New-York tribune., 1921-06-01
Score of Witnesses Be-
fore Court Martial at
Governors Island Tell
Of Many Forged Checks
Bic Tlaefts Laid to
Captain and Wife
Hotels and Stores Said
To Be Chief Victims of
Two Under Indictment

Charged IN ftty-one specifications
with forgery, conduct unhecoming an
officer and gentleman, and desertion
from the army, Captain Beverly Gray
son Chew, twenty seven years old and
a veteran of the 1st Division, is on
trial at Governors Island for what the
military authorities characterize as
one Of the most amazing series of
crimes that has ever come to their
attention. Details of the trial. which
began May 16, became known yes
terday.
The evidence against Chew involves
his wife, Marjorie Blanche Chew, for
merly of Richmond, Va, who, with
her husband, was indicted by a grand
jury in Washington, D. c., December
IA, 1920, for grand larceny Both
pleaded not guilty and, after release
on bail, Captain Chew was turned over
to the army authorities.
He has pleaded not guilty before the
general court martial now trying him.
The defense rests largely on the ques-
tion Of the young officers sanity. An
army medical board which recently ex-
amined him declared him sane. His
wife, however, who denies she is the
woman who was with Chew in his al
legged illicit operations, says in AN af-
fdavit that upon his return from over
seas he was a changed man mentally.
Chew wears two wound chevrons, and
claims to have been gassed in addition.
Cashed Worthless Checks, Charge
Eight witnesses for the prosecution
have identified photograph of Mrs.
Chew as that of the woman who, the
charges set forth, registered with Cap
tain Chew at leading hotels in this
city, Washington, Baltimore and Allan
tic City as his wife, although the name
they registered under was in each in
stance, it is alleged, that of former
fellow officer of Chsw's.
Not only is Chew charged with his
wife, with having registered falsely at
expensive hotels, but also with having
used the same aliases to cash spurious
$500 and giving similar checks in ex-
change for purchases made at leadinx
department stores and military estab-
lishments.
Before discovery of fraud in any one
instance was made the perpetrator and
his accomplice had departed
Theater tickets, expensive feminine
attire and jewelry were among the ar
ticles alleged to have been so pur-
chased by the defendant. Bogus
checks likewise we're offered in pay
ment of hotel bills, it is said. Officers
of the judge advocates department
who are conducting Chew's prosecu-
ton, were unable to estimate, otfhand,
the financial total they say was in
volved in the operations charged, but
they declared it to be enormous. In
q number Of the alleged thefts recov-
cries have been made.
Said to Have Defrauded Merchants
The acts complained of had their in
ception, it is alleged, in the charges
against Chew, October /, 1920, when
the couple are said to have registered
at the Hotel Baltimore, Washington,
as Captain and Mrs. Fred Il. Lafferty"
The real Captain Lafferty, it has been
ascertained since, was at that time on
uuty III uyiHS Held IN Call1Ornla.
The couple checked out October 13.
Two bills at this place had been paid
with checks signed "Fred R. Lafferty,"
it is charged, and the same signature
had been employed to cash other chaeks
One of these was for $50, another for
$189.78, another for $50 and others for
$25 and $183.37 each. They were drawn
on the Empire Trust Company Of New
York
In connection with the stay at the
Hotel Baltimore it is alleged that the
couple defrauded Lansburgh g. Bro. and
Woodward & Lothrop, Washington de-
partment stores, of $25 each, obtained
through worthless checks.
Later Chew and his wife are said
to have registered at the Hotel Emer-
son, Baltimore, as Captain and Mrs.
F. R. I.afferty, New York" AS at the
Hotel Baltimore, in Washington, the
name of Captain Lafferty also was
used, it is said, in the signing of a
check for payment of the hotel bill.
This bill was for s34.36.
Captain Spalding" Here
On October 15, 1920, it is charged
that Captain and Mrs. Chew (Mrs.
Chew is also said to have been known
as Jean B. Chew registered at the
Hotel Astor here as Captain and Mrs.
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