The San Francisco call., 1909-04-06
CONF[SSES GUILT
WHEN ARRESTED
Confidence Operator Cleans Up
$3.50 in Three Days, but
Police Nab Him

OAKLAND, April 5.-The career Of
D. B. Cable, a mastery confidence
operator, who, with the aid of forged
federal government documents. sue
cessfully mulcted so persons of this
city out of s2,25o. was cut short this
afternoon when Captain of Detectives
Petersen led a raid on the swindler's
Office in the Hotel st. Mark and ar
rested Cable for forgery and obtaining
money under false pretenses.
The raid, participated In by Detect
ives Kyle and McSorley was the cul-
mination of three days of shadowing
and ivestigation by the police.
1t was only three days ago that Cable
rented room at the st. Mark, adver-
tised for victims and hired stenog-
rapher to handle his correspondence.
In his advertisement he asserted that
he was an assistant to George Otis
Smith. director of the United States
geological survey at Washington. D. c.
He offered jobs In Alaska, representing 6
that his mission to this coast was to
hire men for the government geological
work in the territory. The advertise
ments stated that $50 month and
found would be paid and that no skill
was requisite.
MANY ARE MULCTED
Many persons wished TO land the fed
eral soft snaps. In three days Cable
had so applicants, to all of whom he
promised Jobs and from each OF whom
he collected s45 20 defray half the
travelling expenses.
x-r11o nm Sd5 VIZ q
Detective Richard McSorley. who was
working under Captain Petersen's di-
rections. The detective captain had
seen the advertisement, and knowing
that there are duly authorized repre-
sentatives of the United States geo
logical survey on the Pacific coast, he
was suspicious.
Obtaining promise of an appointment,
McSorley began 10 shadow the operator
He learned that Cable possessed letter
heads and expense check records ap-
parently from the United States geo
logical survey office supplies and also
saw credentials bearing the supposed
signature of Director George o. Smith.
WIRES TO WASHINGTON
Petersen wired to the capital and as
certained that Cable operated entirely
without warrant from the federal
authorities Today McSorley discov-
tTeu tHdI AdDle id0 IcScfNtQ ~ DcItitS
with the Pacific Coast steamship COM
pany, apparently suspecting that some
of his dupes would inquire there. The
reservations were made with Frank
Stap1eton the local agent.
This seemed to the officers an indi-
cation that Cable was ready to leave.
having netted s2,250 on his three days
work. So the raid was made. the sus-
pect arrested and the fake documents
obtained.
CONFESSES HIS GUILT
When questioned by Captain Peter
sen. Cable confessed his guilt and ac-
knowledged that the letterheads and
other papers were forgeries, as was
| the signature of the director of the
| geological survey.
Charles G.. Yale, director of the Cali
fornia geological survey bureau, and
Chief McClaskcy of the Pacific Coast
| geological survey. went to the city
! prison today after the arrest of the
operator and assisted Petersen in pre-
pairing evidence. They also branded
Cable as a confidence operator.
Cable himself was phlegmatic under
questioning and at the end of his con-
| fession calmly complimented the local
police on their dispatch in nabbing him
| before he had fled to other fields. He
/ said he came from Vancouver