Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-12-18
NEITHER BIGAMIST
NOR CROOK, CLAIMS
ERSTWHILE OFFICER
Charles R. E, Mccain, Alias
Warren Grey, Talks to Jour-
nal Reporter in Fulton Tow
err Saturday Night

81 am not a crook; I am not big
amist I took the name of an army
officer before knew what 1 was doing
and after 1 had taken it 1 didn't have
a chance TO change it. l married Miss
Rebie wilkins because 1 loved her. and
the only thing 1 regret about the whole
AFFAIR is the pain that l have caused
her"
This was the statement made at mid
night by Charles r. +. Mccain, alias
Warren G. Grey, as he sat with his feet
propped against a steaming radiator in
the office at the Fulton county tower.
He arrived in Atlanta shortly after 10
O'Clock Saturday night, being brought
here from New York by a deputy
United States marshal to answer the
charge of passing worthless checks.
He is also charged with desertion and
impersonation of an officer by the au-
thorities at Camp Mcclellan, Admission,
Ala
Mccain is clean-cut, officer-like
young fellow, with a broad smile and a
pleasing personality. When seen at the
tower by a Journal reporter he was
wearing a trim khaki uniform, with
leather puttees. but without his collar
insignia.
Let's have a smoke" he said, when
he greeted the reported. Il can. al
ways talk better when I'm smoking. +"
He began to puff easily upon a cigar
purchased from J. w. Arnold, jailer on
the morning watch at the tower.
Loves Atlanta airl
The first thing 1 want to say is
that / love Rebie with all my heart
and that shall always love her. i am
suffering now only because of the pain
and shame that this affair has caused
her My sympathy is with her and her
family. The whole thing would have
been all right, but I was never given a
chance to explain. They grabbed me as
soon as we got to New York.
Mccain spoke slowly, and seemed to
weigh his words carefully. He declared
that he had been granted a leave OF
absence. which explained why he was
away from Camp Mcclellan, and stated
that he had more than $500 in the bank
at Admission, Ala. when he wrote
checks. but that he made the mistake
of signing the name of William Alwyn
Jennings" to these checks, instead OF
Warren @ Grey, as he was known at
Camp Mcclellan.
81 can't tell YOU the whole story very
quickly" he said, "and I'd like to start
at the beginning. ] was graduated from
Yale with the class of 1911, and in 1913,
when / was taking A postgraduate
course. / was expelled for a row with
the police in New Haven. The next
year 1 married a chorus girl, and since
that time that marriage has been an
nulled.
Expelled Prom College
Because of the disgrace of being
expelled from college and the notoriety
that my marriage to the chorus girl
caused. L decided Ito change my name.
and try to go off and redeem myself in
the eyes of my people. My father was
a rich man. and we lived in New York.
ION August /, 1917, 1 enlisted in the
First New Jersey regiment, and in three
DAYS l was promoted to the rank of a
sergeant. 1 had had previous military
experience 1 went with the regiment
to Admission. Ala, and it was only a
short time ago that I was recommend
ed for a commission. l was recon-
mended not because l had a car but
because 1 worked hard.
when I was summoned to division
Headquarters L began to think what II
would mean to become an officer under
an assumed name, the name of Warren
G. Grey. and it happened that 1 got
beautifully lit just at that time. and
.
had already ordered. The next thing
I knew 1 had bought a ticket to At
lanta-"
Mires Up Deeper
Mccain stated that when he reached
Atlanta the first name he thought OF
when he faced the desk of the Hote
Ansley was the name of Lieutenant vii
liam AIwyn Jennings. and hurriedly
scrubbed that name upon the register
Each day, he said. he found that he was
getting deeper and deeper into the
trouble. and decide dthat the only thins
he could do would be to go through with
the deception.
Il married the girl 1 loved, and
intended to make a clean slate of the
whole thing" he went on. but before
explained they had me. 1t was my in
tention to take the girl TO my mother
and catch the next train for Camp Nc
/ Clellan."
Mccain SAYS he hardly expects to
win the forgiveness of the girl he mar
ried hut Graves an interview with her.