Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-21
HUNTING FOR HUNT.
Pittsburg Bankers Preparing Against
the Famous Forger.'
WILCOX SEARCHING HIS RECORD.
Bis Description and Methods to Be Sent to
Banks Everywhere.
ANOTHER NEW PLAN FOR PROTECTION

James H. Wilcox, President of the Sec
ond National Bank, has written to the
Chief of Police of Cincinnati inquiring
about the bank forger known as Hunt,
Lewis, Armstrong and other aliases. Mr..
Wilcox said last night he had not had any
experience with the man, but he was fast
becoming famous as a bank torger.
81 was after information" continued Mr.
Wilcox, "as a member of the Executive
Committee of the American Bank Assocla-
tion. had heard the Chief of Police, OF
Cincinnati, had got out circular de-
scribing this man. Then learned OF some
clever"operations on the Lansing and De-
troit banks. 1 concluded it was all done by
the same man and so wrote for one of the
circulars When 1 get it 1 will send the cir
cular and some other information to the
Secretary of the organization in New York.
He will issue another circular which will
be sent to officers of banks all over the
country SO they will be able to recognize
this man and his work the next time he
tries to turn trick.
Made $4,000 Inside of an Hour.
This man Hunt, or whatever his name
may be, is clever one, but so far as am
able to learn he has not operated in Pitts
burg. He operated through Ohio for a
time and scooped in hundreds OF dollars.
The last 1 heard of him was in Detroit
where he gathered in So, 300 for the Third
National and the City Saving Banks of that
city. He did it inside of an hour on drafts
originally worth but S33. He appeared
there as man of medium height, with a
long, gray beard, and generally benevo-
lent and gentlemanly bearing. AT the
Third National Bank he asked to have
a draft for 81, 800 made out by the
Lansing State Savings Bank on the Third
National of Detroit cashed. The cashiers
name was at the bottom of the draft and
also on the back, SO he would not need to be
identified. 1t was payable to Henry T.
Lewis. The aged stranger claimed that for
his name and got the money. On leaving
there he went to the City Savings Bank
and presented draft for 81 800 On the
way there he changed his name to Thomas
Armstrong. This draft was also properly
indorsed and was also cashed. The Lansing
banks were queried and said the drafts had
been issued for Sis and S18. They were
both perforated, but they had been raised
SO perfectly that only when examined with
glass was the defect discovered.
Carries Chronic Cough.
Armstrong G. Lewis appears to be the
same as Hunt, who is also known as the
coughing bank forger He has all sorts of
disguises, but is afflicted with chronic
cough that quickly attracts attention. He
has been identified number of times by
this popularity, but always manages to get
out. He is the slickest forger in America,
and is said to have worked all the banks
between Cincinnati and Chattanooga. He
is very clever in changing disguises. I un-
derstand from private kilograms that Hunt
was seen on Thursday in Canada. He still
had the gray locks, but the beard had disap-
peared.
81 am hunting up this information. 1
am just following out the work of the
organization. We always do this when We
hear of successful forger. 1t is just way
we have of protecting ourselves. 1 believe
that as another safeguard we should have
system of police calls such as are now
in pawnbroker shops. A clever man could
escape while we called an officer. Every
bank should be connected with police head
quarters SO that when button is touched in
bank it will show on an indicator just
where detective is wanted. OF course it
may not be needed once year, but when it
is needed it is needed awful bad. There
are six of the banks here that have q
burglar alarm connected with one of the de-
tective agencies. The other night l tested
the one in our bank and in 3 ~ minutes three
detectives were at the bank and one min
ute later two more arrived, so I am con-
vinced it is good thing"