Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-26
A Bold Rascal Forges Checks for
Over 100000
ON THE COLUMBIA BANK
David Coleman Buys Stocks anc:
Partnerships LavishIy.
L G AL B ANKS APE

The Columbia National Bank of this city
on Tuesday last was presented with bogus
checks to the amount of $117 100, which
formed part of a bold and large swindling
scheme perpetrated in New York CITY,
The local bank loses nothing by the affair."
as the checks were Immediately denounced
as fraudulent. The checks were skillfully
drawn, and had every appearance of being
genuine. They were signed David Cole
man." and indorsed by "E. o. Rice, pay
ing teller" No one by the name Of David
Coleman ever had an account with the Co.
lumbia National Bank, and no one named
E. o. Rice ever held the office of paying
teller at that institution. The first known
Of the affair in Washington was by the
receipt of a letter from the Lincoln Bank
OF New York. requesting the remittance of
$6l,6OO on two checks which were inclosed
Cashier Clarence Carson Immediately wired
the Lincoln Bank that the checks were
forgeries. Soon after another check of the
same nature for $40. 500 came through the
washington clearing house from the Ma
tional Bank of the Republic, which had
received 1t for collection from the Four
teenth Street Bank of New York, and later
in the day the First National Bank of Pat
erson, N. j., telegraphed the Columbia
officials. asking If a certified check of $780,
600, drawn by David Coleman, was good
Nothing further in relation to the matter
could be learned in Washington, but in New
York the story in detail has been traced
The facts as disclosed show that Gerhardt
W. l. Landau, formerly a Presbyterian
Clergyman, several years ago embarked in
the silk business. He was compelled by dull
times to close his mill; but about three
weeks ago Mr.. Landau answered an ad-
vertisement in a New York newspaper, in
which the advertiser stated that he had
$oooo 10 invest in good paying business,
and desired to become either an active or a
silent partner. The day following the fore
going the nrm of Shaffer & Burt, attorneys,
OF 99 Nassau street, New York, received a
visitor, who gave his name as David Cole
man, and during the course of q rather
lengthy conversation remarked that lie was
the possessor of about $2sW,OOO, earned in
the transportation of United States mails in
the west; that the money was deposited in
the Columbia National Bank of Washing
ton. In which city the speaker had resided
after leaving the west; but capital life he
sa1d was too gay for a person of advanced
years, so he had decided TO locate in New
business. He also informed Mr. Burt of the
above firm that he had advertised to that
enect, and desired the lawyer to Investigate
thereto. - '~s''
The communication from Mr., Landau was
answered ard negotiations begun, and they
progressed so satisfactorily that On Thurs
day last Messrs. Burt and Coleman Jour
neyed to Patterson to inspect the silk MIA MT
and during the visit Coleman evinced con-
siderable knowledge Of all the large busi-
ness ana banking houses in Washington.
cago and thereby created such a favorable
impression on both Mr.. Landau and his At
tcrney, Edward NJ. Weiss. that an agree
me MT was reached at that time
1t was to form a coIartnership under the
firm name of G. w. /. Landau q Co. Cole
man to pay 10000, for which he was to re-
ceive half interest In the silk mill. Each
partner was TO CONT ibute 800 also as a
running account, to be deposited in one of
the banks. A day or two later the parties
repaired to the First National Bank to con-
summate the transaction, and there Cole
man produced what purported to be a GER
titled check for $4,000 on the Columbia
National Bank of this city, and a bank
book to show that he had 100000 on de-
posit in the institution named. A check
was given to Cashier Bell, and Mr.. Landau
handed Coleman his own check for $500
Inc latter Coleman also deposited but
drew on it $500 in cash. Shortly thereafter
the deed conveying a half interest i'm the
mill was filed for record
Mr. Landau drove Coleman and Mr. Burt
TO the Erie railway station and returned to |
the bank to draw sum of money with
which to pay off a mortgage on his prom
erty. Then it was that Cashier Bell sue-
gested that, as the transaction was a large
Cne, it would be well to inquire of the Co |
lumbia National Bank to ascertain Cole
mans standing. On receiving a reply Mr. |
Landau sought the advice of Chief of Police
Graul, who directed him to visit New York |
in search of the swindler. On arrival in the
metropolis, Mr.. Landau was Joined by Mr. |
Burt, and the pair started for the VendOme
Hotel, where Coleman said he was stayinp |
hut he was not known there A warrant
was secured at Paterson for the arrest of |
Soleman, en- the charge of forgery, and the |
New York police are now at work on the |
case
1t has been learned that Coleman stoned |
at the Metropolitan Hotel in New York |
ana also mad redeemed watch which he |
had pawned in Bowery pawn shop 1t |
was also discovered that Coleman secured
a large quantity of Higgins-German SOAP
stock with bogus check for S27,0OO The
swlndler deposited with the Lincoln Ma
tional Bank a check for $33, 800 He was in |
troduced at the bank by one of the directors
a. ana drew on his account s., 500. A check for
sloUO was deposited in the Nassau Bank |
ana S2,i}UD drawn on this account
In the opinion of Inspector McIauphlin
New YORK has never seen cleverer swim
oier or one whose plans were SO well car
@ ried OUT. MI Landau lost only $500 in
cash. besides what it will cost him to |
stralShten out his property again by suit in |
chancery.but he stated that he will willingly
expend $4,000 i'm order to give Coleman a |
taste of justice. The transactions Of the |
forger with the soap company We're further
shown this morning in New York when. on |
motion of Counselor Lamb in the sneciaI |
teIH OF tne United States court, Judge
bartlett appointed Jos. w. Stray as re-
ceiver for the Higgins Soap Company, with
securities to the amount of $4,000 Some
time since the company became involved |
and unable to meet its obligations, and it
was finally decided to sell a number of
shares of stock to tide over the difficulty.
A customer was found in the person of the |
same David Coleman who came fromWash- |
ington, and with letter purporting to |
have been signed by the president of the |
Columbia National Bank, representing the !
bearer to be wealthy Stockholder of that |
institution. Negotiations were entered into
with Coleman, who said he would take 800 |
shares. He was particular about the con-
dition of the concern, and ten days We're |
consumed by the expert accountants in GO
Ing over the books of the company in order |
to furnish Mr.. Coleman satisfactory
statement. After this formality had been
gone through with Coleman paid for the
shares with check on the Columbia Bank |
which purported to have been certified by
the cashier of the bank. This was depos-
lted by the Lincoln National Bank. The
creditors of the soap company were then
notified that the concern was again in a
solvent condition as the result of the sGO,-