Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-18
How an Artful Dodger MauaZsdtO Swim
die Experienced Business Zen with
Forged Cotton Bills and In
geni0us Letter-Wri.iug.
4 Detailed History Of Jobs Put Up on
Cotton Merchants, of New Or.
leans, aud the Bank Of Con-
mercP, OF Memphis
Chief Athy's Perseverance in Pursuit Of
aSkilIfuI OparatOr-Bis Arrest
by the Police OF New Or
leans,

! D. G. Fakes, alias W. r Browning,
alias John MyTick, alias u i. Kerr,
alias r. L. SchOolfield, alias Henry
Washington, alas Henry OvertOn, alas
T. ]. ClGusen, alias Henry OutlongI the
confidence man and swindler VINO was
arrested in New Orleans on the eleventh
instant, was wanted very badly by
Chief Athy, who had been on his trail
for near q month, and who was anxious
to interview him concerning several
confidence games which he had practiced
on three Of our cotton and commission
houses. AS = swiudler Fakes was par
erce,leRce; be did not stOOp TO practice
his games on the poorer classes, but
selected our staunchest and weaithiest
firms, thus showing his shrewdness.
HIS FIRST ATTEMPT,
in which he wSs successful, was with
the well-knOwD firm of Torrance &
| Wexford, who early in February re.
ceiyed the following communications:
DELTA, La, February 6, 1873.
Messrs. Torrance Il Wexford, Memphis, Tenn:
DEAR SIRs-I an GO-day shipping you
four bales of cotton, which you will
please sell to the best advantage for me.
I have drawn ON you in favor OF Mr..
J. Myrick, of this place, for siXty-fOur
dollars. You will please send me the
proceeds Of the cotton, when sold, to
care Bonhsm & Mitchell, Vicksburg,
Mississippi. The bale marked wv. T..
j." with ''[R %, you will find to be
| Peeler, and l want an extra price for
that. Yours, very respectfully,
". r. BROWNING.
Accompanying the letter was bill Of
Iading, regularly signed by Thos. j.
DaEr8gh, clerk Of the steamer Paragon,
dated Delta, February 6, 1875, for four
bales OF cotton, shipped by w. r. Brown
! ing, and consigned 10 Torrance & We'll
ford. The draft for siXty.f0Ur dollars
was paid on presentation, bul the cotton
! never came 20 hand. Chief Aiby was
notified of the transaction and lmme-
diaCsly wrote to HOTiato King, city
! msrshal at ViCksburg, 10 investigate
! the matter, but no clue could be found
of w, r. Browning.
ADVENTURE NUMBER TWO
was from Corinth, Mississippi, and came
| in the shape Of the following:
CoRINTI, Miss, June s, 1910.
Nessrs. NJ. L. Meacham " Co.. Memphis, Tenn
DEAR EIRs Il am shipping three
bales Of cotton, which please dispose of
| for me to the best advantage. I have
drawn for the sum OF fifty dollars
When the cotton is sold, please send
balance in care Higgins & Malone,
CJrinth, Mississippi. Our crop pros
pecJs are very fine indeed. Bave had
hnerain5 recently. Yours, very respect
fully, 4. L. KERR,
| 1870 CoRINTH. Mss, June 5, 1915.
Please ray to the order Of D. G. Fakes
| Fifty dollars, and charge TO account Of,
yours very truly etc, Il. L. kerr.
| NIessrs. NJ. l.. NIeacham K Co., Memphis, Tenn.
CoRINTH, MISS, June 8, 1875.
| Messrs. Brown u Alexander, Memphis, Ten
nessee:
DEAR SiRs-I am shipping three bales
of cotton. which please sell fer me to
| best advantage. l have drawn on you
| Tor the sum Of fifty dollars. When cot
| ton is sold send proceeds to me, in care
Of Higgins q Malone, CoriDth. Our
crop prospects are very fDe-haye lad
fine rains within the last few days.
Yours, respectfully, etc,
so. CoRINTH, Miss, June s, Is75.
