The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-24
FORGED BANK CHECKS.
st. Louis Banks Suffer at the Hands
of Three SWindiers.


ST. LOUIS, March pa series Of forg-
cries has been unearthed in this
city. At least eight banks have suf-
feIed, and probably more The aggregate
of the forged paper, which was bank
checks. will reach $2O,OOO all Of which sum
has gone into the pockets of a gang of
professionals. The number of persons in
the gang is supposed to not exceed three,
but their knowledge of banking and bus
mess methods and the versatility of their
forgerieS are admittedly ample. Their prep
arationS were elaborate and consumed
some time, but when ready their haul was
made with astonishing celerity. AS only
few of their checks have been passed upon
by any of the alleged drawers it is impos-
sible to say how much the forgers took
but it will not be less than $4,000. The for
gers first took account of the fact that
checks drawn by business houses are writ
ten usually upon the firms own litho-
graphed heading, protected by serial num-
bers on check and stub. The forgers, there
fore, not only counterfeited the blank check
forms of their victims, but numbered their
checks close to the numbers of the checks
then running with each victmized firm. To
do this opportunity to see the genuine
check books was accomplished in various
Melcher Machine Company, whose sigma
ture was forged to check for 500, a young
man, stating that he represented the print
ing house which autographed the FIRMS
checks, asked permission to see it's check
book, as he was sent out to trace up books
alleged 10 have been badly autographed
The ruSe succeeded, and was probably used
in other cases. In this instance the Con-
tinental Bank lost $500
As nearly be learned, all the for
geries were uttered last Friday and Satur-
day. OF the alleged drawers of the forged
checks the signatures of +. r. Little &
Co, feather dealers and julius Labsap,
wholesale clother, are known to have been
Forged, in addition 10 that OF the Melcher
Machine Company. In the case of Julius
Labsap. not only was Mr.. Labsap's sigma
ture forged, but the man who did this was
clothier's affairs The latter as a rule in
drawing checks, puts in parentheses the
purpose for which the money Is paid out,
Immediately following the amount In the
forged check this popularity was observed
and served to disarm suspicion at the bank.
Woodward 4 Tiernan printed the checks
for the Melcher Machine Company and F.
+. Little x Co, and are very much inter-
ested in having the forgery run down, and
have offered reward to the police for
their capture. The corps of detectives and
police who have been set to work on these
cases acknowledge that they are completely
at sea as yet to the men working the
banks and obtaining the information neces-
sary TO make these successful forgeries
and in their desire TO make their work more
sure they decline to give the names of the
banks or the victimiZed check drawers. The
admissions of the police however. are suf-
ficient TO confirm the opening statement OF
this item that fully eight banks have been
VictimiZed 10 the amount of $4,000 or more.
Another theory advanced is that the forger-
les were the work OF the men who recently
robbed Texas banks by means of raised
drafts.
Late tonight it was developed that only
$500 was secured on six forged checks OF
$500 each.