West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-05-29

A Lawyers Predicament.

What is known as the western Hotel
game was tried on an ordinarily sharp
Boston lawyer recently, and was frustrated
through the shrewdneSs of bank cashier.
but 10 the extreme discontinue OF the law
yer. The operator was young and at.
tractive woman, aud the victim was
Charles f. Allen, having an office in Penn.
berton Square. The development of the
case was full of surprise To all concerned.
Late one afternoon the young woman in
question drove up in n carriage TO the
National Security Bank. ON Court street.
and on entering the bank presented "A check
for : 900, signed by Charles T.. Allen.
The gentleman has had frequent dealings
with the bank, and from the fact that some
time ago several blank checks had been
stolen freih his check book. and few had
been subsequently presented at different
places for payment with forged signatures.
the bank officers were particularly eau.
tious in paying out money ON checks pur
porting to be drawn by him and presented
by strangers. Accordingly the cashier,
Mr.. Charles II. Bait, when the check was
presented, became at once suspicious, and
stepped to the President to ask whether he
should give the money. AS the woman
was giving the closest attention at the
time, the President thought il pru-
dent TO reply IN the affirmative As
soon AS the teller had begun count
ing out the bills the cashier slipped
out of the bank unpcrccived, and hastened
to the detectives headquarters in Pember-
ton Square. Officers Wade and Hcrsom
Immediately hurried TO the scene of the
transaction, and. as bpt few moments
had passed since the presentation OF the
check, the woman was still there. After
the officers had stationed themselves out
side, the cashier entered and informed the
woman that no payment would be made.
She then started to leave, and was arrested
by the detectives, who took her To their Of
hcc On the way she attempted to swallow
the paper that had caused so much trouble,
but this was prevented. The woman gave
the name OF Louisa Silvan, and on search
ing her, keys were found To rooms in the
Revere House Then followed the sur
prises. The detectives first went to the
lawyer office in Pemberton Square, conf
dent that he would prove the signature on
the check as forgery. But the lawyer
was out. They then repaired to the Re-
we're House, and in answer To an inquiry if
Louisa Sllvan was stopping there, was
shown TO an apartment i'm the hotel I'm
locking the door with the KEYS which had
been found, what was the detectives as
tonishment at discovering the very lawyer
OF whom they had been i'm search,
without his coat and appearing
very much ashamed at being caughl
in the predicamcnt Questioning him,
the detectives were told that he had
heen invited by the woman To cal
at her room TO see about the Durchase of
some real estate. He complied with her
request, and once at the hotel the woman
induced him TO remove his coat Then,
before he was aware of her design, she had
thrown that garment into her trunk and
locked 1t. Turning upon the bewidcred
lawyer she demanded $4,000 or threat
ened TO ring the bell and call the police.
Finally she reduced the sum 20 81 900 and
check for the amount was given her,
when she left, taking the precaution TO lock
the door, aud promising 10 let her prisoner
go in case the money was paid. The wo-
man is unknown to the detectives.