, 1890-01-12
A PlOUS OLD FRAUD.
A. Benton, Preacher, Tries TO
Swindle Banks.
He Twice Offers a Forged Draft
For 81, 1000.
Attempts the Robbery in Nebraska
and is Jailed.

n. DculOus IL DlOuo u uhoNl Az
old fraud whose long white whiskers
sifted Cheyenne breezes about the first OF
the month, is in Jail at Sidney. Neb.. on
the charge of attempted negotiation of a
forged draft for s.. 900 on the Capital
National bank Of Salem, Ore.
Two city banks were importuned to
accept the shrewd swindler's paper, but
were too farsighted to be robbed by even
so plausible a a fraud as the nice old man
who couversed SO charmingly.
Benton made Sidney his headquarters
when he came to this section about five
weeks ago. He announced himself as a
Salem, Ore, capitalist looking for invest
ment and readily accepted a big block of
stock ina canal company to reclaim an
area winch included a vast scope of coun-
try and took in the towns of Sidney
and Kimball. Neb., and Sterling.
Colo. He said he would build a few
school houses and churches along
the canal and to prove his faith preached
at Sidney and accepted the Bible class OF
the Sabbath school as an individual
charge. Benton thought that the cOun.
try needed a few Touring mills, and per-
haps a beet sugar plant, and said he
would organize companies to launch these
enterprises. .
The con6diDg grangers with whom
Benton came in contact were captured by
his winning ways aud his reckless hand
ling. in his mind, of large sums of money.
His affected piety carried great weight.
for he looked like a man without sin.
Indeed. he seemed in the abstract. a
grown up Lord Fauntleroy. He was men
toned for congress and lesser offices. but
said he was only a business man and a
laborer in the Lords vineyard without po-
litical aspirations.
Benton's date of advent in Cheyenne
was December 81, 1889. He brought let
tiers from Sidney people to a cou-
pie of prominent local attorneys and to
business men. These. with clippings
from Kimball, Sterling and Sidney
papers he showed at a bank
here New Years day. Benton
also exhibited a draft for s $1,000, and
said he would next day draw $1,000,
$4,000 on deposit, and that one
Of the attorneys to whom he was intro.
iuced by letter would identify him. This
was satisfactory to the bank people, but
Benton did not return for the money
After hours the mex day he was seen in
another Cheyenne financial institution.
and it was learned that his bank story.
evidently prepared for this city. was again
recited without exciting suspicion on ac-
count of the references gwen. Benton
did not again call on this bank, but re-
turned to his Nebraska and Colorado ad
mirers.
In the meantime Marshal Schnitger re.
ceived from j. II. Albert, cashier of the
bank at Salem. Ore, a telegram con-
tanning the information that a former
resident of that place was in this country
and was very likely to try to mulct some
bank for a few thousand. Benton's
name was given, with a complete descrip-
ton of the old hypocrite and the state
ment that his face and manners would
delude almost anyone.
Marshal Schnitger located Benton and
warned the banks he was likely to APP
proach. telling the sheriffs also. This was
extremely fortunate for the financiers of
Sterling and Kimball Benton attempted
his robbery at each Of these places. The
banker at Sterling politely declined, of
fering the excuse that the advancement
of so large a sum as So, 900 would cripple
his business. At Kimball the refusal was
so gruff hat Benton said he would make
no Investment In that town and hurried
to Sidney. AT the latter place he was ar
rested Yesterday morning. Marshal
Schnitger, who has conducted the case,
was notified and wired Cashier Albertsat
Salem. Mr.. Albert answered hat his
bank desired Benton prosecuted and
wanted the Kimball people to. proceed
against him at once. This will doubtless
be done.