The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-24
ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD.
A Forged Express Receipt Sent to this
City from Bangor-Eseape
of the Forger.

The Bangor Commercial says that for some
time past there have been in circulation reports
that young man well known in Bangor, and
who has been engaged in selling goods on the
road for Shaw, Hammond & Carney of this city
was guilty of crookedness in his transactions.
The facts of the case as far as can be ascer-
tanned are that Ell. G. Dunton, formerly in the
employ of Thurston, Bragg & Co., of Bangor,
but now with the above firm, has from time to
time made collections of those he sold goods to
and RENTED to his house by express.
In November, $780, Dunton sent to the Port
land firm by the American Express Company
from Bangor $118102. For this amount he
held the receipt of the Express Company OF
that date Last month the Portland firm re-
ceived a receipt, dated Sept. 10Th, for the same
amount as was sent last November, which they
took to the express Office in Portland for the
purpose of getting the package OF money
called for in the receipt. AS no such package
had been received nothing was paid by the Ex-
press Company.
On enquiry at the Office in Bangor it was as
certaned that no snch package as called for on
the receipt had been received by them.
Upon further investigation it was found that
the receipt had been changed and that the re-
ceipt of November 1880, had been altered to
September 10, 1881 The receipts of the ex-
press company are changed every year. The
receipt of 1881 differs from the one of 1880 by
having on the back of it printed map OF the
lines of railroads used by this company, while
the back of the receipt of 1880 is imprinted.
1t is believed that it was Dunton's intention
to insist that he paid the money to the Express
Company, and while they were investigating
the matter gain time to get away with the
funds he had collected from parties to whom
he had sold goods.
Messrs. Hammond and Carney of the firm
went to Frankfort few days ago where they
found Dunton and carried him to Bangor.
They stopped at the Bangor House. They
were confident that he would explain and set
tie the matter all right, and while they went
to breakfast they left him alone. On coming
from breakfast to their establishment Dunton
could not be found, he having awaited himself
of the opportunity Of getting off, and his
whereabouts at the present time are unknown
This is not the first questionable transaction
that Dunton has been engaged in. While IN
the employ of Thurston, Bragg q Co. OF Ban
gor he collected money from parties to whom
he sold goods, and failed to credit them with
the amount This transaction was not discov-
cred until the firm were aboat to close up their
business with him, when he acknowledged
that he had used the money and that he would
pay it back to them, if it would be hushed up.
This was done and with the exception Of TAX
ing from him written statement of what he
had done the affair was settled.
Parties in Carmel are bondsmen to the Port
land firm to secure them against loss from him,
and they will probably be called upon to make
good what loss his employers may be to by his
shortage of cash.
The American Express Company are not to
any loss on his account except what they may
pay out in ferreting out this attempt to
defraud through them. Officers are on the
outlook for him, and it is but question of
time before his arrest will be effected as he is
well known in the eastern part OF the State.