Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-10
SOUGHT THRONE,
FORGED CHECKS,
ALSO B|CAM|sT
William WahIe, Near-King of
Coney Island, Admits Charges
Against Him.
Welded TWO WEEKS AGO
TO BELLEVILLE GIRL
Has Wife and Two Children in
Flatbush Section of
Brooklyn.

From a popular Brooklyn musical
office of king of the Coney Island Mardi
Gras last fall to cell in police head
quarters, this city, is the last six
months history of William Wahle, alias
James j Lynch
And in addition to facing forgery
charges In Brooklyn, Wahle may also
have to answer to a charge of bigamy.
as he admits that he has a wife and
two children living in Brooklyn, while
two weeks ago he married Miss Edith
V. Harvey a sister-in-law of DR. H
B. Vail, of Belleville.
1t was at the home of DIR. Vail. 1G
Van Houten place, Belleville, that
Wahle was arrested about 10 o'clock
last night by Detective Sergeants Ryan
and Farrell of headquarters, and Chief
of Police Flynn, of Belleville. The
specific charge upon which he was ar
rested is for the forging of an indorsez
ment on check for $2s.35 drawn to
the order of Carl Wenzel, the aged pro-
prietor Of the Brooklyn Carving Works,
at 1s4 Classon avenue, Brooklyn
Employed as Manager.
For about two years Wahle, under
the name of Lynch, had been employed
by Wenzel as manager of his works.
AS such he had entire charge of the
assets of the concern. 1t is alleged by
Wenzel and admitted by Wahle that
when he needed money he would take
a check sent in for payment by a
customer, forge the Endorsement of
Wenzel and cash 1t. The total amount
of his peculations is said to bes up
ward of $1,000
For a long time Wenzel was abso-
lutely unsuspicious OF his manager and
had implicit confidence In him. Dur
ing August and early in September he
noticed that collections were dropping
off rapidly. At that time Wahle, under
/ the name of James j. Lynch, was
running for King Of the Mardi Gras.
and had a dozen or more lodges and
singing societies to which he belonged
working for him. For time he was
i one of the leaders. but was eventually
beaten out by Mel ~heppard. the ath-
/ lete.
Campaign Caused Downfall.
His campaign cost him considerable
money and really led to his downfall,
but 1t was not until early in December
that he realized he was being watched.
/ AS soon as he did, he deserted the wife
and two children, boys of II and II
years of age, respectively, living In the
Flatbush section of Brooklyn, and came
to this city, where he resumed his own
name, Wahle. He became acquainted
with DR.. Vail in a business way. and in
short time the engagement of himself
and Miss Harvey, the sister-in-law,
was announced.
/ Miss Harvey knew that Wahle had
been married before but he told her
and DR.. and Mrs. Vail that his wife and
two children had been drowned in At
lantic City on Labor Day, 1908. when a
motor-boat in which they were riding
sank His word was believed by the
/ Vail family and there was no objection
to the marriage.
| After his arrest last night, Miss
! Harvey, or Mrs Wahle No. 2, refused
to believe that the first wife and chill
dren were living until told so by Wahle
j himself Then she scorned him and
refused to talk to him any longer, and
was taken home in a partially hysteri-
cal condition. This morning, in COM
pany with DR.. Vail, she visited police
/ headquarters for few moments. but
absolutely refused to discuss her mar
riage to Wahle.
Detective-Sergeant James F. Mahon.
of the Brooklyn headquarte-s, who
Continued on Second Page.)