The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-11-16
NEW YORK BANKS
IDENTIFY YOCUM
Four Institutions at Schenec-
tady State He "Fleeced"
Them Recently.
TAKEN TO COUNTY JAIL

- Sod
What 10 considered one Of the
most important threads Of evil
denee yet woven about 7. J. e.
Yoeum, mystery man." came into
possession OF Investigators Tues
day afternoon in the form Of In.
formation from Schenectady. NY.
This information stated that Yocum
had been identified by four Schenec-
tady banks from. his photograph.
Chief w. II. IIackett was requested
TO hold Yocum, who Is wanted In New
York City under the name of A. L.
Hewitt, II was stated. The chief was
requested to hold the prisoner, as the
necessary papers would he prepared
at once and an officer sent to Chat
tanooga after him.
on Tuesday morning Supt. Fem and
Detective Dodson visited local banks
checking account Of the man OF niys-
terry. At only one place did Yocum give
an address In this instance he gave
number on Read avenue. which was
also visited, but the people there knew
nothing about him and had seen MOTH
ing OF him In that Nneighborhood, They
did not keep roomers. ~
At still another bank he claimed 20
be stopping at a local institution, and
at several places he said he was not
permanently located yet Some OF the
banks insisted on the stranger giving
his signature at the window. and at
some others his request to take n
signature card and bring II back was
granted .+ ee
He explained In these cases, Il was
stated that he would be back In. a few
days and give his address,
lie gave his occupation as a publish
er's representative.
After a residence at the police station
which began last Friday afternoon
when he was arrested -Yocum was
taken to the county jail Tuesday morn
ing. t+.U
Wrltlne Book.
In hope Of bettsrlng mankind, T,
!. z. Ioeun,, mysterious stranger
deposit books OF local banks In hIs
possession, has been writing q book .
on penoloay, or the abuses Of the
prison system.
A statement to this effect was made
by him to +. II. Fem, assistant super
intendent of Pinkerton's National De-
tective agency, who, with Chief w. II.
and Joe Paradise. is conducting a
thorough investigation OF the big case.
According to the Pinkerton official,
Yocum gave as n reason for putting
these things over his desire to get
money enough TO have his book pub
lished. gss g.al ,KRst'~sas,
IL was stated that the pfisoner was
Immediately identified in Pinkortorl' )
New York office by the finger prints
| sent from Chattanooga. These prints,
as well as photographs, were taken
by Ray Bryan, secretary to Chief
| iiackett The Atlanta office was there
upon wired, and fine likeness Of the
| man now under arrest promptly dis
| patched Supt. Fem on Monday.
Data on the back OF the photo
listed the 'slLerce striker" as VII.
lam N, Henson, alias e. v. J.
Bonner, Of cnrlisis, Pa, and nave
his criminal oe4upation ~ 4
swinaler, wnlis his suppossd oes
~s.pas,on was esssssd az lawyer
as 20 years. Tnis Information
stated that he wa arrested al
Norfolk, Va, ON Jan. 10, 1918, at
which time he weighed III pounds.
seven years have elapsed since :
then, thus making. tho present AGE
81. He was recorded as No. 7A.
Admitting 10 Supt. Fem, Chief
Hackett, Detectives Dodson and Para :
disc. when examined Sunday evening
| and Monday, that he was none other
than r. j. IL. Yocum, the man ~
| silence also "shelied down. II was
said that he had served time In ,yir-
glnia. He paid his respects to prison
terized as most damnable.
supt. Fem stated Tuesday morn
ING tnat there are elk specific
charges against Yocum 90 far.
These charges were not dlvuiged.
During the Session" Sunday and
Monday Yocum fatty told Fem he had
| done nothing here that was illegal. Fem
| conceded this but came right back with
the statement, You have woven a web
of suspicious circumstances about
Yourself" He then outlined soma OF
| the results OF the investigation that has
been conducted informinE Yocums that
| something was wrong when a man
came into community and opened ac-
counts at all banks under different
names
| Attention was also called 10 the fact
that Y0cum closely answers the de-
| scription OF one of tho smoothest bank
| swind .ers that has ever operated In the
| United States. YoCum received another
"stunner" from Fem, who declared the
| method used by the noted swindler was
| along the same lines az the system oi
| deposit inaugurnted here by the man OF
| silence.
n NUMBER OF telekThIHH were RECEIVED
| Monday by Chief Hackett about Yocutn
who. II he IL the man the authorities In
other cities believe him to be. Ia badly
wanted on charges of swindling.
Messages OF special Significance have
come from Schenectady. N. T., Allen
| town, Pa, and Huntington. w. Va.
Further surety of Identification OF the
| stranger Is counted on when officers ar.
rive with data from other Glitch. Al
ready d warrant has been received from
Huntington, w. Va, and IL IN under
| stood that still another warrant ia be-
| Ing sent from another city
Yocun's investigators frankly admit
| he is one OF the sharpest and most I'm
telligent men they have ever given the
'once over"
Shuts Mouth Again.
II appeared, following his admission
| that he waE r. J. e. Yocum and hac
served time in Virginia. that the pris-
oner was about ready to completely
break his silence strike, but after con.
| ferring with his attorney. Carl Aber-
| nathy, he ngain drew the veil Of
secrecy tightly about himself.
The Pinkerton agency Supt, Fenr
stated. has no record In It's nles Of
| Yocum using that namo before.
The shabby little man. whose recep'
| tive brain has accumulated q remark
able fund Of knowledge OF the worlds
| greatest writer's. was OF the opinion thn'
! IL was against the law 10 take inan'i
nnger prints and photograph until h'
was convicted of crime.
Toeum was taken before Judge
FLEMING In city court Tuesday morn
| Ing and his eommlttal hearing set
| L.