Evening star., 1925-09-20
EX-CAP TAIN IS HELD
AS PRISON PL0TTER
B. G. Chew Accused of Part
in FaIsifying Leaven-
worth Records.

With the arrest yesterday of Bey-
erly Grayson Chew, 3o-year- mem
ber of prominent Washington family,
a former captain in the A. E. F. and
a paroled Leavenworth prisoner, De-
partment of Justice operatives ex-
pressed the opinion that they had
broken up plot to falsify f1ngerprint
records at Leavenworth Penitentiary.
Chew was arrested on a warrant
charging conspiracy with Coney c..
Slaughter and others to defraud the
United States by falsifying and sub
stituting certain fingerprint records.
He was released under IS 600 bond
after a hearing by United States Com
missioner Turnage.
Substitution Plot Charged.
The plot, according to Department
of Justice operatives. involved substi-
tuition of two of Coney Slaughter's
fingerprints. so that identification by
the fingerprints on file in Leaven-
worth Penitentiary would be impos-
sible
Slaughter, son of a wealthy Texan,
was arrested after he had been en-
pleyed in bank in Fort Worth, Tex.
where he was alleged to have en-
beZZled a large sum. Slaughter s
father. one of the richest Of Texan
cattlemen at one time, was impov-
erished by the fight to save his son,
who was later convicted and SEN
fenced to Leavenworth.
At Leavenworth he is alleged to
- ,hn
five-year term after conviction for
the theft of $4,000 in silver plate and
other personal property from the
apartment of Mrs. Mary McCuntock
of Stoneleigh Court of this city, where
Chew was living while Mrs. McClin-
took was in Europe.
Arrest Created Stir.
The arrest of Chew in the Summer
of 1920 created a sensation in Wash
ington, for he was we'll known in
social circles. After serving three
and a half years of his sentence,
Chew was released. returning to this
city, where he has since been en-
ployed continuously In advertising
work.
The discovery of the alleged plot
was made when the Central Bureau
of Identification here received the
finger prints of Coney Slaughter at
the time of his celebrated escape
from Leavenworth about five months
ago.
Changes Is Detected.
The finger prints were broadcast
throughout the country. according to
~ 0f I've ov,I
when they reached the Central Bu-
reau here it was found that they did
not tally with records already in that
office. The Central Bureau immedi-
ately wired to the Texas home Of
Slaughter for the finger prints on
file there, taken at the time Of
Slaughters arrest. When these were
received, 1t was discovered immedi-
ately that two fingers of some one
else's hand had been substituted for
Slaughters in the prints taken at
Leavenworth. This started operatives
on an investigation which stretched
across several months, finally result
ing in the apprehension Of Chew, and
the charges being placed against him.
Slaughter Is Recaptured.
Slaughter was recaptured about a
mOnIn dSO DIS tllc lCSulI VI
tions taken by the Department of
Justice Central Bureau of Identified
ton, which notified all police depart
ments of falsifcation of the prints at
Leavenworth and sent the prints of
Slaughter taken at the time Of his
arrest.
Chew was paroled from Leaven-
worth In August, 1928, when his wife.
Mrs. Daisy Marjorie Chew was dying.
She died since his parole.
Friends of Chew were shocked by
news of his arrest. He was generally
known to have been beating back" to
the place which he formerly held In
Washington. The arrest almost COM
pletely demoralized Chew, who re-
fused to make any comment last
night.
Attorney William e. Leahy, who
appeared for Chew at the hearing
Yesterday, also refused to make any
statement He said that he felt sure
the arrest was the result of a miscon.
ception on the part Of the operatives.
which would be satisfactorily cleared
up in the near future.
Chew Is living at 1880 S street. He
is now an advertising solicitor, asso.
GiAted IN business with an uncle