Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-16
MEN NOT WHAT THEY SEEN.
A Nice Looking North Bend Youths
Unseemly Department
A DISHONEST COL oReD SOLDIER.
Corporal Lewis OF Fort Robinson
Locked up For Swindling- General
Hatch Seriously Injured-Zim-
norman Entcrtains.
A Co,ored Soldiers Escapades.

FoRT RoBINsoN, Neb., March 15.-[Special
to THE BEE. IA colored soldier, Corporal
George Lewis, Troop /, Ninth cavalry, late
sergeant major of the Twenty-fourth infau-
try, was confined in the guard house at this
post to-day, with a charge against him as a
deserter from the Ninth cavalry, also
charges Of forgery and uttering false checks.
Friday of last week, Lewis, who has had
several financial transactions with B. S.
Paddock, the post trader, called upon Mr..
Paddock's business manager, l.. II. Free
man, and deposited with him n United States
paymasters deposit book purporting to be
signed by several paymasters now in the
service, making it appear that Lewis had
$500 on deposit with the United States. This
move of Lewis was evidently to induce a
counter current of confidence in Mr.. Pad
docks establishment. Lewis, who was
about leaving ON six months furlough,
took a walk to Crawford, three miles dis
tant, returned the same evening
and presented draft to Mr.. Free
man, the draft being drawn for
5000 in his 1ewiso favor, by some mythical
individual in New York City by the name of
Dunn. MIR. Freeman, not suspecting Lewis,
advanced him $3.50 on the draft and drew Il
check for the balance which only awaited
the signature of b. S. Paddock. Mr.. Pad.
dock being out at the time Mr.. Freeman told
Lewis to call in an hour ana in the meantime
he examined the draft and deposit book more
thoroughly. His suspicious became aroused.
He telegraphcd TO the First National bank
of Omaha, the draft being payable there as
to the condition of Dunn's account. The
bank promptly wired that Dunn was un-
known. Mr.. Freeman then interviewed
Lewis regained nearly all the cash he let
him have on the draft, and induced Lewis TO
wire his friend Dunn in New York as to the
lack OF funds, but the telegraph people
could not locate Dunn there. Lewis begin
ming to think that things were getting too hot
shit the trail" General Hatch who COM
mands the garrison and who never has al
lowed a deserter to escape, by some means
got on the track of Lewis and had him arrest
ed at Alliance Neb., to which place he sent
Lieutenant Preston and detail of three men
to bring him back 1t now transpires that
while in Alliance, and before his arrest,
Lewis bought several large bills of goods
from merchants there and offered in pay
ment check of General j. S. Brisbin for
$3.50. The Alliance merchant would have &C
cepted the check were it not that he did not
have sufficient cash on hand to pay the diff
of the check. 1t is needless to say that the
signatures on the deposit book and the draft
and check of General Brsbin We're all forg-
cries. Lewis has the reputation of being q
smart individual and writes splendid hand.
His record has been good during his time in
the Twenty fourth infantry and his present
regiment, the Ninth cavalry, but the chances
are that he will fare very badly indeed at
the hands of the military and civil authori-
ties. 1t is understood that he has defrauded
quite number of local traders at Crawford,
who all intend to prosecute him to the full
extent of the law.