Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-15
CROOK CAPTURED.
W. v G. kssb|s Of Dos
ton Comes to Grief
Slick Young SWlndIer Operates
On Water Street Tuesday
But Falls Into Trap and Lands In
Jail...HeId In $500 Bonds.

A well dressed young man Is years of
age, giving his name as w. G. Keeble of
Boston, was found guilty in the municipal
court Tuesday evening on two counts of
obtaining money under false pretences
and was ordered by Judge Benedict T..
Maher to furnish bail in the sum of $500
in one case and $1,000 in the other. He was
unable to furnish bonds and was taken
to the county Jail Immediately after the
hearing by Deputy Marshal Harwood.
The young man operated in a number of
places of business on Water street Tues
day forenoon and afternoon and it was
not until he struck the law office of VIII
hanson & Burleigh that he came to grief.
The young man claimed to be soliciting
advertising for a Catholic register, which
he said was about to be issued in the
interests of st. Mary's church of this city.
After some conversation he succeeded in
obtaining from Alderman Williamson an
order for SIS worth of advertising. Mr.
would pay for the advertising when the
book was delivered and the young man
went out
A few moment later a voice purport-
ing to be that of FIR. Joseph A. Hayes
who had been mentioned by Keeble as an
assistant at st. Mary's called Mr.. Will
Hanson over the telephone and said that
it would be a great favor to FIR Hayes
and the church as we'll if the advertise
'ment order was accompanied with the
money and instructed Mr. Williamson to
pay over the money to Mr.. Keeble.
Alderman Williamson called up another
attorney in the city, who is member of
st. Mary's church, and was advised by
him that no FIR. Hayes was connected in
any way with that society. When Keeble
returned to the office he was given a
check for SIS by Mr.. Williamson and
made out a receipt for him. The young
man turned to leave the Office, when he
was confronted by City Marshal Nc
Fadden, who placed him under arrest.
Keeble came down the stairs with the
marshal and when he reached the bottom
made quick twist and escaped from the
hands of the officer, He started to run
up Winthrop hill and was espied by Off
Ger Foster, who was on his beat at the
time, and before he had got half way UP
the hill the f1eet-footed patrolman had
caught him. The incident caused a great
deal of excitement and the sight of the
young man running up-the hill pursued by
the officers gave rise to the, story that
he had snatched .pocketbook from la
dy, which was not at all the case. s =
Keeble was arraigned in the municipal
court at $50 Tuesday, evening on the
charge of obtaining money under false
pretences. Alderman Williamson appear
ed as witness against him in one case
and c. L. Andrews was the witness in
the other case, testifyfng to an operation
similar to that in which Alderman Will
Hanson figured, except that the touch
was for $40 instead of SIS.
The young man broke down completely
baby. He claimed at first that the only
wrong act which he did was the claiming
that the book was to be local book
when it was to be a State book. He de-
clared that he was employed by a man
named McCarty from Boston, who paid
him $14 week to work for him. He
went on to say that McCarty had taken
him to VIM, Me-. and introduced him to
a FIR Hayes. by whom the credential in
Producing him was signed. He said that
ne came from Boston and claimed to
have been educated at ST. Anselm's in
Manchester. When asked by the court
from what part of Boston he came he
said that he did not want to tell for fear
that his people might find about his pres
ent difficulty.
Keeble's story is greatly doubted by the
officers, and it is believed that a gang
of four men have been operating in this
vicinity on the scheme which Keeble had
such good luck with until he met Alder
man Williamson. The Maine Register
gives a FIR. James Hayes as a Catholic
priest at Winn, but no FIR. Joseph A.
Hayes. No one by the name of Keeble
or McCarty can be found on the register
of the local hotel where Keeble claims
that the two stopped Monday night.