The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-28
MASQUERADES As
SPRECKELS SCION
c. ]. DroSSner Under Arrest
After Passing Checks With
Substantial Signature.
TELLS PLAUSIBLE STORY
SAWS HE is WELL CONNECTED
AND MATER MAY BE SETTLED.

c. J. Drossner. the young man who
has vict mixed a number of Salt Lake
people by means of bogus checks, hav-
ing assumed the name and identity OF
Claus Spreckeis. jr., son of the Cali
fornia sugar king. was arrested at the
Y. NJ. G. A. building early last evening
by Lieutenant Hempel and placed in
the city Jail.
DrOssner admits that he has cashed
the bogus checks. but asserts that he
is perfectly willing and able to make
them good and to that end has tele-
graphed TO his uncle. Max BlaskOwer,
of IL Van Ness avenue, San Francis
co. in an endeavOr TO locate his mother,
who is travelling. Drossner's father,
L. J. DrOsSner died in 1900. and since
that time the mother has been travel
ing almost continually. She is now be-
lieved to be in New Orleans, and i'm
mediately on receipt of a reply from
the uncle in san Francisco she will be
notified of her sons plight
Chief of Police Barlow has interested
himself in the case TO the extent of en-
deavOTing to locate the young mans
relatives, in the hope that the matter
may be adjusted in some manner. He
has not the appearance of the crimi-
nal" said Chief Barlow. after talking
To the prisoner. and unless 1t is
proved that he has a record, | shall
feel disposed to help him to settle the
matter"
DrossneT spoke freely of his past life,
telling of the butterfly existence that
has so far been his. He asserts that
he has resided for long spaces of time
in the Orient. and has but recently
completed a tour around the world. In
verifCatiOn of a portion Of this 1t was
Z tneeHa 70
gistered March %, that he called one
of the japanese employees recently and
asked for the location of another Jap
anese, one HashimOtO. a contractor
using the purest of classical japanese
in making the query. He is also as
serted to speak Chinese fiuently, and
the police are inclined to believe that
he is telling q straight story.
Cash Fades Away.
Il left San Francisco a month ago"
Drossner said in telling of his recent
experiences. and went TO Los Angeles.
] had about $3.50 at the time, but that
did not last long in little old Los An
geles, when things got moving freely.
] was at the depot in Los Angeles on
the morning of the END, and heard a
call boy trying to locate Claus Spreck-
els. jr., to effect delivery OF tele-
gram. I cannot say now what in
nuenced me. unless it was my desire
TO get away from that city before II
became apparent to my acquaintance
that ] was out of funds. Whatever II
was. the idea came to me to accept the
message, thereby providing myself
with a sort of identification.
i took the telegram and boarded
the train and succeeded in securing So
from DINING Car Conductor J. J. Hill
Yer. telling him that 7 was huTryIng 10
salt Lake CITY. where my mother was
dangerously i'll. / registered at the
Enutsford. and as Claus SpreckelS, j.,
had no trouble in securing what funds
7 needed. I am sorry for what l have
done. but the hardest part Is that l
will have to face my mother and uncle
and admit my wrOngdOing.'
A check for So issued to Fat Schu-
Ter of the Log Cabin saloon was set
tied nv a travelling man. A L. Fisher.
after a visit to the station Friday
night. when DTossner appeared and
admitted the use of the name of young
SpreckeIs. but said it was Just for
fun" He was released by Lieutenant
HempeI
Drossner. who claims TO be but ~
wears of age, looks to be 4 few years
older. He dresses in the latest fashion,
wears diminutive sideburns and
glasses. and has the appearance or
weIl-to-tIo college boy. 1t IS belleVed
bv the police that his relatives VIII
settle the matter and that no formal
charges will be made He is at pres
ent held at the city jail on suspicion
without any charge being placed
against his name on the police biotter'