The New York herald., 1879-12-08
THE "BOSS SCRATCHER' CAPTURED

NOT POLITICIAN, BUT NOTED FORGER-
SOME FINE DETECTIVE WORK.
noted forger. we'll known to the detective force
Of this city, arrested last Thursday in Pough
keepsie q charge Of passing bogus check on a
clerk in Luckey. Platt II Co.'s store. The following
day he taken to court, where crowd of specta-
tors had assembled. Mr.. Milton Balm. of the Pough-
keepsie Hotel, the prisoner was
brought into court, informed Detective Crum, who
had made.the arrest. that he thought he knew
the prisoner. The latter had given the name of
James H. A. Roosevelt and claimed to be relative
of the Roosevelt family Of this city. Mr. Balm said
the prisoners right name Samuel NJ Stebbins,
alias 'Nosey Stebbins." 81 know him. said Mr..
Bain because he arrested at my hotel at Dover
Plains about three years ago for forgery. He
was found guilty and sentenced to State
Prison." Upon receipt OF the foregoing
information the prisoner was remanded
until something could be ascertaned regarding
his antecedepts. To this end despatch was for
warded last Friday to superintendent walling
requesting him to despatch "Nosey" Stebbins'
record. To which the superintendent responded as
follows:-
AN OLD OFFENDER.
Samuel NJ. Stebbins, alias "Noscy" Stebbins,
a charge Of passing worthless check on William WAR
of No. 1913 Sixth avenue lie pleaded guilty and
Recorder HacKett
The Poughkeepsie officials next communicated
with Detective Jackson, of Sing Sing Prison. from
whom they received additional particulars concern
ing the ex-convict. Mr. Jackson telegraphed Steb-
bins description as follows:-
Aged fifty nearly six and half feet gray eyes brown
hair mixed with gray thn prominent nose complexion
fair weight about loo pounds
Upon receipt of the above despatch Detective
Crum was satisfied that he had made an important
arrest. but carefully guarded his secret from the
knowledge of the prisoner. Detective Jackson
rived in Poughkeepsie last Saturday by :33 p.
NJ. train to make the identification absolute and
complete.
The prisoner, without suspecting what he was
wanted for. taken from his cell and ushered into
the ante room Of the jail. where Detective Jackson
in waiting. Upon seeing the detective "Roosc-
ve started and tried to conceal his features with
his handkerchief. That's steDbins.'' said Mr..
Jackson. II think l have seen you BEFORE"
marked the prisoner. Eyes. my name is Jackson"
replied the detective "And ! suppose you have
come here to give me away rejoned the cx-convct
Detective Jackson telegraphed the particulars
leading the identification of Stebbins to Police
Headquarters yesterday. His history is well known
to the police officials and to Captain kealy. HIS
family reside in Connecticut and highly respect,
able. In consequence OF his evil doings they have
long since discarded him. He has the reputation
among people of his craft" to be one OF the most
noted in the by Others % he
this particular c.lling he was known to forge
checks on large scale. On April g. 1871. he was
sentenced to four years and nine months by Re
corder Hackett for forgery in the third degree by
good behavior his sentence commuted and he
back to Sing Sing on September 25 1876. for thrco
years for forgery and lie discharged January a.
1879, his time being again shortened by good be-
havior.
CLEVER WITH HIS PEN.
He was particularly successful as forger. Being
n good penman he could initiate with wonderful
curacy almost any signature. On the same day that
he offered the forged check to Luckev, Patt Co.
he called Mr.. CORDIALLY, harness maker. and
negotiated for the purchase of pair OF blankets.
representing himself at the same time us the OF
a respected citizen named james Roosevelt. Mr..
CORDIALLY was, however. suspicious OF his customer.
and he refused to surrender the goods without being
paid receiving guarantee that he would receive
hs money. The pseudo Roosevelt said that IL made
no difference that he would send his coachman tor
the goods. He did not return.
The manner in which he astonished the natives
of Poughkoepsic characteristic of the mans
audacity. Previously he appeared at the .Pough-
keepsie Hotel in the company OF two well known
travelling statesmen. He registered his name e.
l.. Perkins and represented himself to the hotel
clerk n drummer His intimacy with the bona fte
travelling statesmen helped to subsiantiate his stao
ment and served introduction to the clerk OF
the hotel lie was heard to say to his companions
that he would be detained longer than no
for drafts and checks from the firm. which
had been unexpectedly delayed. He remained at
the hotel about week, when he Informed the clerk
that no wanted to leave but had nothing to settle tor
his bill but check. He requested the clerk TO 90
to the bank and identity him and he would get tho
check cashed and liquidate his indebtedness to tho
establishment The clerk replied he would not put
his departing guest to that trouble that he would
cash the check himself. The check was for $50,
from which $40 was deducted for board aud the bal
nnce $50. handed to him. The check worthless,
the signature being forgery.