The Washington herald., 1911-04-08
YOUTH PLANNING
SWINDLE CAUGHT
Continued from Page Ono.

man wants to draw before 1 can wire
| TO his bank | will deny the request
This was satisfactory to Hume. who
! appeared at the Office in short time
with Hardman. Walters says that after
| a short talk. which convinced him more
than ever the youth was an imposter a
| blank was procured and Hardman made
| out the draft for So go on the Central
! National Bank. of Tulsa, Okla.
! shortly after this" Mr.. Walters said
''Hardman made overtures about drawing
a small sum in advance and l informed
| him it would be impossible
| Hardman then told Hume. according u
! Walters. that he had an automobile al
| the station. and he would have to pro-
! cure license before he could run il into
| Washington. and requested that the bank
honor a draft for SIS. This was also de-
MED. 4 short time later Walters. believ-
| ing the boy was trying TO put over a
| big deal. notified Inspector Eoardman by
! telephone of the transaction in his Office.
Arrest of Coognn.
Detective Berman was given a descrip-
tion of the young man. and within
twenty minutes had arrested Hardman on
the curb at Fourteenth and + streets.
He was taken to police headquarters,
W here il was said last night that he
stated. after several inquiries by the po-
lice, that he would have got away with
something big if he had not been ar
rested.
Shortly after Hardman left tho bank It
is alleged he went to the real estate firm
Of Moore & Hill and requested they CASH
a check for him. He gave the name OF
Mr.. Hume as reference, who was tcle-
NJ
clined to stand sponsor for the young
man. and according to Mr.. Walters, was
then convinced that he was dealing with
Il worthless prOpCsiti"n. The following
message was received from the bank at
Tulsa. Okla. upon which the draft for
So go was drawn: Party not known.
and no such account in bank"
This was the last hitch in the evidence
surrounding the youth.
At the First precinct station last night.
in small cell. Hardman appeared i'll at
He seemed much affected when told his
opera ton would be made public. and in
Quircd if the news would reach Marietta
his home.
I've requested the police to notify my
father hn said. land | know I'll be out
! all right tomorrow. I can't see what
! charge there can be against me- as [
have done nothing. 7 admit the draft
for s67. coo was worthless. but depositing
such a paper for collection, is, in my
mind. no crime
When asked about the proposition he
made TO Mr.. Hume. he said he had in
vented machine which would rcvou-
tionize the gasoline industry if properly
| handled.
with $4,000 / can buy lOO.ONO.OOo feet
! of gas he said. which will make
enough gasoline to make profit of more
than s3,OOO,oOo The proposition is all
right"
Makes an Admission.
! Hardman admitted to a reporter for The
Washington Herald that the seven checks
| found in his pockets were worthless. He
said he had no idea just what he would
| have done with them. He also said he
did not know any persons in Elkins
W. Va. or any one whose names were
signed to the checks
why did you send the draft" he was
asked.
Il wanted to get into the confidence of
| a friend. that l might borrow enough
money to get back to Marietta he an
swered.
This statement was refuted by Mr.
Walters, who stated he knew that on
| Thursday night Mr. Hume had offered
him loan of $50, and that Hardman had
refused it.
| Hardman. according TO the banker
| claimed friendship with the family of
| the late Senator Elkins and other promi-
nent persons He spoke familiarly of
men high in the financial world in New
York and Pttsburg.
The police last night notified the youth 5
| father of his arrest, and he is expected
| in Washington tonight James Francis
| Kelly has been retained as attorney for
| Hardman.
Hardman at the time of his arrest
| told the police his name was Fred L.
| Coogan. When closely questioned, early
] this morning, he said his name was
Hardman.