Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-28
DYING MAN TO
FACE CHARGES
ALLEGED SWINDLER BROUGHT
BACK FOR TRIAL
WIFE STANDS BY HUSBAND
FATALLY ILL
Accused of Defrauding Los Angeles
Merchants, Former Santa Anan
Is Returned from Gin
cinnati

Suffering from a complication of dis
eases which probably will result IA
tally William Davis, alias George +.
Davis, alias H j. Thatcher, formerly
proprietor of a general merchandise
store at Santa Ana, who was arrested
in Cincinnati, Ohio, last August
charged with defrauding Los Angeles
merchants out of several thousand
dollars worth of goods was brought
back to Los Angeles last night by De-
tective James Hosick and placed in
the receiving hospital. Davis was &C
companied by his wife and their young
child.
Davis conducted a store at Santa
Ana March, 1908. At that time he IS
alleged to have obtained goods from
number of Los Angeles merchants by
representing his stock worth $4,000 with
but an indebtedness of $1,000. lie had
no trouble in obtaining credit, and
shortly after making extensive pun
chases, is alleged to have closed out
his business and left the country.
When the creditors learned of the
disappearance of Davis they took the
matter up with the Los Angeles Credit
Mems association and detectives were
engaged on the case. After a search
of several months Davis was located
at Cincinnati and arrested on
felony warrant sworn to by John M.
Jordan, charging the fugitive with de-
frauding the Cooper, Coate and Casey
Dry Goods company out of goods
valued at $500.
Taken to Indiana
The arrest was made by Paul NJ.
Milliken, chief of the Cincinnati police
department, who took Davis into Gus
today August 13, 1908, and Immediately
A. 7 on1iqp RpnTIi-
sition papers were obtained and Detec-
tive Hosick left for the eastern city
within several days after the appre-
hension of Davis.
In the meantime the authorities OF
New Albany Ind, had learned OF the
arrest of Davis and an agent of that
city was sent with requisition papers to
take Davis on an old charge that had
been pending for several years
Shortly after his arrest Davis en-
gagged an attorney and a writ of habeaS
corpus was sworn out This writ was
denied and for some reason the requl-
sition papers of the California author
tiles were ignored and the prisoner
turned over to the Indiana officer two
hours before the arrival of Detective
Hosick.
Davis was taken to New Albany,
Ind, and placed in Jail the latter part
of August, 1908, to be held pending his
trial on an old charge said to be similar
to the one he was wanted for in Cali
fornia.
AT the time of his arrest Davis had in
his possession $4,000, said to be the pro-
oeeds OF the sale of his store at Santa
Ana. This money was attached by De-
tective Hosick and later a fight was
made by Davis to regain possession of
this amount, and the matter finally was
settled by Mrs. Davis obtaining $500,
the balance. it is said, being used in
the litigation.
Indiana Charges Dismissed
On the return of Hosick to Los An
geles new set of reauisition papers
were obtained and placed in the hands
of Sheriff Sittason of New Albany
Wednesday, May 10, Davis, after hav-
August, was taken into court and the
charge against him dismissed. The
Los Angeles authorities We're notified
and Detective Hosick left the follow
ing day to get his prisoner.
When Hosick reached the Indiana
city he found Davis in a serious con-
dition and made arrangements for a
quick trip back to California. The
prisoner was found to be suffering from
asthma, tuberculosis and other COM
plications. He had passed most of his
time while a prisoner at the New AL
bany Jail in sitting on the steps of the
Jail to obtain relief. Mrs. Davis, who
lived near the Jail and who visited her
husband daily, told Detective Hosick
that she was penniless, and while she
desired to be near her husband, was
unable to return to California because
of lack of funds. Matters were salts
factorily arranged by Hosick, who used
his own money and purchased the wo-
man ticket to Los Angeles.
During the trip Davis gradually be-
came worse. and when Barstow was
reached the local authorities were noti-
fed to have an ambulance at the sta
ton to convey the prisoner to the re-
ceiving hospital at the city jail.
Davis was given a cot in the re-
ceiving hospital and will be removed
to the county hospital as soon as his
condition permits. Mrs. Davis did not
accompany her husband to the hospital
but went to the home of friends where
she will remain while in Los Angeles
Although Davis was arrested on but
enc charge of defrauding, a number Of
merchants have made affidavits to the
effect that he obtained goods from
them with intent to defraud, and it is
probable that other charges will be
filed against him. The prisoner is in a
serious condition, and it is doubtful
whether he will live long enough to be
tried.
Davis is SAID To nave worked the
same method several times before his
appearance at Santa Ana.
Among the merchants he is alleged
to have defrauded are: Blake, Moffat
& Towne, S1SS.SS; Brownstein, New
mark & Louis, $37694; Federman,
Hersh & Co., $2S9.71; M. A. Newmark
& Co., $102.67; Pacific Crockery and
Tinware company, S7OSS7; Standard
Woodenware company, $170.19; Stetson-
Barrett company, $567.S7; Swift & Co.,
$13621 Stewart Dawes Shoe company
1857 so.
Davis is said to have been a railroad
man previous to his embarking in the
mercantile business.
TWELVE TRAINS TO CARRY