Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-15
CONFIDENCE MEN.
Swindlers Arrested by
Chief Cuddy.
A VERY IMPORTANT CAPTURE.
The Paraphernalia Consisting of
Checks, Spurious Notes, ETC.,
Taken in Charge.

For some time past Chief Cuddy
has been bothered by people coming
to him, and telling him that they
have been swindled by confidence
men. When asked to swear to COM
plant, these people refused, as it
would lead to their own weaknesses
being exposed to the public. Several
houses frequented by these confidence
men are known to the Chief, and have
been watched for some time, but
whenever plan had neared matur-
ity, they invariably became aware of
the fact and changed their locations.
| Yesterday about noon an old gentle
man, Mr.. Harmon, from New York,
went to the Chief and informed him
that he had been swin died out of three
checks on the Traders National Bank,
New York, and made payable to self
or bearer; one for $3.50, another for
5000 and a third for $1,000, in all
So $50. The Chief at once sent out
officers to notify the different banks to
stop payment ON the checks, and after
getting a description of the men,
started out in company with the old
gentleman. They visited several
houses where the Chief knew these
men carried on their business, but
without success. till happening to turn
up Fort street and point out sus-
pected honse, the old gentleman rec
ognized it as the one in which he had
been steered and induced to lose his
money.
The Chief, after knocking at the
door, walked in and tried the
door pointed out 10 him by the old
gentleman as the one in which he
had been swindled. The door was
locked, and the landlady called to
him from above regarding his busi-
ness. He went upstairs and asked
the lady politely who occupied the
room below. She got very saucy and
told him it was none of his business !;
the person who occupied that room
was a perfect gentleman, nice gen.
tlemen, and very good man, and had
many more creditable attributes.
Seeing that he was not going to pre-
vail on the lady to disclose her
lodger's name, he told her that he was
the Chief of Police and after
a deal of fattery told her she might
| be wrong in her opinion of the gen
tlemen, and again asked to be told his
name. She replied, ''No, / won't
tell you his name and 1 won't let you
go into his room.' Finding that flat
terry could or would not answer his
hn 70 f,rv
and said, "Well, madame, know he
is a tall gentleman with light NOUS
tache -" His further description
was cut short by the lady exclaiming,
81 knew you were wrong, he is a
short gentleman and has black
moustache and otherwise described
him. This was all the Chief wanted,
and, bowling politely, bade the lady
good bye and started out in search of
the lodger. On Spring street man
answering the description was ar
rested by the Chief, and when told
what he was wanted for, denied all
knowledge of the house. "To con-
| vince me-" said the Chief, "you must
60 with me to the house." and at once
proceeded to execute the idea. AS
they passed Franklin street he noticed
another fashionably-attired gentleman
in company with another old man,
and concluded that all was not right
in that direction, which suspicion was
confirmed when the 'steerer" caught
the Chief eyeing him and stopped sud-
denly and began talking to his would
be victim on the qualities of pile of
bricks that was close at hand. The
Chief had Officers Arney and Bosqui
at hand, and quietly informed them
"to shadow" the young swell. Pro-
ceeding to the house with the man he
had arrested on Spring street, he got
there just in time to see man rush
to the door and attempt to lock it.
Releasing the suspected man he
arrested the other and entered the
room and found his suspicious to be
correct. In the center of the room
was fancy table strewn with
bank notes, registers, checks,
dictionaries, a copy of the
american Bank reporter, number of
Louisiana lottery tickets, bank checks
Of all Los Angeles banks and most of
the prominent banks of the United
States, also a McKillot & Sprague
commercial register, piece o. black
satin with numbers and prizes painted
on it in gold, an assortment of tickets
and cards with numbers and number
of cards with the following inscription !:
zone dollar. This ticket entities the
holder to one chance in special draw
ing"
There were two packages of coun-
terfeit greenbacks of $4,000 each, with
two $50 bills (genuine) on the outside,
and about $500 in genuine greenbacks.
The Chief then told the officer to ar.
rest the other little man, and Officer
Bosqui succeeded in capturing him on
Main street. He was taken to the
police station and gave his name as
Henry Carey, and was charged with
grand larceny. The man arrested by
the Chief gave his name as James
Ward.