Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-19
HIS GAME FAILEo.
A Forgsr Brought 20 Grief at d. o. ieiiis
s. Co.'s Bank.

A Forgsr Brought 20 Grief at d. o. 1niii'
s. Co.'s Bank.
The National Bank of d. o. Mills & Co. yestef-
day received telegram, in cipher. from the
Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles
to pay $500 to o. II. Bliss An hour or two after
ward dark, tall and rather good-looking man.
about S5 years of age, wearing luxuriant brown
mustache, entered the bank and asked for the
money stating that he was o. H. Bliss. He
promptly signed the receipt which was pre-
sented to him, and Frank Miller, the cashier,
informed him 1t would be necessary for him to
bring some one TO identify him or his signature
The stranger took the receipt and went out, re-
turning soon afterward with the name of
Charles +. Gardiner on the receipt as witness
TO his signature. MIR. Miller looked at the re-
eeipt, and was satisfied that it was q clumsy
forgery OF MI. Gardeners signature He there
fore detained Bliss in conversation while assist
ant cashier Dillman summoned Mr.. Gardiner
and officer Farrell. When they arrived Mr..
Gardner said he had never seen the man be-
fore, and had not signed the receipt. Officer
Farrell took the forger into custody and locked
him up at the station-house.
1t was then ascertained that the cunning
stranger had been laying his plans for couple
OF days to secure Identification. On the day
previous he wrote TO Mr.. Gardiner, stating that
he had been referred 10 him by friends in Los
Angeles as good authority in land matters
and that as he desired to purchase some land he
would like to see him. Mr.. Gardiner called at
the western Hotel, and not finding him in, left
note requesting him to call al his Office. In
this way the forger obtained the signature he
attempted to copy. his effort wss a very I'M
sklllful one and did not deceive the cashier for
a moment.
Bliss went into Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Office
Wednesday evening aid sent a package to
Denver, which he said was worth $500, and used
the receipt as an evidence of his identity and
wealth. He probably thought that this Trans
action would secure his Identification at Wells
Fargo d Co.'S, for he telegraphed to the Far
mer and Merchants Bank to send $500 to o. II.
Bliss by Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express. The
bank sent the money by telegraph, aud that is
what spoiled his game, although it is not likely
that he could have secured the money from the
express company without further Identification
1t is supposed that H. o. Bliss is d5positor in
the bank at Los Angeles, and that the forger
knew he was absent from that city and tele- |
graphed fer the money TO be sent here. When
searched at the station house there was found
on his person large pocket-book, containing
number OF photographs, among them two taken |
IN Aussig, Prussia, one of them being that of |
Prussian officer, and greatly resembling the |
prisoner, three cases of cheap jewelry a watch !
and chain, two silk handkerchiefs a Cleveland
and Thurman badge and sixty cents in money |
The bank officials telegraphed at once to the |
bank in Los Angeles, to ascertain if the dispatch
really came from them, as it is possible that |
some confederate of the man arrested here has |
gotten possession of the cipher used by the |
banks, and that the telegram was also fraud. |
No reply has yet been received. Mr.. Miller does |
not think it likely, however, that any one has |
got possession oftheir cipher.