New-York tribune., 1886-01-22
CAPTURE OF A FAMOUS FORGER.
AMAN WHO oHAs MADE MANY BANKS SUFFER
J. C. HALE, ALIAS BOWMAN, ALIAS HOGAN, ETC,
CAuGHT IN ONE OF HIS TRICKS.

J. C. HALE, ALIAS BOWMAN, ALIAS HOGAN, ETC,
CAUGHT IN ONE OF HIS TRICKS.
CHICAGO Jan. 21.-Acting for the Chicago
Bankers Association which had become aware OF a
skilfu and dangerous gang Of forgers who had been
operating In the West the Pinkerton National Detective
Agency succeeded In arrestDg here today the supposed
leader in the person OF j. G. Hale The first heard OF
these forgers in the West at Lima Ohio where a
stranger called the Merchants National Bank on Aug
ust 1885, and handed its collector draft drawn by
the First National Bank OF Fulton, N w. on the Mercan-
tile National Bank OF NewYork City, in favor of How.
ard Wood Tho draft called for $1,000, having been
raised from $5 Wood disappeared and was not heard
from until August 49, when letter received from
him asking the cashier to forward the money TO Pin.
coming Bay County, Mich, as his time was so occupied
that he could not return to Lima When the cashier
sent the money to the Adams Express Company the
agent was a little suspicious and had dilliRent'
made In the matter aud it was discovered that
the draft forged.
The ne heard of the forsers Portland, oregon
where they had successfully passed or number OF
forged checks the various banks OF tnat
CITY They then Butte City and Helena, Mont,
and succeeded in passing So 900 forged cherk on the
First National Bank OF the former place. They also
made victims in Oakland and San Francisco, CAL FROM
points they drfted back East In the meantime
making attempts to forged papers on the 1iherent
banks I'm st. Paul In December perfect folged drait
OF 81 300 drawn By tho First National Bank Of Chicago
and signed the of George W. Meeker, was sent
by the Bank OF Elmore OF Elmore, Ohio to the First
National Bank OF Chicago for collection Meekers ap-
pearance that or an apt quick business man. no
wrote to cashier of the bank at Emore TO forwardthe
amount currency him OF his hotel at BLACK
Rock. Instead OF doing this, the cashier sent him
draft which him. asihe could not collect
1t without Identification. lie wrote back to the cashier
OF the bank at Elmore the following:
"If you had sent the currency I wonld have
thought you good fellow. With regrets that my
scheme did not work, permit me to sign myself,
"GEoRGE MEEKER."
The receipt OF this news woke up Mr.. Gage, OF the
First National Bsnk and other Chicago bankers and an
investigation begun. " A. Pinkerton ascertained
tha, drafts used by theexperts came from pron
nent Autograph house in Chicago An inquiry revealed
the fact that tell twelve weeks three men called
at the house and stated that they about embarkng
IN the banking business West and wished TO look
at some samples of drafts While examining the differ
ent styles they undoubtedly stole number OF blank
forms from among the samples. which by an oversight
mad not been punched as they should have been
In the interim forgers had succeeded In beating the
St. Joe County Savings Bank. OF South Bend Ind, out
of 81 0O0 which they obtained in precisely the same
| manner as tho ElmOre scheme was worked, giving
draft purpOrtng be the Fourth National Bank OF
New-York City. This draft was sent forward for col
lection aud day two afterward letter was received
from Chicago the stranger who had deposited the
draft stating that he compelled TO return TO
'"N''SJ - '-
care of John Lee, No 1O7 Mchlganst, Chicago. Ac-
eordiney, as tue Fourth National Bank OF New-York
had honored the draft the bank ut South Bend for"
warded the amount directed About this time a
draft on the Fourth National Bank OF New-York was
deposited In the First National Bank OF Lapore. Ind,
for collection under similar circumstances, but
| the bank authorities instead of sending the
! money as directed to Lees address. sent decoy
package and tho police were Informed as 20 what they
| had done. watch placed on Lee, VINO keeps q
| afnh at NO Micnlglu-SC,
the uame OF Mann IN this Instance The express com
saye Mann and as Lee could tell little about Mann, they
would not give up the package to Lee. The express
company. however. left word with him that II Mann
would cali at the express office lie could get the package
| Mann did DO this, hut sent telegram from Lake
Forest ILL., ordering the package delivered 10 Lee whcn
| the express company refused TO do. va, 60.
on January %sn & apP1s5Sa % az ySf ne fGG T6e %
j. f. Hale. and under circumstances similar to those al
VIII County Bank. of Joliet H. leaving 1t for collection
Upon the arrival of this draft at Chicago Mr. Gage;
OF tho First National Bank. immediately pronounced
the paper forgery As usual letter was written post
marked Chicago requesting that the money De % i9r,
! South Halstead-st Chicago Instead OF sending tne
package Richards the detectives had postal card
sent & by 1ss for aS Rcha called at the cx
press office Last Thursday and presented NE claim LOT
dseetiyes He furnished the detectives with good de
scrpton Of Hale aud told them where to una MIN lie
give any OF himself and protested that he was
not Hale and that liae was meary an aeqlanIahce oi
Guaintance Pinkerton recognized him crook whom
the agency had arrested under like circumstances years
ago lie recalled him as J. G. Bowman. alias Hogan,
and various other names. otimo expert thief ana
nal of the notorious Glib EOst, now serving four
tsen-year sentence ut Michigan City, Ind.
Hale was associated with Alexander McGregor
robbers twenty years ago. For tho last six weeks
he has beou staying the Commercial Hotel under the
name OF Collins and received his kilograms there His
arrest has kept secret for the purpose OF capur
ing his oonfederates Bowman or Hale is about forty
five years old feet eight nine Inches In heghtsn
OF bnili stopped ard round shOuldered having almost
hump on his back When walking ho carries his head
bent we'll forward He has served two terms in the
Clinton prison. Demsrara y. Y, amounting to eight
and Onehaf years. Among his exploits In that state
are said 70 be the successful forgery OF drafts for 27OO
on bank al Catskll and $1,000 at Troy. He was
held for examination until January 80 III Dohus oi
$s. 600.
U