Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1895-05-15


Bogus 100000 senator Fair Note-Ths
Police Of Several Cities Are on the Look
out For Them.
New YORK. May 15.-The police Of this
city and Baltimore and the federal au-
thorltles as represented by the postofflce
inspectors, are trying to ferret the perpe-
traitors OF a series Of gigantic swindles 1t
is the theory Of the officers working on the
case that all Of the frauds were undertaken
by one gang. Their field has heen seem
ingly, the entire country. and they appear
TO have had established headquarters in
New York and In Baltimore,
The operations of this gang appear 10
have included the sending for collection OF
$500, 600 bogus note purparting Co hayo
been drawn by the late Senator Fair OF
California; the sending for collection Of
SlO0 GOO bogus note against the estate of q
deceased millionaire at Scranton. Pa
tho recent attempt to float from $40, 600
20 $40 600 worth of bogus notes among the
note brokers Of this city, and the purchase
on fraudulent credit IN this city OF mer-
ohandise Of all kinds to the value Of thou
sands Of dollars, which has been disposed
Of for cash
There have been no arrests made yet
Chief OF Police Frey Of Baltimore sent two
OF his detectives here last Sunday with let
ters Of Introduction 10 Chief Byrnos, and
they are now working in connection with
detectives from the central office The par
ties concerned in the San Francisco and
Scranton affairs have engaged private do
tuotives, who are following olews in those
oltles.
Their Ofiices Abandoned.
I'M
liam Howell & Son occupied and operated
from in Baltimore have been abandoned.
The offices which tho bogus firm Of How
oil q Co. occupied In this city are also de-
serted and nre now occupied by city
marshal
The attempt to swindle the estate Of
Senator Fair on bogus note for $500 600,
purporting 60 have been drawn by tho San
Francisco millionaire to tho order Of Sena-
tor Leland Stanford also Of san Francis
co, was mado about "A month ago
The bogus note was sent 60 the First
National bank Of San Francisco for eolleo-
tion. It was forwarded by William G.
Howell OF New York Nobody interested
In either tho estate Of Senator Stanford or
Of Senator Fair had ever heard OF VII
| liam g. Howell
The note was for such large amount
1 that President s. G. Murphy Of the bank
at once sent for s. G Angus, one OF the
executors Of tho Fair estate The note was
shown to Mr.. Angus. IL was drawn in tho
best business form. 1t was dated five years
back and fell due on May %, 1895.
Mr.. Angus was thoroughly familiar
| with the signature Of both Senator Fair
and Senator LELAND Stanford. He said tho
1 signature Of tho millionaires on the note
/ appeared TO he genuine, and II not genuine
that thoy were certainly exceedingly clever
forgeriea. Investigation proved the latter
10 be true
Tho note is now in the possession Of
postoflice inspectors here, although when
questioned CONCERNING IL they either mako
donials or evasive answers. They are try
ing 20 find out who william c. Howells.
who forwarded the note TO San Francisco,
really is.
In regard to the Scranton transaction
fewer details havo been obtained than
concerning the bogus $500, 600 Fair Stan
ford note 1t is known that at about the
same time that bogus note was sent to
San Francisco there was forwarded to
Scranton a bogus note for 500. 600.
In appearance this note was almost iden-
l tlcal with the Fair Stanford note, 1t was
sent to bo collected from the estate Of de-
ceased millionaire, and purported TO have
boen drawn by him five years before, pay
able to the order Of another millionaire,
also deceased This Scranton note, like
the San Francisco note not only purport-
cd to have been drawn by one deceased
millionaire in favor Of another deceased
millionaire. but, like tho San Francisco
note, was dated five years back and fell
due on May 2s, 1896.
Loolsbox No. 915.
II any further proof was needed that the
$500, 600 bogus note and the 500. 600 note
arc by tho same forgor or gang of forRers,
il Is found in the fact that the William G.
Howells who forwarded tho San Francisco
note and the person who forwarded the
Scranton note gave but one address
through which they could be reached.
That address was Lookbox No. 9i5 in the
New York postotiioe.
The eye Of ali inspector has been contin-
ually on that box since these matters first
became the subject Of official inquiry. No
body has gone to 1t, however
Marvin ID. Wheeler, chief inspector Of
the New York postoflioe, is in charge Of
the federal officers who are Investigating
the matter here He was questioned close
" by reporter He was asked II ID was
not q fact so far as he had been able to
learn, that the $500, 600 bogus note sent to
San Francisco and the Sl00. 600 bogus note
sent to Scranton had not both emanated
from the same source.
Inspector Wheeler looked at the reporter
curiously for a moment and then asked:
Now, how did you learn that?'
But is It not soS" the reporter persist
ed.
Don't ask me any questions about it, -
said the inspector.
But are not your men working under
that theoryg' he was asked.
Now, now, said the inspector impa-
tiently, this is a mattGr that l cannot
talk about at present. T"
The bogus note sent to San Francisco
was forwarded to the First National bank
of that city for collection. The Bank Of
Commerce OF this city is correspondent for
the San Francisco bank. The president OF
the Bank of Commerce is W. W. sherman
Mr.. Sherman was asked by reporter
whether he had received letter Of inquiry
about the note. He replied that there had
been no correspondence. He said he had
heard Of this $780, 600 bogus note, how
ever but had regarded the forwarding Of
1t for collection as the wild scheme Of q
4