The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-10
IDENTIFIED AS MAN
WHO SWINDLED WILLIAM KAHN
Blair, Arrested in Ohio, Held to
Answer for Getting $1,000
Hero.
WORKED REAL SMOOTH GAME
Took Cash From Butcher Under
Promise That 1t Would
Quickly Grow.

After lodging about the country for
| nearly two years. II. H. Blair, a
i clarvoyant. now under arrest at
| Youngstown. o., was identified yester-
day as the man who had robbed VII
/ liam II. Kahn, of 1905 Hull Street,
| Southside. of $1,000. while he was con
! Quoting soothsaying establishment
at sol East Fpnkln Street When
| the picture was shown to Mr.. Kahn by
| Captain I.tpscomb he recognized it I'M
medlotclv. telling Captain Lipscomb
that Blair was the crook.
Blair. who has many aliases, was
arrested some days ago at Terra
Haute, Ind, on complaint of the
Youngstown authorities for swindle
similar to that which he worked on
Mr. Kahn in Richmond in October.
1905 After his arrest the police re
membered that he was wanted in
as to the particular charge was a
trifle haz%. To make sure, however,
a picture of the prisoner was sent to
Captain of Detectives Mcmahon.
Certain 1t Is blair.
Observation-Disclosures turned it over to
Captain Lipscomb, who was chief of
the Manchester police at the time of
tho robbery here 1tahn was positive
a to the identification, and on his
statement to Captain Mcmahon the
latter consulted commemorative At
torney .Tolkes and has telegraphed to
Youngstown to deliver Blair 70 Rich
mond when the couris there get
through with him.
A good many people who lean to-
ward the mystic art remember Blair.
He was a smooth proposition, and
those who raved about his art said
that what he didn't know about
palmistry was torn out of the book.
Living in what was then Manchester.
Mr.. Kahn heard of the mans wonder
full powers. 1t happened that Mr.
Kahn had recently been robbed of
$3.50. and he got the idea that the
clairvoyant might supply the clue. So
he came over for a sitting. Blair was
certain he knew who got the money.
Also, he was certain where 1t could
be found. and after taxing his visitor
for $40 he quietly remarked, after tho
manner of the real soo.thsayer. that
the mystery could not he solved with
out more cash Mr.. Kahn did not have
| 1T with him. but he went home and
returned with $1,000, that being the
I amount stipulated.
His Great system.
In the most matter of fact way
! Blair divided the hank notes into a
/ number OF equal parts, placing them
carefully In envelopes. which Were
sealed. Not only was this going to
reveal the name of the thief, hut by
little system known only to himself,
! the one thousand iron men-only these
We're paper--weres to be buried, then
presto. they would burgeon and blos-
som and grow with golden fruit 1t
looked easy. But there was no burial
service. Blair slipped the envelopes to
Kahn, after switching them by .leighr
of hand. and told him to go on back
to his butcher shop and have faith,
and then return in certain number
of days. Mr.. Kahn returneI, accord
ing to schedule. but there was no Blair
around So4 East =. anklin Street
There was sign on the door read
ing. "Will be back Friday" Suspi-
cious then, Kahn reported the matter
to the police after finding that his
envelopes contained only torn strips
from Philadelphia newspaper. So
far as the police were able to discover
at the time. it was still Wednesday or
Thursday, for Friday. the day upon
which the pamist was to return. has
never conc. But they kept close on
his trail for months and then lost IT.
Now they have him.
1t was due to Blairs crooked work
that Colonel John S. Harwood led the
fight In the Legislature to keen those
cla!rvoyants out of the Commonwealth.
1t was never made clear whether
Others had been tieeccd by the smooth
young man while he operated in Rich
mond. What Mr.. Kahn regretted next
to the financial loss was the publicity.
When Blair is brought back the VIC
tim of the robbery must relate in de-
tail 10 jury just what happened, but
it will be worth the effort for 1T will
send the clairvoyant to Jail, even If it
does not bring back the coin that was