Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-03-08
Han MED1ClN T..
Which IL Thomas Washbusne, tht
F0rGcr-He Plays Unsanctifsd
Tricks ON tho Hawkeye Tn
surance Company.

H066Gf-Hf ShNduCt1nbu
TrlcKs ON the HRwkeYe Tn
surance Company.
From the State Register.
Some time since the Hawkcye In
surancc Company received some
forged policies from Northern Iowa.
sent here by Z. d. Morse, with a
dozen or more other names. He re-
ported that he was No. canvasscr,
and in order to prove it forwarded n
sample of his skill 1t was not long
before the fraudulent character of the
policies was discovered, nor very long
after that before President Ingersoll
had Sam Carson OH track of the
forger. The detective traced his man
to Rockford, Illinois, where he found
him last Saturday, but, contrary to
Sans customary plan, he came back
without the prisoner. The reason
was good--thc scamp was safely
locked in the Rockford Jail to answer
for similar frauds perpctratcd upon
/ other Insurance Companies. While
! he was operating with the Hawkcye
blanks he married most cstimable
/ girl i'm Cedar county. The Rockford
| Gazette has the following account OF
his operations and arrest:
A gentleman whose real name i
Thos. Washhurnc. alias II. II. Tookcr
T.. Tiffany, T.. ID. Morse. etc. was
brought to this city last Friday il
custody of W. d. Staplin, of tht
Rockford Insurance Company, Wht
had arrested him tho day before a
Wcnona, Iowa, for swinaling ih'
aforesaid Company. The manner o
Mr.. Washburne's operations were. Il
say the least. unique. lie went Il
Sterling and wrote 10 the Rockfort
Insurance Company, under the nam
Of l.. ID. Morse, for an agency. In
closed with his letter were some yer!
excellent references. and acrordingl.
his services were engaged. SOol
afterwards the results Of Mr., Morse
labor came to hand in the shape o
numerous applications and farmers
|, notes. For these he received his com
! missions. Having brought his labo
to a close in Sterling, he proceeds
to LaSallc, and from there wrote L
= the Rockford Insurance Company 70
the LaLalle agency, this time giyin
the name of Thomas Washburne
From here he sent up ten or iifine1
notes and applications, upon whic'
!, he was allowed the customary com
,, missions. This field of work proving
unattractiye, Mr.. Washburne 500
removed to Wenona, Iowa, where Ii
again wrote for an agency under tn
!, name Of W. II. Tooker, sending. a
usual, very good references. Paper
J were sent him, and he had alread
commenced operations at Wenons
!, when Mr.. Staplin, who had been dis
patched to investigate the matte
walked into his boarding house an
arrested the imperturable Washburn
, as he was enjoying his matutina
nap;
The prisoner and his wife, who ha
been made an innocent party to tn
frauds, were both brought to Rocl
ford. The former was brought be
fore Justice Buell., Friday, and in de
fault of bail committed to the count
!, jail for trial at the next term Of cour
When arrested, large number {
. printed blanks Of different 1nsuranC
. Companies were found upon him, an
: it is not unlikely that good man
!. charges of q similar nature will j.
preferred against the prisonc
Among othcrvictims are the gener.
> insurance agents, Brown 4 Christi
of Ottumwa, Iowa. Forged paper
the amount of several hundred do
! lars was found upon him. Anon
;, other papers, was $500 worth I
forged paper on different citizens {
!, Iowa, which he evidently intended
!, use as collaterals. Washburne's vii
= seems a very respectable woman, HI
= only been married to him a fe
:, months, and says she was not AVA
;. of the manner in which he gained
!. livelihood