The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-21
SMITH IS 4 Man
OF MANY NAMES
POLICE THINK THAT IN HIM
THEY HAVE MADE IMPORT
ANT CAPTURE.
ALMOST GOT LIBERTY
AS BOND WAS BEING ARRANGED
MESSAGE FROM FAR OFF
MANITOBA CAUSE JUDGE
TO HOLD HIM.
ALMOST GOT LIBERTY

Just as he was about to gain his
liberty yesterday. the hands of the
law were again laid on the shoulder
OF NJ. A. Smith. alias W. w. Smith.
alias Myron a. Moore. alias All
Groves, alias II. II. Hall. alias F. l..
Sears.
The man was arrested here several
weeks ago by Detectives Atkinson and
Krengle. on the charge Of conducting
q fraudulent real estate business"
Ills method was 10 advertise the sale
of property on instalments. and re-
Qulre small deposit from the pros
pective customer. He secured sew
eral hundred dollars from citizens OF
Richmond, when one of them, who had
given up 800, became suspicious, and
sought advice from Captain McMa-
hon. Then the detectives got in the
game, with the result that smith
was locked up, as a suspicious char-
acter, and his record was hunted up.
Captain Pollock has been busy for
several weeks corresponding with
various police departments. and only
yesterday did he get straight line,
with q photograph OF the man. from
the chief of police of Winnipeg, Man
itoba.
The latter stated that Smith" had
engaged in a fraudulent real estate
business in Manitoba about two years
ago. He secured In various deals
something like $4,000. Before the
case was called for trial. restitution
was made and the prosecution was
dropped. Immediately the authorities
Of Seattle. Washington. arrested the
man. but he fought extradition, and
on a habeas corpus disappeared. His
transactions In Seattle run up into the
thousands.
Captain Mcmahon yesterday after
noon wired the Seattle officials that
the man was here for them
Among the prisoners effects are
many thousand dollars worth of
bonds OF various kinds. apparently
negotiable. The bonds are those of
street car companies. WAGER and gas
corporations, railroads. mining. etc.
Included among them are eight $500
bonds OF the Fallsbarg and Murkuiicr
Railroad Company, six $500 bonds OF
the North Jersey Gas Company. four
$500 bonds Of the Tutweiler Gas
Company OF New York. one $500
bond of the Mount Prospect Water
Company, one $1,000 bond OF the
Coxsackle and Greenvilie Traction
Company. three $1,000 mortgage
bonds Of tho Toledo. Delphos and
Burlington Railroad Company. two
$1,000 bonds Of the New Orleans.
Mobile and Texas Railroad. two S5ee
bonds II the DeLand Water Works
Company OF New York. one $500
bond OF the New Paltx and Highland
Electric Railroad Company of New
York. and many others.
Smith" also had in his effects a
number OF dies and plates 3cr print
Ing letter heads and large num-
Der OF blank checks OF various banks
throughout the country.
When tho man was arrested here
he declined to tell where he lived.
He was placed under bond of $500
for his good behavior for year.
About two weeks ago a message was
received at headquarters that a man
was missing from the boarding house
sl5 East Marshall street. Investsga-
ton led to the belief the missing
man was smith," His effects were
searched and the large number OF
bonds and other papers nnearthed.
This led to the further investigation
Of the mans career.
In Police Court yesterday morning
Gilbert n. Pollock. who had been EN-
pioyed to represent smith, was
about to make a motion to release
the man. having secured 4 bondsman.
when the letter from Manitoba reach
Cd the police headquarters
Major Werner received telegram
from the chief of police Of Seattle
WISH. last night requesting him te
hold wv. w. Smith," who IL wanted
In that city on the charge Of grand
larceny. II Is said that he Is under
Indictment there In $40 counts The
total amount Of money involved sans
up more than $4,000. A man vii
be sent from Seattle at once for the
fugitive.