The herald., 1893-10-01
A POLICEMAN'S MISTAKE.
WHAT A CLERICAL LOOKING MAN
WITH A CHECK DID.
An Interesting Episode on the East Side.
How Vigilant Officer Thought
He Had Cornercd Con-
hdence Man.

II has been many day since a bold
confidence man has led any policeman
in Los Angeles such chase as a police
officer went on few days ago, the par
ticulars of which have been kept very
quiet until now.
The officers beat extends along
Downey avenue in East Los Angeles.
The sharpers and slick confidence men
take to East Los Angeles more readily,
because it is a better field, being some
what out OF the way Of detectives, and
they can escape close scrutiny better
there. The officer knows this, and 80
he keeps beth eyes continually peeled
for anything the least bit suspicious.
1t was this alertness that enabled him
to first get on to the work OF this par
ticular crook.
His suspicious were first aroused by
seeing q well.dressed stranger acting in
rather q queer manner in front OF the
Citizens bank. 1t was Saturday alter
noon and the bank WAS closed, fact
which any person having business with
the bank would have known. The
stranger was rigged up in somewhat OF
clerical fashion, suspicious circum-
stance of itsclf, because that is an old
trick of the confidence men. He car
ried in his hand piece OF paper about
the eize of check.
The officers keen foresight and pre-
vious experience in such things at once
led him to suepect that the man was
working the old gag Of trying to have a
check cashej by some privete individual
on the plea that the bank was closed.
The actions in front of the bank were
only part OF the fellows game, purely
blind, it seeme.
The officer resolved to watch the fell
low closely and allow him to proceed
farther before making the arrest.
Sure enough after he had played his
part at the bank the man boldly crossed
| the street and attempted to get check
for considerable amount cashed at the
drug store opposite. He was refused,
and coming ont he crossed the street
and tried restaurant almost directly
opposite.
The officer slipped quietly into the
drug store and from the proprietor
learned enough to entirely confirm his
suspicious.
The confidence man was refused at
several places of business in the vicinity
before he succeeded in finding any one
to cash the check, the others having had
their suspicious aroused, and each one
finding some plausible excuse for re-
fusing.
The officer meanwhile had kept him
we'll in view without, apparently, Great
ing any suspicion in the crooks mind
that he was being watched. En-
tering the place where the check
was cashed, he quickly demanded
to know the name signed to it, and
asked the astonished merchant to keep
the paper for evidence, promising at the
came time to see that the stolen money
was returned to him.
"What," exclaimed the now thorough
ly excited merchant, lyon don't mean
to cay Ive been swindled by al
EXACTLY" broke in the officer. THAT
is just what mean to say. That fellow
is probably one of the elickest workers
on the coast. He's"-'
Hes the new pastor Of the East
Los Angeles Baptist church, and his
name is George f. Dye-Rev. George E.
Dye-just come up from Santa Ana"
"And Pm the biggest fool officer in
the state" sadly said the officer as he
fed the scene.
The story as it was told yesterday goes
ON to relate that the officer has promised
to attend Rev. Dyes church eome Sun
day and be preached to for long hour
aa a sort of retaliation