The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-19
A YOUTHFUL FORGER.
He Obtains $500 on Two Pieces
OF Paper and a Neat Story.
TWO BANKS ARE THE VICTIMS.
ne frocures MI. Conover's Signature nv
sSimple Device, and Sells 1t 1t
IN Advance.

name Of William Benson, succeeded in
swindling the Guarantee Loan and Trust
Company and the Filkins Banking Com
pany out of $3.50 each Tuesday afternoon
In a manner which shows him to be one of
the smoothest and most successful
swindlers and forgers that ever visited the
Coast. The money was secured by the
boy between O'Clock and O'Clock in the
afternoon, and the forgeries, not being dis
covered until yesterday afternoon, the
forger had ample time to effect his escape
from the city. He is now believed to he
far away, but the police have no clue to
his whereabouts.
Monday afternoon a beardless young
fellow. nicely dressed and rather good
looking, his manners plainly marking him
as "city bred, called at the Arlington
hotel and registered the name of William
Benson. He paid for his room in advance
and proceeded to write several letters,
looking in a city directory at his elbow
for certain addresses. Among several let
ters left to be mailed was one addressed
to George A. Burch. esq, Sullivan block,
city" another to Frank T. Hunter,
Washington block" and a third to
"Charles T. Conover, esq.,. Rainier Club. {"
The letter to Mr.. Conover read:
Ded. SIR: have just arrived from Denver and
have an engagement which will prevent me
from seeing you this evening about the bust.
ness which brings me to this city, but If you
will kindly let me know whether or not I may
interview you, you will greatly obige yours
truly, WILLIAM BENSON.
The letters to Messrs. Burch and Hun
ter were almost exact reproductions of the
above. The writing of the letters plainly
showed the forger's method, and also in
dictated that he was not a green hand at
the business. 1t is evident that the let
tiers were written for the sole purpose of
getting the signatures of the gentlemen to
whom the letters were addressed, in order
that he might copy them. None of the
three gentlemen had ever heard of a
civilian Benson" or had any idea what
his business could be, but they promptly
answered him, Mr.. Conover's letter read
ing:
Dear Sir: Yours of May 16, addressed to me
at The Rainier club, is just at hand. I do not
recognize your name, nor understand your mis-
sion, but IL you wish to see me on any matter,
may usually be found in my office, in the Bailey
building, during business hours Possibly
may go to Tacoma, returning tomorrow alter
noon. Yours truly, G. T. CoNovKR
1t was early in the afternoon of Tuesday
that Benson dropped in at the Puget
Sound National bank and presented a
check for $780, drawn on the account of
Fred Sporting in the Portland Savings
bank and Endorsed with his own and
Fred Sperling's signatures. This is the
story he told Edward Terry, the teller:
came here from Denver via Portland few
days ago, aud have been making q tour of the
Sound. My sister came with me, but left her
In Portland Fred SpeTlingis my uncle and he
received $500 few days ago from my father
Half OF the money was for my sister, and he
sent me this check for $3.50, which is my half
Mr.. Terry examined the check and, after
hearing the young fellows story, stated
that he would not cash it unless it was en-
dorsed by some responsible person known
to the bank officers.
"I'm all straight" protested Benson,
and drawing from his pocket an envelope,
he said: Here, read this letter from my
father"
Mr.. Terry waved the letter aside and re-
piled emphatically:
"That doesn't cut any figure. You will
have to have that check endorsed"
Benson went away and it is presumed
that he returned to the Arlington hotel
and found the letter from Mr.. Conover,
the Filkins mixing Companv's Office and
repeated his story of the $3.50 check to
John w. Filkins This time, however,
the check was Endorsed with the signature
of Charles I. COnover. The young fellow
was SO frank and apparently so honest
and the check so genuine in appearance
that Mr.. Filkins promptly paid over the
$3.50.
Inside of an hour Benson appeared at
the office of the Guarantee Loan ana Trust
Company, in the Bailey building, and pre-
scented another check for $780, also In
dorsed with the signature of Charles T..
Conover. He told the same simple story
and received another $3.50.
1t was half an hour later when Benson
called at the Arlington hotel and. paying
his bill, departed. He informed the clerk
| that he would call next day for his mail,
should any come for him. That was the
| last seen of him. 1t is probable that he
| took the first steamer for British Columbia.
The forgeries were not discovered until
Yesterday forenoon and the police Were
| Immediately notified.