The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-24
A FoRaER's LOSING DEAL.
Blackshear Wondering IL Editor Lee
Has Gone Crazy.

I A1o oOaO OAoNys
As new facts develop about the trans
actions of F. NJ Lee, the missing editor o
the Blackshear Indec, the more hidden and
mysterious appear to be the motives that
prompted them.
Lee came TO Georgia about two years age
and purchased the Inder, settled down and
began business. By his correct department
he ingratiated himself into the favor Of the
Blackshear people and his paper fouTishsd
He ran accounts in Savannah with a good
many firms, and none Of them ever had the
least cause to suspect his integrity. He
borrowed money in Blackshear whenever
he wanted it, and associated with the best
people Of the place. Surrounded by favor
able circumstances, a future doomed up be-
fore him. One morning last week 1t
Is alleged that Lee was in an
old house, which had been abandoned by
Mr.. h. n. Byrd, but was used temporarily
TO store watermelons in, and there he found
a discarded check book belonging to Byrd.
The same day Lee drew up in round hand
bogus checks amounting to ii is not yet
known how many dollars. but only about
Sl5O, 1t is claimed, were passed. Lee told
his landlord where he boarded that he was
coming to Savannah for short
time and that he would pay his bill
lie did so with bogus check. He gave the
landlord, Nv. Strickland. a check for $40
on the Savannah Bank and Trust Com
pany, which was sent tc Mendel & Deitsch.
1t was returned day or two ago with the
banks mo funds" stamp on it,
Lee came to Savannah on tse next train
after giving the check and went to Lowell
q Lattimore's store on congress street, where
he met an old friend who is a clerk in the
store. The friend introduced Lee to Mr..
Lowell. Lee talked awhile, and before
leaving he asked Mr.. Lowell II he minded
cashing a small check for him. He said
that he knew nobody at the bank on which
the check was drawn. Mr.. Lowell took
the check and recognized the signature at
once of Byrd who was a good customer
he went back to the Office and took the
check up. Lee thanked him and tried to
get him to give him an advertisement for
the Indec. He invited one Of the clerks to
of going to Tybee, however. Lee
Byck and Selig's printing establishment aud
presented a $40 check. He had dealt a
good deal with the firm and then owed it
so The name of 4. l.. Acosta, one of the
largest merchants in Blackshear, was signed
to the check and Mr.. Byck readily took the
check up and paid Lee the other $50. An
other firm is said to have been drawn on for
$50.
The night found Lee on his way to Phila-
delphia. The next day when the bank was
pushing Lees checks aside because there was
no funds, Lee was losing himself TO Geor-
gia-
Lowell & baltimore realized that they
mad been ''scooped" and two days later Mr..
Byrd turned up. When the question was
put TO him as to the genuineness of the
checks he replied at once that Lee had been
forging his checks. He explained that he
discarded the old check book
and threw 1T out in a
yard back Of his store, and Lee must have
found it there. Mr.. Byrd has been in town
all the week. Mr.. Acosta wrote that it is
clear case of forgery as far as he is con-
cerned. After investigating the matter,
however, he writes the Savannah suffer
ers' that there is no cause for apprehension.
Lees outfit will doubly cover all claims
against him. Attachments from here have
been sent in and it is not at all likely that
anybody will lose anyt hing. Why did
Lee make such a losing d cal, is a puzzling
question.
1t is intimated that Lee had a partner
and the intention was TO make the forgery
scheme pan out more than it did. The
people Of Blackshear are astounded at Lees
conduct, and some of them are charitable
enough to believe that he is crazy. 1t is
not known whether an effort will be made
to apprehend Lee or not 1t is thought that
If no more claims come in to swell the in-
dehtednesS the matter will be lightly passed,
But, said Blackshear man yesterday, 'if
there should any more counties be heard
from with sums as large as those in Savan-
nah wen run the chan down u