Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-24
SWINDLERS DUPE
KIN OF SOLDIERS
Police Hunt Men for Sell
ing "Information" About
Heroes Abroad
PARENTS GIVE MONEY
Father of Lieutenant Perrine
Victim of Man Posing
as War Veteran
PARENTS GIVE MONEY

Search is being made today for sew
eral men who. posing as returned
soIdiers. are victimiz,n the parents OF
missing heroes by selling them alleged
information about tho whereabouts OF
their sons.
Police in all sections of the city have
Sbeen notified to be on the watch for the
lfakers, one of whom is known to have
'masqueraded as ~. w. Rodgers as
charged soldier from the twenty
seventh (New York National Guard)
Division.
The police say that after locating the
parents of a missing man and learning
a. much as they can about the soldiers,
the impostors call at the home of the
parents or wife and peddle information
about the missing one. generally telling
a story of having met him In some base
hospital in France
Always Ask for Money
The informatoion is always followed
by a request for money. generally on the
pjea that the informer is far from home
and needs the money for carefare to
take him to his home town where good
position awaits him.
Among the families 'victimized was
that Of Lieutenant Nelson w. Perrine,
521 South Forty eighth street. Lieuten-
ant Perrine was attached to Headquar-
ters Company, 10th Infantry. of the
Iron Division. and disappeared in action
during the heaviest part of the action
that drove the Germans from the Sois-
sons-Rheims sector
Mr.. and. Mrs. Perrine have made un-
RENTING efforts to locate their son,
keeping in constant touch with the au-
thorities at Washington. and even get
ting in direct communication with France,
Their efforts have been unavailing so
far, but they are hopeful. and this con-
dition made them rather easy prey for
the man who visited Mr. Pcrrne twice
this week telling of how and where he
met Lieutenant Perrine.
The first time the pseudo soldier came
he told the story of meeting the lieuten-
ant In a base hospital The veteran"
said his name was Rodgers" and told
of his recent honorable discharge from
the New York division. The man was
shabhily dressed. and otherwise made Il
bad impression on Mr.. Perrine. On his
second visit "Rogers" took some money
under protest, and said he would take a
new overcoat later on.
Then Mr. Perrine got | Lsy. lie got in
communication with Washington and
found that they had no record of such
q person The police were notified but
the address given by the impostor was
found to be fictitious.
Lieutenant IL Only Son
Lieutenant Perrine is an only SON
He Is twenty-three years oldi lie was
graduated from the Central High School
in 1914. He entered the University of
Pennsylvania and was in his third year
when the war broke out. lie enlisted in
the First City Troop and trained with
that unit at Camp Hancock.
He was selected from the third Of
fcers' training camp and gradua ed
with honors. He went overseas as first
sergeant IN Company B, 10th Infantry.
and received his commission after arriv-
just one day before the second battle
of the Marne, when Company B was al
most wiped out.
At the time of his disappearance on
July 80. the 110th was engaged in the
perious work of blasting the Germans
from the Grimpettes wood The place
was taken and retaken several times.
Lieutenant Pcrrine being left on the
ground wounded after the Germans
had made one of their successful coun-
ter-attacks. \ wounded private report
cd that he saw German stretcher-bear-
ers pick up the wounded officer and take
him TO safety. Although no official
confirmation of this has been received,
the parents are hopeful that he Is now
recovering in a German hospital