The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-21
FORGERS Run DOWN.
Man Who Swindled Three Seat
tie Banks in Jail.
BREAKING UP A CLEVER GANG.
Frauds on Three Banks to Amount OF
$4,000 Reveaied-Two Of the Gang
Csptured-Fighting Hard.

country has brought to light the iact tnat
q year ago three of the Seattle banks were
swindled out of 81, 900 by the leader OF the
gang. The facts were kept close
secret a. the time, and even no"
they cannot be all obtained, but II mas
been definitely ascertained that last March
the North End bank cashed forged DRAFT
for 81. 900, and Dexter Horton & Co. cashed
one for 81, 800. Another bank was caught
for 81, 800, but it was impossible to learn
the name Of il.
The man who carried ont the swindle
passed himself of here as Albert Hunter,
though his real name is A. j. Conover.
He conducted his operations on the pre-
tense of buying real estate. He would
wander into real estate office
and look at maps and plats IN
til he attracted the attention of some
member Of the firm. Then a conversation
would ensue. in which the pseudo Mr..
Hunter would express a desire TO invest IN
some real estate here. After several visits
he would ask the real estate man to give
him check in return for some cash,
as he did not like to carry
much money in his pocket. The real
estate man, eager to oblige prospective
purchaser, would readily do this, and
thus Conover learned point essential TO
his game-the name of the bank where
the real estate man did business. Next,
he would ask to see some property,
and would be taken out to look at
this or that addition. The property
would not suit him and he would get his
man to show him something else. This
would suit him exactly-he would admire
the view, the character of the property
and surroundings, and announce his in
tention to purchase a lot and build on
it. Then he would become curl
Gus about the future neighbors and
ascertain who lived in that house, who
was going to build on this and that lot, ali
with the intention of lulling the real estate
man into security and making sure of car
rying through his game. Then the couple
would return to the Office and Mr.. Hunter
would arrange terms. He would offer
to pay, say 500 down, and the balance
within thirty days, remarking that he had
a draft for 81 500, but needed the balance
of the money for other purposes. Such
prompt payment Of the whole
amount would be readily accepted,
and the real estate man would
accompany his customer to the bank and
ter. Mr.. Hunter would then cash his
draft, return to the real estate Office, 81 n
and receive the papers, pay the 500 and
walk out 81, 400 ahead.
During the negotiations with man, the
genial Mr.. Hunter would take an oc-s-
sional cigar or drink with him and Oh
these little social occasions secure intro
auctions TO various gentlemen. whose &C
quaintance might prove useful IN enabling
him 10 find other victims and in inno-
Gently spreading the news that he was an
Eastern capitalist making some invest
ments.
Il was by these methods that the sup
posed Mr.. Hunter simultaneously carried
on deals with three real estate firms
in different parts Of the city,
who did business with different
banks. He brought all these deals
10 close on the same day, March 6, 1891.
got his cash and departed He next went
10 Tacoma. successfully worked the same
game there and then continued his opera
tons through the cities east of here.
The drafts were all filled in in the same
handwriting, believed 70 be that of a
woman. They were drawn on Ford.
Boghton & Co. of Burton, O., though
that firms name is really Boughton. Ford
4 Co. They were handsomely Autographed
and had the amount perforated in them
with a red strip pasted under the per-
foration. The transportation OF the
names and the omission of q letter
from the name Boughton were de-
hberate, with the intention of leaving
a ioophole OF escape from charge of for
gerry. In other details the imitation is
carefully exact. The drafts were promptly
returned by Boughton, Ford & Co., with
the information that they were furgerles.
Two Of the yictimiZed banks determined
TO run down the forgers at any cost. and
put Albert Lucas. the detective. on the
trail His investigation had not
been going on many days be-
fore he found that he was on the
track, not Of single forger nor OF
g novice in the business. but Of an old
hand who was one OF a gang. This gang
had worked banks in all parts OF the
| mon, and in the course o: few years
had obtained about $ll0.Cy9 by their frauds.
They are all Canadians. Conover, the
leader. hailiuG from Vaughan. Ont
One Of his rest pupils is Henry Ga-bGtt.
OF the same place, who has married his
daughter, and another i James McGloch.
Of Ay.iue-, Ont. There are three or four
Others, one OF whom Is believed 20 be a
woman. Uu; these are the only ones whose
names are known.
A. soon IS the extent Of the frauds had
been learned, the search was extended TO
include the whole gang, and the continent
vas secured from the Canadian cities 10
the Mexican boundary. Il developed that
t44 EH.. So.
az almost the same time as those in
Seattle. Ga-tg,t, NcG.och and another
member OF the gang. all expert horse
traders, wen. 10 Texas 70 buy horses.
En- man operated in a different town.
distant enough from the others 20 avoid
danger tina; the men from whom they
we're buying would meet, compare
notes Srd have then susu,cions
aroused. Then they proceeded 10 buy
horses, being IS particular about their
purchases as their confederate, Conoyer.
was about his res! estate in iu.s city. They
sll brought matters 10 focus on the same
dav. and at o'clock on the morning Of
March ,, 1871, McGioch cashed a 1850
draft at the Citizens Natona!
bank Al Waxahatchie, Ga-bUtt cashed
smother at the Van Alstyue branch
Of the city bank Of sherman. and
the third man oashed one Tor the same
smouut AZ the home office Of the city
bank Of Sherman. In each case they We're
identified by the man who was selling the
horses. snd paid small amount 10 bind
the sac one Texan was pat of with
s. payment. Then they all boarded GER
tain trains. which had been agreed upon
beforehand. met midway and headed for
their old Canadian home.