Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-30
HIS WORK ENDED
a Sleek Fraud Is Behind the
Bars.
DETECTIVES SMITH AND DARR
Arrest Charles Johnson for Obtaining
Money Under False PTstenses-He
Had Secured $50 IN Thls Cry.

J. L. Cole. alias Charles Johnson, 4
colored man supporting himself with
cane ard crutch, mas been N this city
since August 20 soliciting Donations Tor
himself, using tue sublolned forged
letter as means Of gaining the conf
dence Of the pie:
GRASD KArIDs, Aug. 20, 1892.
The bearer. Charles johnson, IS
making an effort 10 help himself,
therefore ne deserves the help Of good
people. II he can secure an artificial
foot he can support himself as bar
ber lie Is poor and worthy. ANY
tning donated Will DO wortnily be-
slowed. Respectfully,
JAMES L. CRAIG,
90 Canal street.
Paid s..
Mr.. Craig is a barber well known to
the people of thls city and pronounces
tie letter 10 bee forgery and says that
ne never saw Johnson. Complaint
Was made 10 the police department
that a cOlOred man was soliciting
money and that ne was probably a
fraud. Detectives Smlth and Darr
went TO work 10 investigate the matter,
and Yesterday saw man whom they
suspected 10 be johnson. They fol-
lowed nun 70 his room on Ellsworth
avenue. Upon arriving at ms
room the detectives were quite sure
that they had found their man.
He Protested Innocence.
When approached Johnson repre-
scented TO the officers that he was here
IN the interest of the Cleveland Stand
ard, Catholic publication. lie was
we'll dressed and OF good address, ap-
parently having good education. He
was arrested, however. on the charge
of obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. He denied that he was the
man wanted on the charge, but when
MS pockets were searched the officers
suspicious were confirmed beyond a
doubt. He had Si4 IN cash and
note book which contained the
signatures of several prominent
and wealthy people IN the city who had
subscribed sums ranging from 81 TO 50.
His "efforts 10 help HIMSELF IN this
city had apparently been Il pronounced
success, tor the sums subscribed
amounted To $40, all obtained since
August 20. His trunk was searched
and several books similar to the one
used by him here were found, IN which
was written a copy of the letter and
signed by residents of Cleveland, De-
troit and Saginaw, where he mas form
erly operated.
He Struck the Rich.
The book used in Detroit contained
such names as Don NJ. Dickinson. L. w.
Palmer, J. +. Jay, Mrs. J. j. Bagley, j.
II. Mcmillan, II. b. Ledyard. II. ).
Smith and others who had subscribed
$40 each. HIS books would indicate
that he went from Detroit to Saginaw
where he was equally successful.
Names of several wealthy people were
found on a piece of paper, written
there apparently for the purpose of Wis
ting them today. From papers found
in his trunk II was evident that he had
at one time procured q cork foot in
this way and the amount was raised SO
easily that he continued the scheme.
The detectives looked over his accounts
and found that his books showed
II sos. 10 To his credit. This sum had
been obtained IN various cities. The
detectives are well pleased over tneiI
capture and think they have caught a
fraud of a dangerous type. He is q
man about 20 years OF age and carried
letter from the rector OF 81. Andrew [:
church, Cleveland. Johnson was
locked up at police headquarters.