under medium height. dark COM
pleXion, smooth face, an exceedingly
smooth tallaer and has the appearance OF
being prosperous. No complaint has been
entered with the police against him by
the hotel, but two OF the Italians have
entered complaints, and Tanning Is being
looked for. He has been registering at
the various hotels under false names, and
not he really is the son OF the Boston
resident. He claimed, when he registered,
that his father was q prominent Boston
ian. and there Is prominent man there
OF the same name as that under which the
young man registered.
One foxy trick of Fnnning was to Sc
cure the signature of the Italians TO q
contract which does not expire until the
2lst OF this month. guaranteeing them
work. but In the opinion Of the police the
time was set far enough ahead To enable
him to place a safe distance between
himself and his victims.