The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-04-08
T;:.,~~-"."..,I'S CLAIMED
MN GETS ARRESTED
Man Posed AS Presidents
Cousin Fleeced Many
Chicagoians.


"the White House baby is heartbrok-
en-. She discovered today that she is
not a cousin of the President when
her brother Everett Harding, was ar
rested on a charge of impersonating
a federal officer. Everett Harding
had been posing as the Presidents
cousin ever since March 4. He also
said he was going to be his assistant
secretary. Many Chicago people were
duped by the deception.
Among others is the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, who chartered
him a special car to attend the hau-
guration of the President. His check
for S1,999.9O in payment for the car
has been returned marked mo funds.
Baby" Pearl is not the only one
who is grieving. There are about six
ty members of the Hamilton Club,
several congressman, state senator
and many Chicago business men he
is said to have fleeced of $4,000.
His connection with the President,
he is said to. have told them, gave
him license as a promoter de luxe. He
was going to build hotel, open a
chain of candy stores, and start a
monthly magazine, to which he said
the President had agreed to contri-
butte an article every month.
"Handed Out Plums."
He 'let his friends in" on these
ventures and is said to have collected
thousands of dollars from them. In
addition he told them he was to have
the final word in handing out federal
plums and more than score of men
here have been expecting to receive
appointments.
Young Harding, who is 2S years
old, is in Jail at Waukegan, ILL.,, where
he was taken by secret service agents.
He was unable to give $4,000 bond.
Capt. Thomas l. Porter, head of
the Chicago secret service, called
President Harding over the long dis
ance telephone and told him of the ar
rest. He said the President answer
ed that there are so many Hardings
in this country that it isn't sur
prise to find a renegade of that name.
Arrest was brought about by James
Sloan, a secret service operative, who
came from Washington to investigate.
Too many letters addressed to the
bogus check have been reaching the
White House and caused suspicion,
he said.
Hamilton Club Stirred
Among places where the arrest
caused a stir is the Hamilton Club,
of which the young imposter was
made an honorary member and where
he has been feted on numerous occa-
sions since March A. Mayor William
Hale Thompson and other Republic
can leaders had been misled by his
story.
His private car was attached to the
same train that brought back the
Hamilton Clubs car from Washington
and it was on the train that the club
members discovered him. The Ham
ilton Club is one of the leading Re-
publican organizations of the coun-
try.
Pearl Harding has told her friends
and has given interviews to the pa
pers to the effect that she is going to
spend long periods at the White
House after finishing the eighth
grade in June. Newspapers turnout
the country published her picture
with the caption 1.-THE White House
Baby"
1t is believed that she also was
duped. Her brother is believed to
have convinced her that she was a
cousin of the President and he took
her with him to Washington the day
of the Inauguration.
While on the way to jail, Harding
told the secret service men that
President Harding himself was the
first to suggest that they were re-
lated.
"COrresponded With Harding"
81 met him once in the union depot
at Indianapolis" he said. HE re-
marked that we must be related. That
was before he was mentioned for the
presidency. After that we CORES
ponded frequently"
When Sloan came to Chicago he
found many people who were positive
the young man was sincere in what
he said. One person however, was
skeptical. That was Dr. William j.
Hickson, of the municipal psycholo-
gical laboratory.
Certainly, l know Everett Hard
ing" he said. II examined him on
June IL last year and found his
claims. TO relationship to the Presi-
dent based on an illusion. The young