Evening star., 1915-03-24
Young EngIIShman. Arrested
Here. Accused of Obtaining
Money on False PretenSeS. !
SAID TO HAVE COMMITTED
0FFENSE IN LIVERPOOL
Young Woman Accompanying Him.
1t Is Alleged. Admits She Is
Not His Wife.

The supposed my-terv Surrou-dlra q
the arrest Saturday night at down
town hotel OF W. s: John Russell, y
Young Englishmar. on II charge OF oh
tanning $50 by false pretenscs. was dis
PEELED today by the arrival IN WashS
ingtou Of Inspector Richard Matthews
OF Liverpool. bringing copies OF tho
information filed in Liverpool against
Russell The young man had not been
commissioned to buy munitions OF war
for England. as reported. but Accord
ing to the official papers. had collected
commissions amounting to nearlv
$500 on advertising contracts. whicS
were later said to havo been repudiat-
cd hy the persons whose names ap&
peared as sgners.
The warrant sworn out by the British
vice consul for the apprehension ot
Russell stated that only $50 was oh.
tanned Tho papers show that this
amount represented only three OF n
number of commissions said to havs
been paid to Russell. This amount
was inserted. is frequently done
here. merely to hold the accused.
Substance of Charges
According to the papers brought bv
Inspector Matthews, Russell presented
to the assistant manager of the Liver
pool Daily Post and Mercury a scheme
to publish a pamphlet of about 500
pages to boost the sale of British goods
and waros. The alternate pages were
to be devoted to advertisements. His
scheme met with approval and con-
tracts were presented by Russell. y
is said. from many Of the best firms
and corporations of England for space
in the publication.
The book was published last fall. and
so successful did 1t appear. 1t was said.
that the newspaper decided in January
to send Russell to New York on a
similar scheme. Soon after Russell
sailed for America the publishers sent
out bills for the advertising. and II is
alleged nearly $50 supposed debtors
repudiated the contracts. Proceedings
then were instituted and the arrest
of Russell followed.
Late yesterday afternoon Russell
and q young woman. twenty years old.
who was with him at the time of his
arrest were interviewed at the once
of United States Attorney Laskey by
Inspector Archibald of Baltimore, rep
ton authorities. to whose attention
Mr.. Laskey had called the matter.
Alleged Admissions
The girl admitted. 1t Is said. that she
is not the wife of Russell and that hee
name is Nora West. She is English BY
birth and is visiting America for the
first time She is understood to have
said she was married to Otto West. an
American, claiming to be Journalist.
in London. on August 1, 1918. She
lived with him only three weeks, II -
reported, when they separated. The
husband returned to America.
West and Russell are said to have
been friends, and after the departure
Of the husband. 1t is stated. Russell
became infatuated with the girl ana
brought her with him to New York;
where they arrived January 10.
May Waive Extradition.
1t was rumored today that Russell
would waive extradition and would pay
the passage of the girl back to Eng
land Attorney James S. Easby-Smith.
counsel for the couple, declined to dis
cuss the matter. as did Assistant
United States Attorney Arth. who is
handling the matter for the govern
ment,