New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-11
FAKE DEPUTY At LARGE
Stranger Steals 0vercoat and
Badge Issued by Hamburger.
HE THEN PURLOINS A GRIP
Outwits Policeman by Showing
the Insignia of Office
Long Missing.

Somewhere in this city there is man
described as feet inches tall. broad
shouldereu and wearing a short griZ-
zled mustache also wearing a perfectly
good overcoat that is not his own, and a
special deputy's badge to which he has no
right The police have been looking for
him since February o. and only for the
bungling of patrolman of the East 5lst
street station and an employee of the New
York Central Railroad his Identity would
have been revealed yesterday.
The overcoat and the badge belong to
Guy Henry Witthaus, special deputy sheriff
No. 165. who lives at the Hotel lie
Marques. Witthaus, who Is a cousin of Dr.
Rudolph A. Witthaus, the chemist. was
playing billiards at the Hotel Savoy on
February %. His coat hung on rack.
Besides his badge of office there was in the
coat cigarette case valued at $500. The
case was of gold, and all around it were
artisticaly set in platinum reproductions
of the signatures of friends. These names
included that of J. Campbell Phipps. The
case also had set in 1t several diamonds
and a ruby.
When Witthaus had finished his play he
went To get his OvercOat. 1t was gone
Then somebody remembered seeing an
overcoatless man come in and go to the
barroom, remarking that 1t was a good
day TO take "a ball" The stranger also
thought IT was a good time to take an
oVercoat, and he was seen going out with
one on his arm 1t belonged to Witthaus
Witthaus reported the theft to the East
DIST station bouga Datectiya
Guenter was put on the case, but without
result.
man employed by the Pennsylvania
railroad was at the Grand Union Hotel
Yesterday. He left his grip for a moment,
and when he got back 1t was gone. Think
ing that some traveller had taken it by
mistake he rushed over to the Grand Cen
tral station. In the waiting room he saw
a man sitting with the lost grip alongside
OF him. The owner of the grip got a pa
trolman OF the East DIST street station and
an employe of the station masters office
and approached the man.
'Is that your grip?" the stranger was
asked. lie replied, why, no. It belongs
to a man who just went over to the ticket
Office" But It did not; it belonged to the
Pennsylvania Railroad man, and he prompt
ly claimed.it. The stranger who was acting
as guardian Of the grip was polite, suave
person, and when the policeman asked him
some questions about himself he pulled
back the lapes of his fine overcoat and
showed special deputy sheriff's badge No.
165. With that identification Of himself the
policeman decided that the stranger was
all right.
Then it occurred to somebody to call up
the Sherlffs office and ask who special
deputy sheriff No. 165 was. The record
showed him TO be Guy Henry Witthaus, for
whom Sheriff Hamburger sent. Witthaus
had learned that the description Of the
stranger at the Grand Central Station an
swered exactly that OF the man who took
the BALI and the overcoat from the Hotel
Savoy.
At the Sheriff's office was revealed new
situation. Witthaus had another badge
bearing the same number This one was
a gold plated affair. for which he paid 81
to the official badge maker, the usual
badge for special deputies costing only 10
cents and not being quite so ornate This
badge Witthaus wears on his waistcoat,
while he used to carry the cheaper one in
his coat pocket
When Sheriff hamburger learned about