The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-15
She Operated From Minnesota
to Alabama.
HER MOTHER LIVES IN SEATTLE.
Mrs. Annie N. Murphy, Formerly of
Tacoma, Comes to Grief at Last.
Tacoma Shocked by Revelations as to
Opium smoking by Boys-The Great
Northern Preparing to Put Steamers
on SOund-Atrocious Idaho Murder.

TACOMA, Dec. 4-tspecial Mrs. Annie NJ.
murphy, OF Tacoma. was arrested today at
Huntsville. Ala, while attempting to cash
forged cashiers draft for $3.50 on the National
BANK OF Commerce, OF this city Already ii is
known that she has, during the past month,
uttered $2,Sa5 OF forged drafts, ali of which
have been made out on the forged National
Bank OF Commerce drafts to which the name of
Cashier j. w. Wallace was crudely forged. In
uttering the draft she has Jumped quickly from
81 Cloud, MIMI, to South Pueblo, Col. to 81.
Louis. No., to Houlton. Me-, aud to Huntsville,
Ala Beside being very slick forger, it is be-
lieved from information in the hands OF Cashier
Wallace that she has at times appeared in male
attire. At South Pueblo she was introduced in
mems clothes at the Central National bank by
prominent merchant. She then passed under
the name OF Howard.
Three years ago she left Tacoma and her hus-
band. who was then "a wood dealer aud who now
resides here. She went away without giving
much notice aud without ample explanation.
Her husband followed her to the depot,
but she would not return home. Since
she left Tacoma il has been generally under
stood that she had forgotten her friends here.
1t is not known that she ever returned, but she
must have had some sort of confederate here or
at least received copy OF q National Bank OF
Commerce draft, in order To begin her opera
uons "a i0rger
She has stated during her draft-forging trip,
that she was the daughter of Senator McCrae,
formerly of ST. Cloud, Mimi, now OF Spokane,
and that her mother. Sebrna McCrae, resided
on Second street, Seattle. In order to find out
if she had confederate at Seattle, an officer
was sent there to engage room adioiu-
ing that of the alleged Mrs. McCfae.
King Countys prosecuting attorney was
also furnished with data by Cashier
Wallace and Chief of Police Davis, and he has
been quietly working up the case When Mrs.
Murphy was here she read many blood and
thunder novels and delighted to tell mysterious
dime novel style detective stories. She was con-
sidered mysterious by her lady friends, and
when she went away suddenly many said it was
"iust like her."
For three weeks past there have been indefin-
ite squibs in Eastern newspapers regarding a
successful woman forger. In most instances,
after she had a draft cashed and had skipped"
her victims have wired the National Bank OF
Commerce here, asking if her drafts were all
right. These queries have become so numerous
that Cashier Wallace has had the following dis
patch ready to fash back over the wires on all
occasions:
"Draft forgery. Catch forger Reward offered
Answer"
The reward referred to was offered by the
Chase National bank, OF New York, after il had
cashed $500 worth of Mrs. Murphy's bogus
drafts. The drafts had come to them IN largo
that white instead of pink safety paper was
used, also that the National Bank of Commerce
used a lthograph draft, while Mrs. Murphy's
forgery was simply printed duplicate. Be-
sides, Cashier Wallace's signature was not
good forgery. The Chase National bank noticed
all this after it had cashed 5000 worth and was
out that amount
So far as reported, Mrs. Murphy began opera
tions at ST. Lonis, where she worked Off two
drafts, one for $S5 on John Mclean, a jeweler.
and $l65 on a national bank. Mclean inquired
about the draft given him, but did SO in q
way that aroused Cashier Wallace's suspicious.
and the latter asked for particulars by mail,
Mrs. Murphy disappearing, and the Chase Ma
tional bank receiving and cashing drafts in the
meantime.
The former home of her father. Senator Nc
Crae, of St. Cloud, Mimi, was the next place
visited. The forger had no trouble victimizing
the ST. Cloud Merchants National for $500 and
the First National, of St Cloud, for 500 She
needed no indorsers there. one of the cashiers
saying when indosemens was spoken Of: "Oh,
used to know Annie when she was girl, we
played together" She attended the normal
school at ST. Cloud.
Next she appeared as q Mr.. Howard at South
Pueblo. Col. Howard may have been confet
crate, but il SO he is a second Mrs. Murphy in
male attire. She wore her hair short, had
stout, smooth face, was short, thick-set and
aDOut 81 years Ola. HOWARD looked JUST ike
such person merchant Endorsed 'How-
ards" draft for $3.50 and the Central National
bank paid him $500, retaining $50 as guar
antee of good faith" The Chase National bank
cashed it, and the South Pueblo bank subse-
quently sent on the $50 retained by ii, the Chase
bank assuming the draft for the iuli amount
In a few days Mrs. Murphy arrived st Houlton,
Me-, the birthplace OF her mother, sebrina
McCrae she told smooth story about leaving
Tacoma and dcpositing $i75 in the National
Bank of Commerce and taking draft for the
same. An impecunious acquaintance at Houl-
ton introduced her at the Farmers National
bank, the money was secured and Mrs. Murphy
skipped, while the bank telegraphed for inform
alton to Tacoma. to which Cashier Wallace
flashed back his stereotyped answer The ac-
quaintauce of Mrs. McCrae could not SETTLE SO
the bank is loser.
AT Huntsville, Ala, she presented draft for
$3.50, but contrary to all former cases the cashier
asked for information before paying over the
money he probably, by this time having heard
OF Mrs. Murphy. Cashier Wallace sent on his
stereotyped message OF watning, aud this even
ing notice of her arrest received here
Cashier Wallace at once notified al interested
banks of her arrest. and it is supposed they Will
Join in the prosecution OF the forger. However
il is thought her rich relatives may settle with
the defrsuded banks
TACOMA'S DEPRAVED MESSENGERS
The Post st-Intelligencer's" Expose VIM
Lead to Police Regulation.
hno -