Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-12

Charles w. Stevens was arraigned
In the Third district court, Westerly.
before Clerk Edward j. Cundall, on the
charge of obtaining money under false
pretenses by worthless checks from
Col. Adolph l. Dick manager of the
New Watch Hill house. The checks
were for $4S.70 and 500 but he was
prosecuted for the lesser amount. He
pleaded guilty and, as the case is be-
yond the Jurisdiction of the district
court, he was held in $1,000 bonds for
trial before the superior court in
Kingston the third Monday in Septem-
Der. AS he could not furnish satisfac-
tory recognizance, he was committed
to the Kingston Jail, after his picture
was taken by local photographer.
The bogus checks were on the Fifth
Avenue bank, New York, and were re-
ceived and honored from the Industrial
Trust company of Westerly. endorsed
by Adolph |. Dick, and signed Chas. W.
Stevens. AS there is a New York ply.
stefan, Charles w. Stevens, with an
account at the bank, these were passed
unnoticed, but subsequently it was dis
covered that the signature was not that
of the Mr.. Stevens who was one of the
banks customers and an investigation
Immediately followed.
J. NJ. Fuller, principal of the Fuller
n.
thirty-five years has done the detec-
tive service for the Fifth Avenue bank.
was called into the case. Accompanied
by James c. Miller, one of the paying
tellers of the bank, he came to West
erly and had consultation with Chief
Bransfield. 1t was ascertained that
Stevens" had gone to Narragansett
Pier in an automobile and Chief Brans-
field Immediately requested Chief Has
well to arrest and hold Stevens"
which was done. Detective Fuller ad-
mitted that the prompt arrest of
Stevens was due to Chief Bransfield
and says that the local chief of police
is entitled to credit and is certainly an
efficient officer.
Stevens was brought to Westerly
and examined by Detective Fuller, who
had gained considerable advance in
formation concerning the young man.
~
The accused is Vaudeville Hall of So
West Ninth street, New York city, and
Is 26 years of age. He is five feet ten
inches in height, has brown hair of red
tinge. is smooth shaver and weighs 1876
pounds. His complexion is much tam
ned and his eyes are blue. He has the
general appearance of college grad
uate.
He registered at the New Watch Hill
house June 2S and represented himself
as a member of the American embassy
at Paris and soon became the lion of
the hotel. He became acquainted with
some of the ladies and worked himself
into popularity. He claimed to have
been Yale graduate and member of
the Yale club of New York. All of
which is untrue, although in 1900 1901
he attended Sheffield Scientific school.
He married an actress, Florence Teal
and she brought action for divorce
April 10, 1909, before Judge Truax and
final decree was granted July 2, 1909.
Viola Whittemore, now in Mexico. was
named as correspondent. He had been
arrested for bigamous marriage in 1908
but this charge was not proven.
Hall had hidden the copy of the di-
vorce decree between the mattresses IN
the room he occupied at the New
Watch Hill house. 1t was found by a
chambermaid and delivered to Detec-
tive Fuller. This made positive his
identity.
He is a son of William Cornelius
Hall. 50 West Ninth street, New York,
dealer in clay products.
Three weeks ago Hall issued a check
for $500 on the Fifth Avenue bank,
payable to Victoria Marshall, and the
check was signed Douglass tombstone
The check was not honored
He also gave a check on the same
bank to the Hotel Plaza for $23 in pay
ment of bill for night and a day at
that hostelry for self and Mrs. John
stone" This check was honored upon
the endorsement.
Hall says he took the blanks from
check book OF a woman friend, with
out her knowledge. He declined to
give her name, remarldng that "she is
respectable married woman" At the
Plaza Hall said he was a Yale student
and was going to San Francisco He
registered as Turner Douglass John
stone and said his father was con-
nected with the New York Terra Gotta
company.
Hall had issued FIVE checks on the
Fifth Avenue bank and TWO were hon
ored before their spuriousness was dis