Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-05
THE EXPERT FORGER.
NOT YET CAUGHT, BUT THE POLICE
HAVE SOME GOOD POINTS
4 Description Given BY Mason. the Psssvs-
burg Prfsonsr-Two Cases In
Which He Failed Here.

The forger who swindled Messrs. Charles
6aelzer and Philip Blenner out OF $50 each
on bogus checks which he got them TO
cash by representing through notes that
they were sent to the merchants by regu-
lar patrons, is still missing, and the police
will have hard time locating him In
deed it seems exceedingly doubtful now
whether they will be able to como up with
their man.
The officers hoped that Mason. who was
arrested IN Petersburg on the charge OF
forgery. was the fellow they wanted, but
the description sent by the Chief OF Police
of the Cockade City fails to tally with that
of the man the Richmond blue coats
are hunting for. A letter received by Ser
geant Tomlinson last night from Captain
Reuben 4. Ragland. of the Petersburg po-
lice, may, however, furnish goo1 clue 70
work on.
THE MAN DESCRIBES.
Here is what Captain Ragland SAYS: Il
had talk with Mason TO-DAY and he told
me be met with man in Richmond las.
week who gave his name as Lindsay ana
he gave Mason the blank checks we found
on him. From the description Mason
gives of this man he Is about 70 or % years
old, weighs 100 or 140 pounds, Is near SIX
feet, has small, dark moustache, dark CON-
plexion had on dark cutaway coat, dark
vest, and light pants; dark derby hat.
Lindsay is very fond Of playing pool;
claims to have lived near Staunton.
Mason says ne told HIM he would leave for
Norfolk the last of this week. Lindsay
told him how he worked. lie would go IN
the country and see some OF the stock
dealers and get them to write their al
dress for him and he would make out the
checks"
THIS DESCRIPTION TALES.
This description agrees quite well with
that given by the telegraph messenger
who delivered the several notes requesting
that enclosed checks be promptly cashed,
of the man for whom he carried the mes,
sages, and Sergeant Tomlinson Is satlsiled
that the clever forger and tnancler went
from here TO Norfolk.
This belief is strengthed by the follow
ing telegram received by Messrs. Il. NJ:
Smith & Co. from the Baltimore firm OF
James ID. Mason X c.;
Party in Norfolk yesterday trying TO
get draft cashed on US. May come to your
city. Notify customers and authorities"
Sergeant Tomlinson has recovered nat
believed to have been worn by the expert
penman.
TRIED TWO OTHER MERCHANTS.
SO far az is known the clever rogue who
worked his game here only succeeded in
getting 72-the aggregate of the cash put
up by Messrs. Sael7er and Bonner, but
Mr. J. Watson Phillips, who keeps the
Monroe Market" on west Grace street,
had narrow escape from his snares, Last
week Mr.. Phillips received a note pur-
porting to come from Mis-. w. L. Tay lor,
one of his customers and in this he was
asked to cash check for S36 and send the
| money by the bearer of the communica-
ton. He would have granted the favor.
but he was q little short OF cash at the
time, and therefore had to refuse. The
note was worded in exactly the same man.
ner as the others received by the victims
of the forger.
Mr.. John j. King, OF west Broad street,
received one of these letters, too. but did
not cash the check enclosed. These are
all of the cases that have thus far been
brought to light here.