Democratic messenger., 1894-08-04
FORGER SAGECAUGHT
He Wanted to Establish a Colony
Near Snow Hill.
Is HE \ NOTED CROOK ?
Wanted ut Bel Air, Md, and
Wheeling, West Virginia.

Wheeling, West Virginia.
George i. Sage, the slick-tongued
individual who came here few months
ago and was going To buy some of our
finest farm lands with the view of
establishing colony near Snow Hill,
but didn't do it because Maryland soil
was getting too hot for him. has been
caught at last-run down bv one of
his many victims. The gentleman
instrumental in bringing Sage to justice
was Captain Frank Burt. of Manning
ton, West Virginia. Sage visited
Mannington about one year ago and
introduced himself to Captain Burt as
an ardent Prohibitionist and church
worker. When he left Warrington
the National Bank of which Captain
Burt was director, found it had been
swindled out of five hundred dollars.
Since that time Captain Burt has been
on the look out for the wiley forger.
Captain Burt is publisher of Prohibi-
ton paper at Wheeling, and he had
an extra large edition Of it printed
containing description of the iorger
and his method of working the Pro-
hibitionists. \ copy of this paper
was sent to the chairman Of all county
committees. One came to MIR. Law
renee Hastings of this town, who read
it and opened correspondence with
Captain Burt. The Captain visited
Snow Hill on Monday and told Mr..
Hastings that he had just located Sage
ut Vineland, New Jersey, aid had
him arrested, and that he had come to
Snow Hill thinking it was near Bel
Air, the bank of which place had been
duped for good round sum. He was
holding his man under a trumped-up
charge until he could communicate
with the Bel Air Bank people and
get them to make charge against the
man and get a re9uisition for his arrest
from the Governor of Maryland. He
goes by the name of Baker at Nineland
and is located on comfortable little
farm about two miles from that city.
When arrested he was selling off his
personal property with the evident
intention of skipping the State. having
taken fright from his being recognized
in Philadelphia by DIR. Straughn of
Snow Hill, u few days before. Phila-
delphia papers ON Tuesday contained
the following account of Sage's opera
tions:
Horace ID. Baker, of South Vine
land, was arrested to-day by Marshal
Fowler and Constable Mathis at the
instance of representative of the
Burt Detective Agency, of Wheeling,
W. Va, where he is wanted on a
charge OF swindling one of the banks
of that city by means of forged
check. Baker was taken before Justice
Miller and held by agreement OF
counsel for further hearing to-mor-
row morning.
Baker is the man who worked the
National and Tradesmens Banks OF
Vineland for large sums of money
some time since, and is thought to be
a noted crook known us J. W. Ford,
but who has a dozen aliases under
which he operates. the following being
among his favorites: G. w. Nelson,
Ralph c. Hunter, \. G. karkley,
Sherman Mitchell, Henry w. Hunter,
G. + Hiscock, ii. +. Roberts, w. II.
Bunner, Victor Fennick, Robert f..
Taylor, W. ii. Myers, George B. Nor
ton and Lawrence Stevens.
For,Fs method of procedure was ia
Join Il church, take an active interest
in Prohibition matters and worm him.
self into the good graces of prominent
people. He would then manage to
get an introduction at the banks aud
do the rest himself. He took this
course in Vineland and became a
prominent and respected member OF
the Good Templars at South Nineland,
mt whose meetings he would become
very pathetic in his speeches. and at
the young peoples meetinsg would talk
until the tears ran down his cheeks.
Baker exhibited great coolness when
arrested, and this causes some of his
acquaintance to think that he is not
the right man, but the detective says
he is, and that he is one of the most
famous forgers in the country. The
circular sent by the detective agency
in Wheeling gives an accurate descrip'
ton of Forger Ford. which tallies in
every particular with Baker.
The detective is positive that Baker
and Ford are the same man, and says
that Ford has forged hundreds OF
checks in West Virginia.
\ firm in Boston is also telegraph
ing to the police here in regard TO Il
man who recently forged large checks
on the banks of that city.
Baker admits defrauding the Vine
land banks, but says he is innocent OF
the other charges.
Communicated.