The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-21
| PETTY SWINDLER.
Etenographer Morganstern In
Trouble Again.
THE BOGUS CHECK RACKET.
After Disreputabie Career In Seattle
He Transfers Operations to sno-
homish and Il Arrested.

Al Morcanstern. q young Jewish aenog-
$xpher al this cfty who has . bad record IN sew
eysl towns n the sound country, is under arrest
IT snohornisi on charge that promises 10 give
him term In prison. The following special 10
The PosT-IsrELLIGEscEs was received last
night:
esoHorrsH. July ao-(special IA. J. Morgsn-
esern ! settle stenogfapher, worked several
local business men on his check racket, and was
arrested today and brought before Judge Grimm
IT o'clock this evening. He procured money
checks ranging from s. to so, and drawn on the
Grififh Realty aud Banking Company OF seat
lie. MsrsheIl Brown teIegraphed SAID banking
house and found he had no credit at that he
win have bis hearing at o'clock tomorrow
evepinx Horranstern was acquainted in the
city, having been stenographer In the Mont
gomery murder trial at the last term OF court.
Morssustern has been in trouble more than
once before over similar transactions to those
for which he il now under arrest. In both Ia
coma and whstcom he was detected in the same
practice OF passing worthless checks and orders,
and OF indfscriminate borrowing, but managed
20 70 free without punishment Since his stay
in Seattle HIS queer financial transactions have
been numerous and varied. About the LIST OF
June he rented furnished house at 212 South
Eleventh street of Mr.. E. Rosenberg, whose
family was out OF town for the summer.
Two or three days later he appeared
1t the drug store of Freedom Co.,
ST. South Eleventh street, aud bought
bill of goods for which he paid cash. He then
explained that he was an official court steno-
graper and was going to Snohomish to report an
important trial, and arranged with Mr. Freeborn
toilet his vile have any needed articles during
his absence. During the week following Mrs.
Ncrganstern took from the store goods amount
ing 70 81. The same plan was adopted with
grocer and butcher in the neigh oorhood On
his return Morganstern called on the druggist
and assured him he would pay the bill as soon
~ he could get his bank account fixed, but
never did so. After repeated attempts to obtain
money Mr.. Freeborn was obliged to take Nor
eanstsfn's note for the amount OF the debt. The
butcher and the grocer are also still unpaid.
1.-THE end Of his month in Mr.. Rosenbergs
house Morgsnstern did not pay his rent and
was compelled to move out. One Of the most
yeprehensible of his tricks was the passing of a
worthless check for s. on the elevator boy OF the
Pioneer building, where he had an office for
time. Morgansteins victims have usually
been among the people of his race. His family
consists OF his wife, one small child and his
wife's sister.
Morganstern was well-known In this city as an
expert stenogrspher. lie came here last May, or
shout that time, and he has done most of his
work in the Office OF Lewis 4 Gilman. James
Hamilton Lewis, when asked about him las.
night, said. 1.-THE man seems to have
perfect mania for swindling In a small way,
drawing small checks on banks where his de-
post has run out, or drawing orders on people
who owe him no money. Lately have learned
that he had to leave whatcom for just such be-
hayIor as that. He was an excellent stenog-
1apher and did remarkably good work After he
came Into our ofilco / found out that he
had several small debts, and was In
difficulty on account OF some such
peccadilloes rs he has involved himself In now.
Out of my own pocket paid these matters off,
for thought Morganstern would really be an
honest man II he could clear himself and get
fair start. / supposed he had been having q
streak OF bad luck.
"But he has gotten himself mixed mp again.
His method is TO borrow money from some one,
and pay for II in small checks of
two, three or FIVE dollars He IL clever
enough or thinks he is clever enough to
avoid criminal prosecution by first making a
small deposit in a bank. On this he draws his
bogus checks. He will also give orders on men.
who, he says, owe him for work. In this way he
swindlcd for small sums Lee q Schlumpf, A.
Fortiouis and others.
ssFinally we had TO let him 60, and then he
went into the business of stenographer, in part
nership with one or two others Since I have
been lying sick here he sent note asking for
$lo, and saying that In getting that depended
the shelter and food for his wife and baby. /
didn't care whether he was lying or not. but
gave him an order for the money"