Please pay TO the order Of D. G. Fakes
fifty dollars, and charge to account Of
JouASJ HSlJ h-NaAsI ~ IL A-A-&si''
Messrs. B own d Alexander, Memphis, Ten
nessee.
CoRINTI, Miss, June 5, 1879.
Cashier Bank Of Commerce, Memphis, Ten
nesSee:
Enclosed please find three accounts,
aggregating one hundred and fifty dol
lars, drawn by T. L.. Kerr, which please
send to me per express, less charges for
collection. 2 address,, care Thomas B.
Young, Jr., COrinth, and o0lige. Yours,
very truly, etc, D. c. FAKES.
Brown & Alexander, fifty dollars paid.
NJ. L. Meacham " Co., fifty dollars
paid.
A railroad receipt FOR three bales Of
cotton, purpCrsed to have been signed by
h. l.. Wade, the agent Of the Charleston
road ct Corinth, end bearing date June
s, 1875, was inclosed in each letter to the
firms, and the drafts coming through
the Bank Of Commerce, completely
threw the merchants off their guard as
to its being q confidence game, aud
Fakes was the richer By one hundred
dollsrs as the result OF this little swim
die. Previous to going to CoTinth, he
had left his signature at the Bank OF
Commerce, and having inGOrseI the
drafts at CoTinth, his presence was not
needed here for Identification. Chief
Athy was notified OF this affair, and
came at once to thu conclusion
that it wss the same person Who had
beaten Messrs. Torrance d Wexford. He
wrote at once to Corinth and obtained
full description Of Fakes, which is as fol-
lows: d. G. Fakes; aged twenty-five
years; hight, five feet seven or eight
inches: stOut-huut; weight, about one
L 4 p
shoulders, long body, short legs; smooth
face, flushed as if from drinking; hair
dark aud inclined to curl.
The description of Fakes was without
DELAY furnished all Of our banks, rs also
the GqOduS ODeT0Rdj Of his style Of trans !
acting business, which was done TO pro- |
tect our merchants.
no, FOR NEW ORLEANS.
Doubtless feeling that it would be ten |
dered with some risk to again attempt !
bis game on Memphis merchants, Fakes |
turned his attention TO New Orleans and |
sent the following letter to that city:
MEMPHIS, June Il: 1879.
Messrs. Lehman, Abraham a. Coz New Or |
leans, Louisiana.
DEAR EIRs-I have on hand fifty bales |
cotton which will class strict good ordi- |
naIy. What amount will you advance |
per bale on shipment snd hold till first |
Very respectfully, etc,
THOS. J. CLANSEN. |
MEMPHIS, Tenn, June Il, 1879.
Messrs. Meyer, Weiss a Co., New Orleans,
louisiana.
DEAR SIRs-What amount Ter bale
would you be willing to advance on 5
shipment Of fifty bales cotton; class
strict good ordinary, and hold till first Of
Very respectfully, etc,
THOMAS J. CLANSEN.
Messrs. Lehman, Abraham d Co. re-
ferred the writer to their correspondents
in this city, VINO, thinking the writer
was not al right, conferred with Chief
Abby, who, thinking perhaps it might
be his man Fake, whom he wanted,
sent the following telegram to the chief
Of police ct New Orleans:
MEMPHIS, June 10, 1873.
Chief OF Police, New Orleans, Louisiana:
Thomas J. Clsusen tries to borrow
money Of Meyer Weis d Co, and Leb-
man, Abraham d Co, on cotton; think |!
he is O swindler. Have written you de-
serjpdOn. Watch himS and if descrip-
ton answers, arrest and hold him on the
charge Of forgery.
=. r. ATHY, Chief of Police.
A letter was written at the same time
giving full description OF Fakes, and ad.
vising the authorities to he on the look
out f5r him and 10 notify the banks, bat
il seems the officials let him slip through
their hands for the tine beiug, and he
succeeded il taking a good trick, worth
eleven hundred and twenty-five dollars,
from Bussey & Co, whose place Of bust
ness il just over the store of Lehman,
Abraham IL Co., Tor on the third Of july
the following letters were received from
New Orleans: