New-York tribune., 1912-03-08
OLD RAILROAD HEAD
IN JAIL As VAGRANI
Picked Up When Begging for
Dimes in Upper
Broadway.
WAS HENRY VI LARD MAN
Colonel w. Wayne Belvin Lived
at the Waldorf and Was a
Member of the Lotos
Club.

Down and out. panhandling at Broad
way and 34th street. Colonel w. Wayne
Belvin, once a railroad president who
lived at the Waldorf and who once vas
member Of the Lotos Club. was arrested
last night when he begged a detective
for money He had one of Edward Lau-
terbach's cards in his pockets. and also
letter from James f. Gaynor. law
ger. of No. 80 East 42d street commend
ing him to Mayor Gaynor. Early In
January Colonel Bclvin got out Of the
workhouse. He appeared In JEFFERSON
Market Court about December | and
asked the magistrate TO send him up.
Last night when Detective Lynch. OF
the West Both street station. picked MIN
up on a vagracy charge, the colonel said
Mr. Iauterbach once was his attorney.
The lawyer said over the telephone last
night:
Yes. IL NAV we'll he 80. The other
day in Wall street man who had evil
IDENTIFY seen better days and had some
evidences Of breeding about him came
IN 10 me and said he was once one OF
my clients. gave him coin and passed
on"
The letter from Mr.. Gaynor to the
Mavor said Belvin would like 10 be
employed by the city. Anything you can
give him YOU may charge TO my account
This letter was dated January %, and
Kelvin said he had been intending TO
present Il. but had not done so.
The erEtwhile railroad manipulation Is
ffty-three years old, and a Nirginian.
He was graduated from the Virginia
Military Institute and went through
business school. and then engaged in
tobacco farming in his own state. But
wear after he took this up he went TO
Seattle as a civil engineer.
This brought him into railroad WORK.
and he became associated with Henry
Willard in building the Northern Pacihc.
Soon he was president of the san Fran
cisco e. Eastern. and during his incum-
bency laid 16O miles Of track and then
sold II 10 the Southern Pacific. He went
to London in 1883. opened "A banking
house and for eight years was wei
known in English banking circles.
year after he came lack from
Furope his wife obtained "A divorce on
statutory grounds. The correspondent
was said TO have been the wife ot an
Ohio state Senator. The referee found
that even while Belvin was a railroad
nresident his income was less than
50 800 a year. and he owed his tailor
81 900. The referee said he borrowed
money from his friends 10 pay his dues
in the Lotos and Coney Island Jockey
clubs. and 1t was alleged he had even
pawned his wife's jewels.
The Waldorf Astoria had him arrested
in 1899 for not paying his bill. Belvin
threatened the life Of David H. Moffat
of Denver, then at the Waldorf saying
the Colorado man owed him 100000.
Moffat went to George c. Boldt. told him
The story. and AIR. Boldt demanded that
Kelvin nay his bill at once and leave.
I; was at night and Belvin said he did
NOT have the necessary $l43 with him
end could not cash a check. He was
arrested. and discharged In the police
court on paying the bill. He brought suit
for $500. .O0C against the hotel manage
inent.
The next time he came into the public
nrints was In May, 1901, when he was
arrested by the Buffalo police for going
nm to tic desk at the lroquois Hotel and
irving to send this telegram:
George B. Cortely6u. Paso del Norte.
Tex.
Tell President Roosevelt his train will
be destroyed by dynamite In Arizona
cand rider ahead. WAYNE BELVIN
He wae arrested recently in this city
for intoxlcation, and on his plea Of
guilty wa: sent to the island for tx
months.