Evening star., 1909-05-09


feet that Davis had been making none
tary reparation to . number of residents
Of that city from whom he had obtained
money prior to his arrest and incarcera-
ton in the asylum. the police think. ac-
counts for the disposition of some small
part Of the funds
that Davis has not paid large sums Of
money to his alleged victims in North
Carolina. and that the money he has sent
them was but a small proportion of what
| time he has been operating his alleged
extensive swindling game In this city and
elsewhere
The police were surprised to learn that
John c. Davis had come to this city i'm
mediately after his release from the asy-
lum in NorthCarolina and made 1t the
headquarters for his work. That he has
some money secrefed 10 the opinion OF
the police. but just where he has It for
safe keeping they have not the slightest
idea.
So tar as they can learn, Davis was
never an extravagant man. He was not
given to high living nor dissipation.
Views OF q Victim.
One young woman who was caught in
the tolls discussed her experiences freely
in the presence Of q Star reporter last
night
Il first heard Of Mr. Davis about two
yers ago" she said. "A friend Of mine
had placed money with him and advised
me to do SO. She said he had been q
money lender at one time and always got
big interest for the money placed in his
hands.
you the truth. don't know thing about
"For . long while he used to pay me
dividends every month. He was always
prompt. except upon one occasion when
month he came across with all that was
due me and threw In a little extra.
TO this day don't know what rate of
interest was supposed to be drawing.
Last December my friend and / be-
came suspicious. because the dividends
stopped coming in. I called at Mr.. Davis
office several times, but never found him
THE ONCE boy told me his hours were
irregular. would leave notes. and he
would come around and tell me that he
would pay me up in q little while.
Recently. however. I think he was
hard pushed for ready cash, for about
have $50 for two days. He said he
could get big interest on 1t. ! told him
I didn't have the thirty.
LAS to how he spent his money. none
Of my friends who had dealings with
like to know just how he got rid Of 1t.
Spent Little for Pleasure.
MY relations with him were on q
business basis solely. but know women
who knew him socially. Most Of them
appeared to like him. Yet. while he was
nice about taking them to the theater
and sending them flowers. he was never
extravasant. His expenditures for So
cial pleasures were those that might be
safely indulged In by a man drawing q
modest salary.
"At one time he had an automobile.
Recently he has been coming around on
a bicycle. What became Of his car I
don't know.
1T has been reported among his clients
that he speculated on the stock market.
There is a belief current that he lost
money that way, but no one seems to
really know anything about that. Another
report is to the effect that the money was
invested in real estate in his brothers
name.
The whole thing is q mystery 30 far
as most of us know
One solution of the question OF the dis
position Of the money Davis collected is
that he invested in jewels and hid 1t away
in a safety deposit vault.
When the detectives raided the offices of
the Potomac Building and Loan Associa-
tion yesterday afternoon they found less
than one dollar In the safe. But what
they did find was a lot of empty jewelry
boxes. which showed that Davis had pur-
chased jewels from several dealers in this
city. Ns trace of the jewels could be
found
In going over the badly muddled books
OF the firm members of the district attor-
ney's staff found entries Of several thou
sand dollars evidently made during April,
1909.