Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-11-07
TOO SHREWO TO WIN
A CIeser S~indIer Dipes Two
Banks Neatly.
BUT IS CAUGHT FINALLY
ne Nearly secsred $1,000 oa .
Forged Dram oa = To~cnto tank.
His scheme.

CHcASo. Nov. d--One OF the shsrpest
hank forgeries and swindles On record
was turned up today before Justice
Lyon when warrants were taken out
charging A. r. Il Crofton. alias e. *.
Butler. with fleeing from iustics. But
leF forged a number OF drafts on the
Bank Of Montreal in Toronto. and one of
them. FOR the sum of s70oO. was cashed
by the First National bank Of uhis city.
IL Was the first trace the big Canadian
bank got % the swindler. aud that IL
Why the prosecution was brought to
Chicago.
On the 2lst Of October rather well
dressed. gentlemanly. affable and
smoothly spoken man of middle age
walked into the First National bank and
presented draft of 5000 on the Bank
ot Montreal at Winnipeg The draft
was made apparently by the hank at
Toronto itself In favor OF G. ;. Butler.
Mr.. Cages caller represented that he
vas G.. X Butler. and established his
claim 10 that identity by showing letters
from the Toronto bank. The transac-
ton thus far seemed as honest as could
be. but banks. in these days. are rather
slow in crowding money on men they
don't know. nomatter how well appear.
ing these same men may chance 10 be.
Could Nof Catch First National
The First National did not wish 10
pay the cash out Of hand. as II vas a
rather large sum. The draft was taken.
though. and sent on TO the bank az Win.
nipeg with an explanatory letter stating
the facts as set forth above and calling
the Winnipeg peoples attention to the
fact that tho holder Of the check was
not personally known To any one in the
First National.
On October - the reply came back
from the Bank OF Montreal IN Winnipeg
and with il the money. The Manito-
bans were satisfied with the evidence.
Two days afterward Mr.. Butler drew
out his money and left town. Then the
bank in Winnipeg sent the draft TO the
bank in Toronto. The bank in Tosonto
flashed back word that il had issued no
such paper. conceiving at the same
time that a swindle had been done.
and that by no ordinary operator. The
wires we're set in motion, tho bank de
tectiyes took up the case and Saturday
Butler was apprehended. IL was then
found out that no had been working
with some success through other banks
and his methods were at once made
clear To the officials of the bank Of Mon
treal. This was made possible by the
closeness of Mr.. Cages observation.
Through il a fine description of the
swindlor was secured The form IN
which the draft was written was that OF
the bank itself and the accompanying
letter was also written on the regular
lctterhead OF the institution. These had
evidently been tilched out of the bank
OF Montreal at Toronto and used with
great discretion and eclat by Butler.
Was Formerly n Bank Clerk.
In view OF the fact that il is about as
hard 10 steal the stationery OF bank as
it Is to get cut OF Hong Kong. Buffers
ability as crook seems at first sight to
be Of phenomenal order. But when il
is known that he had been formerly en-
ployed as a clerk in the bank at Toronto
his ingenuity suffers just "A little. At
the same time his. .boldness is something
TO be startled at. lie took terrible
chances when he hung about town for
more than week after the First Ma
tional had sent his draft away for col
lection and had the consummate nerve
To present himself personally for the
money.
In this case. as In almost everything
else. assurance and brazenness won. He
got the money. made good his escape
and was canght only after exposing him
self needlestly 10 danger
liz is said that he had two other men
in league with him. and the three stand
an excellent chance OF leading highly
moral and regular hours for few years
In come