The herald., 1894-03-01
SMOOTH SWINDLERS CAPTURED
The Arrest of Two Eastern
Operators.
A Fake Business Exchange Dies a
Hard Death.
W. f. Murphy and O. F. Wilson In the
Tolls of the Law for Conduct
Ing an IneRitimAte
Business.

W. F. Murphy and @. F. Wilson oc-
cupy cells in the city prison. This
morning they will be charged with OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses.
Several days ago these men placed an
advertisement in a daily paper asking
for a competent young man to act as
clerk in the Southern California Bus
mess exchange. 324 South Spring street,
rooms and 2.
The rooms had been fitted up in ele-
CANT style-mostly on tick, and the
Office had the appearance of being an
Office for the transaction OF legitimate
business.
In reply to the advertisement several
applications were made at the sex
change" Murphy was the manager, at
least his name appeared thus on the
bueiness cards, and Wilson was the
clerk whose position would soon be
vacant on account of his mothers seri-
GUS illness in Chicago" The young
men who called in search of employ
ment were told the same story. A de-
posit OF 500 was asked in each instance.
and the clerk was to receive a weekly
compensation of $18.
One young gentleman accepted the
terms, placed 500 on deposit and
awaited the departure OF Clerk Wilson
before entering upon his duties as clerk
of the Southern California Business ex-
change. In this case the scheme worked
like charm.
The next one who came along smelled
a mouse and proved that he was not a
chump. He saw the advertisement and
visited Mr.. Murphy's Southern Califor-
mia Business exchange. The young man
was received by "Clerk" Wilson, who
told him that owing to his mothers
illness in Chicago, he must leave his po-
sition, and that Mr.. Murphy would pay
a good salary to his successor. All the
young man would have to do would be
to stay in the Office and grab the gold
as it was rolled in" He would not
have to keep books or have any
drudgery to contend with; it would be
an ideal job, with a salary OF S18 every
week.
The young man was not college bred /;
had he been it is more than likely he
would have taken the position and de-
posted the 500 at once. Being prac-
tical youth with financial eye he con-
cluded to have the exchange investi-
gated. He bade Mr.. Wilson good day
and promised to call later.
He called later but it was in company
with Detectives Goodman and Hawley
to whom be had told his experience and
his opinion of the exchange" and the
men running it. Chief Glass detailed
the officers to investigate the concern,
which was done.
When the young man and the de-
tectives arrived at the place he intro
duced them to Murphy as his friends.
The conversation was brought to an alb
rupt close by Murphy refusing to acceds
to the young mans offer to place the
$100 deposit in bank subject to it's re-
moval by Murphy in case of the appli-
cant's failure to come up to recommend
ations and not comply with the agree
ment.
Murphy was alone in the office at the
time. Presently Wilson entered, when
he was also questioned closely. They
contradicted each other almost on every
hand, showing that something waE
wrong. The officers took the men tc
the station and locked them up.
The man who was swindled out o.
$100 called at the station last night and
reported it. He will swear to com
plant against the men today.
1t has developed that Murphy and
Wilson purchased the furniture with
which they fitted up their Office from ]
D. Steele, secondhand dealer on South
Main street. paying $40 cash and prom
ising to pay the rest shortly. They are
accused OF defrauding a lodging house or
Fourth street, between Hill and Broad
way, with numerous places yet to heal
| from.
The men are evidently very smooth
operators. They say they are from Chi
cago and Denver.
Several newspaper clippings were
found upon them, telling of fake institu
tions in several eastern towns. The
iakirs' names were given as j. Nj. Quich
and J. Picksrd, and it ia thought they
operated in Eureka, Ill. Another clip
ping gave an account of the elopement
of M. Sackett, fakir, with Miss Francel
Davenport, from Elkhart, Ind. 1t il
not known whether Murphy and Will
son are the persons mentioned in the
newspaper articles.