The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-28
CHARGE
H0LDSFORMER
CONGRESSMAN
Van Duser of Nevada Accused
Of Swindling Baltimore
Man With Check.
ARRESTED IN LOCAL HOTEL
Bogus Oil Stock Sales Said to
Figure in Transactions
In Maryland.

Former Congressman d. Van
Duser, Of Nevada, is locked in a
police station cell in Washington
today awaiting removal to Balti-
more to answer charges of obtain
ing money under false pretenses.
Thousands Of dollars, it is said, are
involved.
Bogus oil stock, II Is asserted, was
unloaded on one or more persons in
Baltimore. The specific charge against
Van Duser Is that he obtained $3.50
by means Of false pretenses. The
indictment against him was returned
by Baltimore grand jury in May,
1920.
To Fight Extradition.
The arrest of the former Congress.
man took place yesterday afternoon
at a local hotel, where he was located
by Headquarters Detectives Kelly and
Scrivener. 4 He will fight extradition
and probably will seek his release
on a writ Of habeas corpus.
Police records at Baltimore show
that in April, 1920. Van Duser, in
company with a man known as BILLY
Murray" alias William Newlson,
journeyed from New York and opened
small office near the electrical sup.
ply establishment of Charles w. Win.
ter, 2023 North Charles street.
Cultivation of Winter began in short
order. Murray represented himself
as representative Of beverage sup.
ply campany. Of New York. while Van
Duser is alleged to have told his new
acquaintance he was stock broker
Checks Declared Worthless.
Winter 1t is alleged shortly after,
wards accepted a check for $3.50 from
Van Duser, but it was made payable
to Murray.
Drawn on the Salamanca Trust Com
pany, Of Salamanca. N. Y, the check
was cleared through the ordinary chan
nels, but discovered to be worthless
Before the return OF the $3.50 check
the pair are alleged to have presented
check for $4,000 to Winter, which
he cashed.
Van Duser and Murray left Balti
more just before the chacks we're re.
turned and marked mo good" The
police were notified and a countrywide
search has been in progress for them
Murray was indicted by the Balti
more grand jury charged with passing
the $4,000 check. while Van Duser
was charged with passing the smaller
check.
Noted In House as Speaker.
Van Duser is a man of imposing ap
pearance. During his terms in the
House Of Representative In the Roose
welt Administration he was rated a
good speaker.
Born In Nevada, Van Duzer was at
work in a silver mine long before he
reached the age Of sixteen. He was
graduated from tho State University
OF Nevada and afterward became a
school teacher. Later he was com.
missioned by the governor of the State
as State land agent, to reside in
Washington. This job lasted but six
months, the comptroller of the State
of Nevada ruling the job out of ex.
istence. Van Duzen then took job
as secretary to Congressman Newland
of Nevada, who later became Senator.
When he returned to Nevada, Van
Duzer served as district attorney OF
Humboldt county, member OF the
lower house Of the legislature. speaker
of the assembly, and later was elected
to Congress to succeed Congressman
Newlands
At one time Van Duzer was said to
be in line for the Senatorship of his