The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-12-01
A YOUNG SCOUNDREL.

YOUNG SCOUNDREL.
Arrest and Return Of Young Theirs, tho
Aeno~ha Swtntl'er, to the Scene OF His
forRertes-What He Has to Say Reesrding
His Crime.
A Konoeha Wis, reporter Of tho Chicago
News, interviewed Herbert Theirs, in the Ke-
nosha Jail, after his arrest in Chicago. and re-
turn to the scene o! his rascality. He ex-
pressed bis Willingness to take the medicine, ~
"a be called it Said he:
This case has been much exaggerated, and tho
amount OF money is not nearly large Is has been
stated.
What have YOU done with all this money! It's
gone: that's all know.
summer in New York stocks while you were on
your visit there? dealt in stocks, and lost some
money. but not a large amount
From his conversation it seems that he first
ing got into it too deep for retreat, he letter
mined to use all the talents he possessed to de-
fraud the victims.
BRo1HER's VISIT
His brother Edward visited him in Jail. and
consoled him as much rs possible. The best
legal talent will be engaged in his defense. and
all efforts possible made to get him Of with q
light punishment Atpresent there seems to be
an under-currens Of sympathy setting in in hia
favor, but his victims are fixed in their deter
mlnation to get justice. Last summer he made
an extended trip to the East. visiting Saratoga,
New York and other places. 1t is claimed that
large amount of his means we're lost in spec
uiation IN these cities. His principal victims
are George Yule and Adolph Gnshard and thew
propose to prosecute him to the fullest extent
of the Law. To both Of these men he sold the
forged Pennoger water cure mortage, realizing
So, 600 each time. The mortgage was also
sold to several other parties.
Ihier'6 mode Of forcing apnafnros has az
last been discovered The bank notes came
from the printers hands in tablet form printed
on prepared paper. This paper possessed some
of the qualities Of the kind used in Offices, and
known as manifold. 1t seems that when =
person signed his name to bona fde note, tho
blank one Immediately beneath it on tho block
would also receive the outlines of the sigma
ture After the victims departure, the blank
space was filed and the signature touched up
and made more natural If he wished q mort
gage signed he would ask the victim to Sign 4
receipt for some small sum, and he would
place the paper on the mortgage over the place
where the signature was required on that srti-
Gle The man thus signing the receipt would
leave > trace of his name on the mortgage, and
the forgery would be completed after his de-
parture.
HOW THE ARREST WAS MADE.
The intimstion that Theirs was III Chicago
reached the police two weeks ago last Monday.
At z O'Clock in the morning q well-dressed
man Of nearly middle age walked into the Gen.
trail station in hesitating way and asked for
Chief McGarigle. He was told that he could
not see him at that time, and he hung around
several minutes Is though undecided what to
do He would not tell his business to the sta
tlon-keeper, but asked for one Of tie detec-
tives. Charles AmsteiD, who was sleeping in
an adjoining room, was accordingly ronsed up,
and the stranger admitted to his bedside. He
first asked if there was = reward offered for
N 1$ So,
wanted to know why he was 90 inquisitive,
and he said that he thought he knew
where the young man was to be
found. Amstein got up and searched the dis
patch book for particulars in the case, but
failed to find auyth,ng about the reward. He
and the mai At once said that he had seen
Theirs that very evening. The curiosity Of the
detective vas aroused, and he told his midnight
acquaintance to call again in the forenoon of
the following day, and he would in the mean
time find out about the reward Tho stranger
came ~ requested, and was closeted with
Lieut. Currier. He said he understood that
there was . reward Of So, 600, and he thought
his information was worth good share of that
amount. The lieutenant assured him that
only one-fOurth of that sum had been offered,
and said in any case he could not promise him
he chose to give the police s'polnter'' he
would be doing them great favor. After some
further higgIins the stranger said that 10
would
POINT OUT THE HOUSE,
and took Detectives Amstein and Gallagher to
set in the ncighborhood, and Amstein learned
in the course Of q few days that man answer
ing the description Of the swindler was stop
ping there, but he could not in any way posi-
lively identify him. So . week passed BY and
Rothlng of consequence transpired. One day,
however, certain young gentleman who was
known to be Theirs intimate friend called at
the house and went to the room supposed to
be occupied by the concealed attorney. At
another time the house was visited BY q gen.
tleman who vas afterward followed to hotel,
where he was booked as from Kenosha.
In this way the case was slowly developed,
and OH Monday forenoon, Amstein, Gallagh CHER,
Beck and Reid went to the house and effected
the arrest 1t is almost certain that Mrs.
Phelps knew whom she was entertaining, for
Theirs told one Of the detectives that although
he WAS not aware how they found out his
yet he felt sure that she would
never have exposed him If he had remained in
the house for thirty years. The remark was
made on the steps of No. 20 Throop street, at
the time of the arrest He afterward said that
four Of his particular friends in Kenosha came
to Chicago couple of weeks ago and got on a
grand carouse. and he thinks that they gave his
hiding place away to some of their companions.
He probably struck the truth, for the stran-
ger, who woke Amstein At 2 o'clock in the
morning, told the detective that he accidental
~ overheard . conversation between four gen.
tlemen very much inebristed, who were 6riuk-
ing wine in saloon ON West Madison street,
near Throop. They associated Theirs alias
"Jesse," with the name Of woman whom he
knew lived at 20 South Throop, and in fact
very nearly gave away the whole AGAR. The
police will not say whether their informant
lived in the came house or not, but the proba-
bility is that he Was total stranger to al par
ties concerned. His name is known to Lieut.
Currier, but that official considers it matter
of profession secrecy, and absolutely refuses
to disclose anything likely to establish his
identity.