Confidence man posing as connected with Hemingray arrested

POLITE STRANGER.

McCLINTOCK, THE

CONFI­DENCE MAN, ARRESTED.

A Steamboat Sharper Captured

By Detective Bowden — How

He Worked Passengers.

His Confession.

Detective Sam Bowden arrested George McClintock, a confidence man, yesterday and locked him up as a suspicions person. McClintock says he lives with his father in Allegheny and admits that he has been occasionally found in very bad company. Among other tricks which he has played upon the public is the "polite traveler racket," attending to other peoples' tickets or baggage and disappearing with one or both. Recently he tried his hand upon the river and took passage upon the Scotia, Captain Kirker, for Cincinnati. He told Captain Kirker that he was connected with the Cincinnati glass house of Hemingray & Co., and had been to Pittsburgh in their interests, more especially to purchase sand. He was a persuasive talker, and of soft and soothing address. The captain generously extended the courtesies of the river to the young man, and he soon made himself at home upon the boat, particularly with the ladies. He was tall, about twenty-five years of age, good looking, with dark hair and eyes, dressed well and wore a double-breasted watch chain. There was a lady on board going to St. Louis, and into her good graces Mr. McClintock ingratiated himself. When Cin­cinnati was reached, at which point the steamer's through tickets are exchanged for railroad tickets over the lines on which they are sold, the fascinating stranger courteously offered to take the lady's and have it exchanged for one to St. Louis, for which point, he himself was destined.

COSTLY KINDNESS.

He also proposed to attend to rechecking her baggage and other matters of gallantry. The lady gave up her ticket and awaited his return. But he came not, and when she acquainted the police with the matter it was found that the gallant stranger, after exchanging the ticket for one of the rail­way company's, had proceeded to a scalper's office and sold it. The defrauded woman had no alternative but to purchase another.

Within a week his money was gone and he boarded the Emma Graham in a new character bound for Pittsburgh. He was William McClintock, son of Capt. McClintock, and a nephew of Mr. Oliver McClintock, of the well-known carpet firm of this city — so he said, he told a pleasant story about having been on a jamboree, and depleted all his funds amid the wild revelries to be found "Over the Rhine."

TOO PROUD TO BEG.

He said he did not like to expose his predicament among strangers or allow his influential friends here to have the laugh on him. He talked familiarly of Pittsburgh and Pittsburghers, and mentioned among his personal friends Messrs. Charles Fairman, James Reese, James Henderson and others. Captain Knowles was so impressed [missing text] the bearing of the unfortunate young gentleman that, he placed the boat at his disposal, and the alleged Mr. McClintock succeeded to make himself at home. On the boat's arriving here he made a small [missing text] to accomodate him until he reached his friends, and departed.

Nothing more was heard of him until arrested by Detective Bowden yesterday. He is a very smooth talker and freely admitted that he is guilty of a breach of trust in failing to return the lady's tickets at Cincinnati, and that he had beaten his way home by lying, and as calmly wanted to know what was going to be done about it. He claims that he is not amenable to the law for being hard up and making the best of it, as he stole nothing. Detective Bowden says he has no doubt that to day he can unearth something upon which to bring a charge.