Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-02
sHKEwD OPERATIONS.
Paying Large Bilis with Bogus Checks
and keeping the change.
from The Mem York Tribune,

and Keeping the Change.
iron, The Mem York 7rf5uae,
During the latter part Of 1884, Inspector
Byrnes received numerous complaints
from business houses ~ the city that a
man representing himself as Capt. D. 5.
Ward, OF the steamer Eclipse, had swim
died them by paying for oilis of goods
7 with bogus checks for larZer amounts
than the bills and receiving the difference
in change Detective 9erkeaut Frink was
in tle Jefferson Market Police Court on
Z Tuesday when prisoner was brought IN
charged with disorderly conduct. From
the description of Ward ia the detective
office FIRMS recognized him and reported
3 the matter tO Mr. BYrncs. The Inspector
seuJ Detective Sergeant Badford. who
! was acquainted with Ward, 10 Jefferson
/ Market, aud the detective identified him
I fully. Ward had been sentenced 10 six
/ months on BtacEWeiPs island Tor dispr-
/ derry conduct. but when the inspector in
/ formed Justice Duffy that there were sev-
+ erai charges of felony against him he was
/ DISCHARGED, only 10 be taken into custody
+ by Fink and RadtOrd and taken to police
Z headquarters, where be was recognized
/ yesterday by "a number of his victims.
Wards operations have been uncom-
monty shrewd. His first Job in this city
that is known by the police Was on Au-
gust 6, 1884. He went 10 the wholesale
clothing house Of Naumberg, Erause,
Lauer g. Co, at No. 657 Broadway, and
represented that he was tue Sheriff Of
I Wilkinson county, Miss, and had come
here after u prisoner. He had met his
man ~ the street, and after a desperate
Struggle, in which his clothes had been
almost torn OH, had secured him. He or
dered a 500 suit or clothes 70 be sent to
him al the Cosmopolitan Hotel. When
the messenger arrived with the clothes
Ward took them 20 his room, saying he
would return with the money. he never
returned. On October 8 Ward went to
the crOckery store Of James III. Shaw ~
Co., % Duane street, where he gave his
name as Capt. j. >. Ward, Of the steam
ship Eclipse, plying between New York
aud New Orleans. Having selected china
worth $462 for the Eclipse he paid for it
with "A 5000 check, receiving $3S in change.
He introduced himself 10 Mr.. Ernest, IA
salesman TOR the COllender Company, bill
lard-table manufacturers, at No. $50
Broadway, as Capt. Ward, Of the Eclipse,
on the same day. He intended, he said,
to set up a billiard room in New Orleans
and hdrgAlned al the morning for twelve
billiard tables.
Mr.. Ernest took the Captain out to
lunch and while they were out went INTO
the tailoring establishment Of Pettur IL
Curtis, at Seventeenth street and Broad
way, TO try on "a suit OF clothing, taking
Ward with him. Mr.. Ernest also accom-
panied him 10 the salesrOOms Of the Meri-
den Britannia Company, mt No. 46 East
Fourteenth street, where he left him.
Ward told Mr.. Phillips, the salesman at
| the Meriden COmpany's Office, that Mr..
Ernest was a relative OF his, and on the
strength of the relationship Mr.. Phillips
| permitted him TO pay bill of $3.50 for sill
verWare for the Eclipse with check for
81, ll5, giving him the balance. $3.50, in
cash. Ward then took cab and went
back to Pettus * Curtis place and order
/ ed "A suit of clothes and an OvercOat, val
ued at $3.50, which he wished sent to the
Grand Union Hotel. He paid for them
with $500 check, receiving $40 in change.
Shortly after the clothes were left at the
Grand Union Hotel Ward went after
them, representing himself as an employee
/ Of Pettus 4 Curtis, and stating that the
| goods should have been left at the Grand
1 Central Hotel.
! Two pianos. valued at ) 900, were the
/ next articles purchased Tor the Eclipse.
These were bought from the Chickering's.
When Mr.. Lincoln, the salesman, had
made the sale he took the Captain out 10
lunch. On the ground of having mutual
acquaintance in the South the Captain
!
restaurant. At Chickering'S he was re-
ferred TO 4. +. Kraemer Il Co., OF No. 1913
East Fourteenth street, as the best place
to purchase a pianO-cOyer A cover
worth $3.50 was selected and paid for with
a check for $3.50, the Captain taking the
cover with him. He purchased linen
worth 1878 for the Eclipse from Lord Il
Taylor, paying for 1t with a 81, 900 check.
lie also purchased from Lord a. Taylor
silk underwear for himself worth 500,
promising TO pay for it the next day.
This wound mp the Captains operations
In this city and he sought other pas
lures, going to Providence, Boston, Chi.
cage aud Cincinnati, and then coming
back here.
Capt. w ard achieved distinction in the
Confederate army. Ia 1864 he was arrest
ed by order Of Gen. Dix, with Captains
Kennedy and Beale, who were afterward
hanged al Fort Lafayette and GA Bedloe's
Island, respectively, tor completely in
the plot to burn the Aston House, the
Fifth Avenue, LOvej0ys, French's, the
Albetnarle, La Forge's and other we'll
I known bOtels. Ward was confined at POI
/ lice Headquarters for four months, then
transferred to Fort Lafayette and ulti-
mately liberated. He was strongly sus-
Vected OF having set fire to Barnum's cir
Gus building, at Broadway and Ann
street. in 1863. In 1878 Ward turned up
/ al " OOdvile, Miss, where he represent
ed himself as n. w Pape. of Baton Rouge,
La, and by forging PHpe's name raised
SI.1OU. lie was arrested for the crime,
DGt after years imprisonment he was
| released. lie then came 20 this city and
under the alias of Il. W. Keller. OF Wood
yille Miss, swiadled " g. Browning Il
Co., clOtnicrs, OF No 40S Broome street,