The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-03-15
CAUGHT A SWINDLER.

W oAusu over Vlllhl0CuS Charges Sucn a
have been mooted and whispered abou
Tor the last year or two.
CAUGHT A SWINDLER.
Kansas City's Bank Sander Supposed to b.
The Wichita Rascal.
A man answering the description O
Stewart who swiEdled the Wichita
National bank last week out CT 81, 05O wa
arrested in Kansas City yesterday in at
tempting to play the same game on ths
National bank of Commerce OF that city
The age and style OF drees are the same
but the great st similarity is in the
method of swindling, it is exactly the
same. In Kansas City the man, who gave
his name there AS Handy, went to th.
National bank of Commerce Monday anC
stated that he was about to engage
in the brokerage business and desired
to open a bank account. He stated that be
bad some drafts to deposit bit that he
would be around in a few days with Col
onel Webb Withers who would identify
ana introduce him formally. Next day be
came around saying that Mr.. Withers had
left the city but at the depot gave him q
letter of Introduction to the bank and sc
saying handed the letter 10 the teller who
at once recognized in it the handwriting
of Withers So cleverly had it been forged
He showed in a draft for $5, 500 and said lie
wanted it deposited to his account, but at
that time wanted $3.50 on it. Next day the
eastern bank wired back prononncing it q
forgery.
The receiving teller OF the Wichita
National said last night that under the
circumstances here it was impossible to
doubt the mans sincerity. He was intro
duced by a customer of the banks and all
his stat ements aud actions were plausible.
A reporter for the EAGLE visited Mrs.
Lanes home on Market street last night
and asked for a further description OF her
eX-boarder.
'Come in," said Mrs. Lane, "and I'll get
Ida to help me describe him." Before
Miss Ida arrived Mrs. Lane had a good
start and she was permitted by the
daughter to hold undisputed possession of
the descriptive field. Mrs. Lane is good,
plain, oDliging and accommodating
woman and she appears to be the only one
in town who was shrewd enough to
detect something suspicious about the
bank swiudler
"He was too good to be honest" said
Mrs. Lane, "and that is what aroused my
suspicious. He came TO my house and
inquired for lodgings. You are said he,
plain and homelIke people, and just the
kind like. Aud you. Mrs. Lane, am
sure, are a good motherly woman, and
such a one as would like TO have for "a
said she was and that is the reason his
f1attery wouldn't go down with her.
II didn't like his palaver," said Mrs.
Lane, "but said nothing for fear might
be wrong"
He engaged room, and, while Mrs.
Lane does not keep boarders as a rule, he
persuaded her to take him. Mr.. Lane is
an old man and cripple. who has always
lived on a farm away from rhe wles and
hypocrisy CT the world aud, in his own
language, he fell dead In love with
his guest. A few days nfter being there
the swindler asked Mrs. Lsne to go to the
bank aud identify him AS he wanted to
get check cashed. They went to the
State National bauk bnt the cashier did
not know Mrs. Lane well enough to cash
The check. Mrs Lane then got Mr.. Kttz
TO Identify her and she would identify
her boarder. aud the upshot of it all was
that the check WAS cashed and in due time
it was paid. The plan evidently was to
have his first transaction alright so that
he would he in better shape TO 20 after a
bigger swag. He accompanied Mrs. Lane
home aud was happy. He put on a benev-
olent air aud asked Mrs. Lane about the
financial condition of the family. Mrs
Lane said that they had farm
with a small mortgage on it that was
quite burden to them as her husband
WAS in bad health. The swindler's face
became radiant with benevolence and he
said, Mrs Lane you ara too good a WON
an to have to work for living at your
age. am rich and it would be great
pleasure to me TO help you. will lift the
mortgage off your farm and PHI take your
personal note for the money" This re-
vived Mrs. Lanes former suspicious. "pli
tell you" SAID she to n reporter II have
lived too long in this world 90 know that
no stranger would be SO liberal AS to dc
this" That evening he huI uIriedly said that
he had received intelligence of the sickness
of his sister, placed dollar in Mrs. Lanes
hand, said that he would give her the
balance when he returned and
cautioned her to reserve room for
him as he had become infatuated with the
plain, home-iike ways of bis hostess and
wanted to live with them. After a loug
absence Mrs. Lane received letter from
him. In it he said he was Called TO Chicago
TO look after some of his vast financial iu.
terests; that while there he became i'll and
had "a hard time of it. He wound up with
a caution TO keep his room. as he woull
soou be back A week later he presented
himself at Mrs. L.ne's door Que night aud
again became lone of the family" He
would walk out during the after
moons. 1t was during these Strolis that
be became acquainted with Professol
Fritch. Mrs Laue's suspicious were be
coming stronger every day but sue kept
them to herself and permitted the stranger
10 still revel in Mr.. Lanes love. Mrs
Lane began TO have suspicious that
ne would not pay her, he bad nc
luggage but - satchei aud to sound him
she said: Mr., Stewart, we have a horse
of our own aud if you desire We will have
your trunks hauled up from the depot. u
He thanked her and said that his trunk
were So large that be ala not bring them
with him, hot knowing how long ae would
remain, but remarked that he guessed he
would send for them at ouce. While
making I'D his room that afternoon Mrs
Lane perpsd into his valise which was
partly open aud found that it contained
only two old collars aud 5 railroad lime
taule She was going TO tackle him that
very afternoon when be arrived home fol
his board, He returned and with tie pre-
cision of ua,nd reader accosteQ Mrs. Lane,
before she had time 10 utter word, with
tie remai that AS be was going out III the
cuun ~ 10 make loan he worls!
would be back He never returned 70,
that is the very day that he had succeeded
in withdrawing the cash 70: his bogus
drafts from the bank
When Mrs. Lane heard OF the syindie
she congratulated herself, first on squared
accounts with the swiudler aud secondly
on knowing all the time that there was
something wrong about him. Mr.. Lsus
was sstonished aud wouldn'f bsl.eve 1t TIL
ne saw it verified in the EAGLE Miss Iaa
evidently inherited part OF her fathers
credulity and part of her mothers sus.
picions and maintained the eQuipoise by
nor expressing auy thoughts on tina sub.
Iject