The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-08-12
Literary Digest.)

around posing as great warriors who
have gone through untold perils; or
as military geniuses with plans for
campaigns or contrivances that were
sure winners; or merely as stately
and dignified officers, chiefly impress
sive for the beautiful fit of their uni
form. What p. T. Barnum said about
the birth-rate of suckers being as ap-
plicable today as when p. 7. said il,
these imposers have always been able
to gain a following. A number of
these men have been British, and
hence that government has stationed
an officer in America, known as the
British army provost marshal, whose
duty it is to see that Americans are
not imposed upon by criminals and
takers wearing the uniform of Brit
ain This officer is Lieut.-Col. Nor
man c. Thwaites. and he holds at A
Whitehall street. in New York City.
One OF the officers under Colonel
Thwaites recently related to repre-,
sentative OF the New York Times a
number OF interesting cases that had
been brought 10 the attention of the
b. A P. NJ. OF which we quote the
following:
There was the young aviator whose
Scotland Yard record was bad He
had done his two years in the peniten-
tiary for forgery. He came to Amer
lea and Joined the air force in Cam
ada. A call was sent out as a meas
ure OF warning. The B. a. p. NJ. had
a signature and poor amateur snap
shot as the only clues. He had
changed his name and his appear
ance. He was found, however, and
brought to the New York office. He
told his story, admitting his past Of
fences. He wanted another oppor-
tunity. His commanding officers gave
him an excellent character as a fear
less pupil in aviation and an observer
of military discipline. Presently he
won his wings. Not word was said
to any one of his past career. In due
time he went TO France and became a
scourge among the Hun airmen. He
won decoration and met a hero's
death over the enemy's lines
In opposition to this case is one
that deserves Identifying, for the
rogue in question will probably re-
main a rogue no matter what tender
ness is shown him. This person, an
American, changed his name and his
habits with great frequency. At one
time he was the Hon. Westmoreland
Davis. occasionally he was peer of
the realm. Always he had the habits
of a sultan. and in the course of his
career in the United States he mar,
ried five women, who loved him for
the dangers he had passed"
There is no record of this cadets
ever having seen service in the field
4 judicial court in Virginia gave this
betrayer of women five years penal
servitude. 1t is regretable to have to
state that this man escaped from the
jail in spite of the kindness received
there, sympathy being felt for man
OF his intelligence. which led to the
superintendent placing him in the Of
flee instead of on the rock pile. He is
believed to have returned 70 Texas
In addition to this mans bigamies
there was a long list OF defalcations.
He wOoed waitress at a New York
restaurant and took 5000 OF the girls
savings from her He masqueraded
as British officer. although he never
attained any commissioned rank. His
victims in fraudulent transaction
were always women.
Some were able TO put it over with
thrilling tales of heroic achievement
or the wearing OF decorations, the
following being examples:
There was the case OF an Irish lad
who married a girl in New York in
November and Texas heiress in De-
cember. both last year. This super
man had fought. so his story went.
against Villa in Mexico. he had faced
and slain Germans in Southwest At
rica. he had been an aviator and had
conquered and killed his man 10000
feet above the submarine base at Zee
brugge. He is now in custody.
When young Scott" second
lieutenant. put up the V. c. and
staggered around New York he
thought it great fun. He found an