The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-27
WAS THE SAME MAN
THE INDIANAPOLIS END OF A BIG
swINDLING OPERATION.
Visit to This City of n Dangerous
Bank Crook Now i'm PrisOn-His
Crimes and Capture.

Merrill Moores was in a reminiscent
mood Tuesday afternoon. 81 have true
story, full of romantic local colorng," he
said, as he lazily reclined upon the COM
Portable office couch. Two three ac-
quaintances. who knew how to appreciate
the clever manner in which Mr.. Moores's
stories are told. pressed him for the tale.
Rolling a cigarette, the attorney lighted
it, and, having thus fortified himself, pro-
ceeded:
"A man came into Bert Metcalf's office
in the courthouse. one day in 1892, and
said: L am court reporter, and have been
one for many years. / know all about the
business For proof of his statement he
took up Metcalfs book and read off page
or two without apparent effort, which
showed that he was an unusually expert
and experienced stenographer.
Now, he said, what 1 want is this:
wish to employ the best firm Of lawyers
that 1 can get who have correspondents
in Minneapolis. 1 know that a court re-
porter as you are, would know who the
best lawyers are, and would know some
thing of their ability. l have therefore
come to you for advice
'MIetcalf said: 4 think Duncan & Smith
have correspondents in Minneapolis in
fact. 1 feel almost sure they have. Besides,
they are very able lawyers
"'Wel, replied the man. L wish you
would go and see Duncan & Smith and find
out if they have any correspondents there,
and if they have l will put my business
into their hands Metcalf went down there,
talked with them, came back and took this
man down with him and introduced him to
the lawyers. He said he was about to or
of certain sort and wanted to get up ar
ticles of Incorporation, and further said he
knew it took able lawyers to get up arti-
Giles of incorporation, and that he realized
it was great deal of trouble. L can af-
ford to pay for work and have it done
right he remarked. as he handed them
his check for $3.50. which they took. Now
he added, IF this is not enough, / will pay
whatever you think is right They said
that IL was enough and that they were
satisfied with that amount. Now the gen.
tleman continued, in my business in Min
neapolis / want to be introduced TO a bank.
1 do not want TO be introduced 10 any
speculative concern, but a bank that does
business in conservative way. He left
Duncan & Smith and was later introduced
to Colonel Ray and William Bosom. OF the
Bank OF Commerce. He told them he
wished them to Introduce him to subStan-
tial bank in Minneapolis. They gave him
a letter of introduction to a bank in that
city, and Duncan & Smith also wrote a
similar letter TO some lawyers there whom
they knew He then went TO Minneapolis
deposited money there To his credit in the
bank. and opened an account right away.
Every day he would come in the bank with
two or three drafts and deposit them. The
were all collected and paid promptly. He
afterwards came later and deposited drafts
for larger amounts. which seemed TO indi-
cate that he was building up a very large
business. one day he came in and depos-
tied a draft for $4,000 for collection The
bank took IT in the ordinary course OF bus
mess, paid the amount and the man with
drew IL. In the course of time the draft
came back unpaid. They waited two or
three days. thinking everything was all
right. then sent a messenger around TO his
address, and found that he had disap-
peared. No trace OF him could be discov-
cred, and he was never heard Of again.
WORKED A CHICAGO BANK
Later on a man came to Chicago, went
to one of the best law firms in the city.
and said TO them: Il have business in
Milwaukee of great Importance; / want TO
push this business. and prefer to employ
Chicago lawyers. He asked them if
they could give him few days of their
time 70 form an association. and what re-
tainer they wanted. They told him, and he
paid them in cash. Il want 10 be intro
duced to safe bank here" he further
continued; lone that Is reliable.
The lawyers took him right down and
introduced him 10 one of the best banks
I'm the city of Chicago This man then pur-
| sued very much the same course that the
| other man had done i'm Minneapolis. After he
had been doing business in this way foT
! about month. having deposited consider
| able money and left drafts there that were
always promptly paid, the man one day
/ entered the attornys' Office and said To
| them:
1 Il am now ready TO take up this business
] I'm Milwaukee, and / want 10 90 this after
noon l shall need a very large amount
| OF money. / have part OF IL. but not
| enough. II L can get $4,000 from the bank