Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-25
An Important Arrest.

uANu UT AllAEUED ShESh
For several weeks past there have been opera
ting in this city probably as dangerous mob o
forgers as can be found in the country, at leas
as adroit gang as ever yet attempted to swim
die our merchants. Their mode Of procedure /
something like this: In the evening after the
banks have been closed as also the postal money
order Office, one of them goes into a store o :
other place of business and explains to the pro-
prietor that he is anxious to send off to a SiSte,
or wife in Philadelphia sum Of money in the
night mail, and being unable to get draft from
a bank or money order from the post Office,
check on bank would be great accommoda-
ton. The unsuspecttng merchant may thus be
persuaded to make out check (the amount gen.
orally being smalD for which the swindler hands
over the amount in good money. Thus they OBJ
tain the signatures of business men for pur-
poses of forgery. Among the business houses
Reeds Sons, $40; n. W. Burchell, small sum;
W. E. Clapp, s24.15; Shoemaker and Herzog,
ss3; c. RUPERT, s2s; Beall Bros, ,s2s; and
!. IL: Magruder, 81 ., several al days oa ago
one fer 1870 and the other for 1870,
had been cashed at Riggs & Co. s, and these
being pronounced forgeries, Detective Nc
p aced in his hands. Mr.. McDevitt took Detec-
tive Voss in with him. and they have been work
ing the case several days and come to the con-
clusion that the work was that of a gang for ON
inquiry it was found that the descriptions given
did not tally in all respects This morning, be-
tween and O'Clock, Messrs. McDevitt and
d
corner Of 10th and F streets, and making up
their minds that they were crooked" they
walked up to them and said that they were
wanted at police headquarters. One OF them,
DANES Clark), large man, pulled a
Derringer ON Detective Voss, when Mr..
McDevftt drew his pistol. One other of the
party also put his hand behind him as If to draw
but seeing the officers would meet lead with lead
they attempted to run. A clerk in the Treasury
passing at the time assisted the officers and
Mr.. Monkey also assisted and secured one of the
party, who in attempting to escape, knocked
colOred man down. These four men were with
some trouble, taken to the fifth precinct station
and locked up, giving their names as James d.
Munroe "a man OF S5), James Clark, Jimmy
Green and VIM. owens. The officers then
went to house on F street and took in custody
John Kelly who had also been seen with the party.
Checks as above noted were found on these par
ties, and some OF the merchants visited the sta
ton, and there recognized some OF them as hav-
ing been to their places on the check errand, Mr..
Magruder and his father stating that on the 39th
OF september they gave check to Owens.
MeSSrs. Barbour and Hamilton, to whom they
successfully applied, also identified some of the
party. They are held at the fifth precinct sta
ton, and to-day there is general examination
going on Of Checks at the banks. 1t is quite
fortunate that these arrests have been made, for
there is no telling what the gang proposed to d.
and the officers deserve the thanks OF the banks
and the community.