The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-05-12
IMPORTANT ARREST.
The Chief of a Gang of Forgers Gagged.

The Chief of a Gang of Forgers Gagged.
For several days past there might have been
seen fine looking gentleman pacing back and
forth in the corridor of the post Office evidently
waiting for some one to arrive and inquire for
a letter. He could be seen there at all hours
and naturally attracted some attention from
frequenters at the office. In the mean time
another gentleman evidently at his leasure
could have been seen at the Preble Hous, and
he too was looking for some one Yesterday
morning however they were rewarded for their
vigilance.by "seeing' the man they were search
| ing for. The gentleman in the post office was
| State Detective M. V. B. Hersom of Massa-
| chnsetts, and the one at the Preble House was
was Detective Seth Sterling AT o'clock tall
| we'll dressed gentleman called at the post
Office, and asked for letter addressed to j. G.
| Holbrook, which was advertised on the list in
| the corridor. The letter was of course decoy
letter and it had tie desired effect While the
clerk was waiting upon him Mr. Sterling
stepped up and invited him to go to the
station. He of course pronounced the arrest
mistake, but was perfectly willing to go to the
Stdtuu WutI6 III WOulu Ue dll TlgnC.
j. G. Holbrook alias ]. f. Martin alias j. G,
Martin was born in Hartford, Conn, and is
about thirty-ive years of age According to
his own confession he joined gang of forgers
at an early age, and has continued in the
business ever since without once being arrested.
OF late years he has been assisted 10 his
business by two accomplces, both of whom
were quietly arrested in Boston Monday night
These three men acted as agents for different
firms throughout New England. They would
offer themselves as agents for we'll established
book-frm, for instance, in Boston Then they
would secure some real orders, so as to create
confidence, after which they would forge
orders on the firm, under the supervision of
Mr.. Holbrook and these orders would be given
to underlings of theirs who would proceed
into the country villages, and there receive the
goods (the cash for which was supposed to be |
in the hands of the agents.; sell them at greatly
reduced prices and leave. Sometimes they |
drew against fictitious orders, for commissions
and the drafts were honored. The principals
usually located at hotel in the suburbs. They
changed constantly from one firm to another,
and swindled the several parties out of SIMS
ranging from $50 to $780, Among the sufferers
named by the officer, were Fleetwood & Hayes
301 Washington street, Rhule, Is State street,
johnson & Miles, Boston, Cassell, Potter &
Galpip, New York. In the possession of
Holbrook was a small book filled with orders,
with which he had intended operating in this
city, all made out in sums varying from $50 TO
$75, and some signed w. w. Bruce.
Holbrook arrived in this city last Monday |
and was closely followed by Detective Hersom,
who at once put himself in communication /
with the police department. A letter was |
placed in the post Office for him and also one !
at the Preble House, and while Hersom /
watched one Sterling stood guard over the other !:
and since that time they have been constantly I
on the alert. 1t was discovered that he had |
received packages at the Eastern Express |
office and trap was also set there for him. All |
the public and large number of private houses |
were searched but all were in vain until |
yesterday morning when he was captured as |
stated above. Such a perfect trap could |
scarcely fail to cath him,
He declined to say where he stopped while |
here, and was much disconnected when he
learned of the arrest of his confederatss in
Boston, He was asked if he was willing to 90 |
~oeoOh
Governor of Massachusetts, aud stated that he
was. The detective accordingly took the three
o'clock train for Boston with his prisoner.
After the man had left for Boston Detective
Sterling discovered that he had stopped at
Mrs. Reagan's at % Centre street while here.
He went out but very little in the day time
aud not much in the evening. On Wednesday
he went to the Eastern Express office and
received large package from Boston. 1t is
thought that he has had number of con.
federates in this city, but they must have left
before the arrest, as he saw no one while on
Centre street. Detective Sterling planned all
the decoys, and but for his perseverance the
search would have been given up, as Hersom
thought the bird had flown, and was preparing
to leave the city when the arrest was made.
Detective Hersom has followed Hoibroo k
through Connecticut, Rhode Island and
Massachusetts to Portland. He says he is |
also wanted as an accomplished hotel swindler,
as there is hardly city or large town IN the
States mentioned that has Tot suffered from
him in greater or less degree. When he found
he was suspected, he paid, ''like little man"
otherwise he "gouged" all he could. One
method of paying his hotel bills was to give
forged order on a New York firm for the
amount. When he didn't pay, he would state,
if he was going to Boston, that he was bound
for train in an opposite direction, and would
remit from there.