Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-15
HERE'S 4 NIcE EMposToR.
A Clever Young siwindler Who Works tho
Forged Check Racket.

There is Young man working clever
swindling racket about this town who de.
serves the seyerest penalty under the law
should he be captured. The police are
making every effort to capture the man
who so far has successfully succeeded in
dodging them.
The impostor first made his appearance
on Thursday evening last. Walking into
l}eetens drug store, at Seventh and
Market streets he rang Postal call box
and then awaited the arrival of q messen-
ger boy. He did not have long to wait,
however, as any one familiar with the
management Of this office well knows.
One of the hustling young messenger boys
was sent out on the call. He found the
stranger at Seventh and Market streets.
The latter asked him to take note to II.
II. Huntingdon, grocer, at the corner of
Twelfth and Tatnail Streets The latter did
as he was told. The stranger stated that
he would wait for reply at No. 1901 JEFF
ferson street.
The grocer took the note and reading it's
contents, discovered n missiye purporting
to come from Mrs. ID. +. Barnard living
at Twelfth and Washington streets. In
the note was request that the grocer cash
q check for sl2, as Mrs. Barnard had or
dercd some Christmas goods and not hav-
ing enough money to pay for them she re-
quested Mr.. huntington to remit the
amount as set forth in the check. Mrs.
barnard" added in her note that the driver
was waiting for the purchase money for
the Christmas goods. The note was in aneat
feminine hand and resembled that of Mrs.
BARNARD who deals at Hutlington's store.
The check was made payable to Mrs. d. L.
barnard. The maker of the note was
fictitious one.
Accompanying the check was a request
that the grocer send a part of the sum
named in the check if he had not the sum
asked for, and credit Mrs. Barnard with
the remaining sum. The grocer sent the
sum of SO, all the money he could spare.
There was considerable delay in getting
the check cashed, and when the messenger
boy instituted search for the stranger he
was nowhere to he found. The lad found
that no such Il number existed us 1901 JEFF
ferson street, and being unable to come
up with the impostor he took the money
to the Postal Telegraph office. Here the
lad found Sergeant Wigglesworth waiting
and for the first time learned that the
check was forgery. It seems that Mr.,
Huntington grew suspicious soon after
cashing the check and sent his clerk to find
out whether or not Mrs. Barnard had
written the note. She Immediately pro-
nounced it forgery. The clerk then re
traced his steps to police headquarters
with the result that Sergeant Wigglesworth
N"t' Nst'Allth tilt idSts lit illOIGN
was recovered but the imposter was not.
His absence is still mystery, although
it is said that he has made other I'M
successful attempts to secure lucre in this
manner.
Chief Of Police Francis believes that his
presence frightened the stranger off and
prevented his getting the coveted money.
Chief Francis lives but a short distance
from Mr.. Huilingtonis store and on last
Thursday evening had occasion to stand
on the opposite corner from the store for
some time. He saw the messenger boy
enter the store and also saw him emerge
from the corner grocery. He believes that
the imposter saw him standing on the
corner and believing he was shadowing the
boy, made good his escape
1t is said that the stranger called at Mr..
Barnards residence on Thursday last and
claimed he was making an assessment.
He learned from the colored servant the
members of the household and the name
of the family grocer. He is described as a
young man y years old with clean shayen
face.