The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-23
THE TRAIN KOBBER.
He Is Said TO Be 0rth Stein, the Forger a.
COnfdeuea Men

Confidence Man.
ROCHESTER,, n. Y, Feb 22-Sherifi
Thornton to-day in reply to a telegraphiC
request forwarded detailed description OF
the train robber now in Jail here, to the
ST. Louis authorities. This afternoon he
received an answer that 1t tailed with that
Of Orth Stein, whose career as a newspaper
reporter. forger, confidence man and rob-
Der is as follows: Stein began his career
of crime some years ago in Kansas City by
killing George Fredericks, a theater mana
ger. The murder nearly cost him his life.
The quarrel between him and Fredercks
originated over woman. Through the aid
Of his mother, Stein made a hard fight at
law, and was at length convicted OF man.
slaughter and sentenced 10 Imprisonment
for life. He obtained a new trial, however.
and on that trial was acquitted The law
yers were paid over $500 by Stems mother,
who was widow, and it is said Stein, not
content with this, after his liberation OBJ
tanned from her the few remaining thou
sands she possessed and then left.
Becomes a Reporter.
A fter making an unsavOry record in
Leadvile, Denver and other places, Stein
changed the scene of his rascalites to st.
Louis, where he became a reporter on the
Globe Democrat. Here he gave satisfac-
tion TO his employers, being engaged in
writing up the strikes Gn the Missouri Pa
cific Railroad.
He boarded in St. Louis with a young
woman of considerable beauty, who passed
as his wife, and later on the two took the
residence of 5. u. Cunningham, $500 Nor
gan street, as their home, and began to
move in St Louis most fashionable cir
cles. There the woman was recognized at
a fashionable euchTe party by a former
acquaintance, and Stein, becoming aware Of
this, cane 10 the conclusion that the city
was becoming too warm for his comfort,
and made arrangements for a speedy de-
parture.
Passes Forged Drafts.
Stein paid his bills by drafts on the paper
with which he was employed, knowing that
lie had no funds there to meet the drafts.
His house rem: he paid by giving draft on
James Gordon Bennett and President
HoXie of the Missouri Pacific, who, he said,
owed him $500 for writing up favorable
accounts OF the railroad strike. Both drafts
were presented at once, and at once were
refused payment. Even then the landlord,
Mr. Cunningham, was not suspicious, but
going to the house lie found that Mrs"
Stein was mourning the loss Of her "hus-
band, and a sealskin SaCque and jeWelry,
which lie had pawned before going. The
woman gave out that she was about to ;e-
turn 10 her parents, who lived in Indian
apoliS, and left st. Louis next day. 1t is
believed however, that she followed Stein
TO San Francisco, where he next made his
appearance. He was engaged in news
paper work there during the Grand Army
encampment in 1886, and performed some
services Which were thought valuable at
the time.
Arrested in San Jose.
Stein then went to San Jose, in August,
1856. and registered under the name of
John Bell. lie was arrested there August
II on a charge Of obtaining money under
false pretenses from g. w. Ryder, jeWeler
He had bought a ST watch and pre-
sented forged draft on the New York
Herald for $50 in rayment, taking the
been recognized as 0rth Stein by woman,
who, while a circus rider In st. Louis, had
been written up in a bard manner by Stein.
She tried to horsewhip him, bat was pre-
vented from doing so, the affair creating
considerable stir. He finally got clear of
the charge brought against him by Ryder in
some way and was soon back at his old
tricks.
An attempt to pass a forged check on
Elliot Reed, Wells, Fargo & Co.'S agent,
caused his arrest again. and this time a
number of forged drafts were found in his
room. At the same time Sheriff Brannan
of San Jose received a telegram from
Kansas City that Stein was wanted there
for forgery. He was taken there, but man.
aging to secure his release on bail he went
to FL Paso, Tex. There he resumed news
paper work as cOeditor and partner with
George b. Loving on the Inter Republic.
There he got into a row with Juan 5. Hart,
editor of the Times, and all were placed
under bonds to keep the peace.