The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-02-19
Harrison, Who so Successfully
Swindled the Cassidy
Brothers i'm st.
Louis.
Something of His Personal His
tory and That of the
Woman Who Pass
eS as His
Wife.

ST. Louis, February IA dispatch re
ceived yesterday from Chihushus, Mexico,
announced that on Tuesday, about noon,
Detective Thomas Furlong, of St Louis,
had arrested at chihuahua VIM. Z. Harri-
BON, alias j. w. Harrison, alias VIM.
Samuels, and his alleged wife, Annie.
Harrison is charged with forgery in the
second degree in having, on the 4th of De-
cember, 1888, at Norborne, Mo-, forged one
draft of $3.50 on the firm of Cassidy Bros.
& Co., cattle dealers, of this city. The cir
cumstances surrounding the alleged crime
are peculiar aId interesting in an unusual
degree.
On the lst day of last December Cassidy
Bros. & Co. received letter purporting to
come from J. w. Harrison, a former GUS
toner of the firm, who, when they knew
him about four years ago, lived at LeIing-
ton, Mo. He is still resident of Lexing-
ton, has been Judge of the county court and
is now collector of the comfy. When he
dealt with Cassidy Bros he was in the bust
ness of buying live stock for the st. Louis
market, and had credit BY draft with The
firm FOR any sum he wanted, from 81 900
5000. He bad. as far as the Csssidys
knew, been out of the livestock business
for several years. Tine letter, signed with
his name, was dated at Norborne, Mo-, a
few miles from Lexington, stated tat he
bad moved to Norborne, and was again in
tine livestock business. The letter further
stated thai he was feeding a lot Of hogs
which were about ready for the market,
and that he had bargained with farmers of
the neighborhOod for several punches Of
cattle for delivery in the nesr future. He
asked cor quotations, and offered the stock
t. Cassidy Bros. They sent the quota
tions, and advised Harrison to ship the
hogs at once, aud hold the cattle for bet
ter market.
SOUNDING HIS VICTIM.
On December the Cassidys received
another letter from Harrison. He would
be governed by their advice and would ship
the hogs first. But he had contracted for
another consignment of cattle and might
need q little money to market them.
Would Cassidy Bros. honor his draft, as
formerly, for $500 or $1,000? The st.
Louis firm wired that that would be all
right, and instructed Harrison to send the
hogs in for Wednesdays market, drew on the
firm for what he needed. On December 5,
he did make a draft on the bank in Nor
borne for $3.50 on Cassidy Bros, and it
came through the mails in regular course
for collection. At this time Hsrri-
son had been several days 8 guest at the
principal hotel in Norborne, giving out
that he was cattle buyer engaged in pick
ing up consignment. he rode about the
L.
local livery stable, looking at various lots
of cattle held by the farmers for sale, and
engaged to purchase a large number, re-
guessing the farmers TO feed them
a few days longer, and then
be would call and take them.
He contracted with the rsiload
for fifteen stock cars, n which he
to send his purchases to st. Louis,
and the cars were duly dropped at Nor
borne for his use and run upon a side
track. He also purchased two wagon loads
of straw for bedding, TO be placed 10 the
cars, and for this he paid the cash-not a
large sum in farming community.
Meanwhile he talked glibly and huently of
cattle matters and as he seemed, moreover,
To have the names of scores of well-knOwn
residents about NorboTne at his tongues
end, he quickly came to pass at the face
Y ,Iue OF his representations as a weil-to-do
cattle operator who did business on large
scale. At the NorbOrne bank, where he
drew the check for y, 80, he
deposited a small sum of money and began
an acquaintanceship, the purpose of which
only became plain when such information
was of little value.
MOVING CAUTIOUSLY.
On December Is or Z, one Or two days
after he had drawn the draft in question,
Harrison got upon horse and rode over 10 |
Carrollton, few miles from NOrborne and |
here engaged lot of cattle, on which an
advance payment of $50 was required. |
Apparently desiring t" consumate this !
Zeal, Harrison wired back to the Norborne |
,aDk an inquiry whether his check for
500 would be honored. This inquiry, it
: believed was framed for the sole purpose
If sscertaining, without direct inquiry, |
whether the proceeds oil the draft on CASH
ly Bros & Co. had been received at the |
bank. The NOrborne bank peo-
Die, having received the money advice from
i. Louis, replied affirmatively to Harri- |
on's inquiry for credit, and al the same
ime wired the bank people at Carrollton
o pay Harrison $500. The same day after |
he Norborne bank had closed, Harrison !
ode into Norborne, diSmounted al the |
'ank, and, entering it, demanded the en-
ire proceeds of the draft, which, of course,
lie then knew was in the banks hands.
He GETS THE MONEY.
the reply was made that the bank had /
losed for the day, and that no money
Guild be paid out until the following
corning. Even then the Norborne bank
rs said il would be necessary for Harri-
on to first telegraph the Carrollton bank