New-York tribune., 1896-05-14
, pA1R OF FORGERS CAUGHT.
,1 sw1NDL1NG OPERATIONS IN SAN
ThD FRANCISCO.
using A sl2 DRAFT TO s22 coo
HOW THEIR OPERATIONS HAVE


REEx CARRIED on.
,one-sought-for men belonging 70 eans
Two 'O"' check-raisers and swindlers' VINO
o. foreei'' "a onerations involving thousands
have co"u arrested in Newark yesterday
Of oo bv Pinkerton detectives actins ior 'ne
shernoo" - y1.,,ars' Association. and Captain l.
America" ah;ef Of detectives Of San Francisco.
Lees ,ro Charles Becker and James
rei the principals in the swindllhs on
resan' 20 1901. one of $4,000 of the Nevada
Nce"'' San Fran cisco. Cal. with draft on
Bshk :, woodland, Cal. raised by Becker
w ~. s1o to 500 co.o,,
from si- ~ discovery OF this forgery, Captain
sinee chief Of detectives Of San Francisco.
l"' NO, continuously at work securing
Cai, m AGAINST these swindlers. and nnaly
evioe, I, bv securing a confession from
eompN coaver ;he associate of Becker ana
FranN u,o received from the Nevada BANK
Cresa ofo IN gold on the raised draft. Captain
te c. ,hen able last week 70 have Becker
Lee Indicted Of which he Informed the
ana o. Us who. for the American Bankers
flnA' III, have been cooperating with MIN
A.s..n,rg track Of Becker and Cregan until
anu ..nsst came from Captain Lees TO cause
their arrest. .oo- ., s,oo,,i,o man
a., tho name Of a. II. Dean, hired an once
y" u".s .rhs chronicle" Building in San Francisco,
:" u. ,hs euse OF a merchandise broker. paid
.,,,. u".. rsnt in advance. and on December 1 he
.or, N the Bank of Nevada and opehed an ac-
s.rr, with $500 cash. saying that his account
..ouM rim from 1000 10 $4,000, and that ne
u.,,la want no accommodation. He manipulated
A.. account so as to invite confidence, ana on
I,e.smber II deposited the draft of the Bank OF
woodland Cal. upon its correspondent the
r,ocker. Woolworth Bank. Of San Francisco.
The amount was placed to the credit or Dean
che check was sent through the Clearing House
and was paid by the Crocker-Woolworth BANK
The next day the check having been cleared
Dean called and drew out $4,000, taking the
cash in four bags Of gold, the teller not having
paper money convenient. He had vehicle al
the door, with his Office boy inside as driver and
away he went At the end Of the month, when
the Croker -Woolworth Bank made returns 10
the Woodland Bank, 1t included the draft Tor
$4,000 The Bank Of Woodland had drawn no
such draft and the only one II had drawn
which was not accounted for was one for Sl2,
Issued on December 9 in favor of A. II. Holmes.
an innocent-looking man.
THE ARREST OF SEAVER.
A. H. Dean and A. II. Holmes proved 10 DE
Frank L. Seaver Of New-York, who with Joe
McCluskey was arrested on February ~ at 81
Paul and Minneapolis, where they. WITH Becker
and Cregan, were preparing to swindie the
banks In the same manner as at San FRANCISCO.
McCuskey and Seaver. alias Dean. were taken
to San Francisco. but McCluskey was acquitted
on account Of insufficient evidence. and Seaver
pleaded guilty, and is awaiting sentence.
The entire banking community Of San Fran
csca hare taken great interest In the pursuit OIL
these criminals, as their forgeries had not been
confined to San Francisco, but occurred at otne.
points along the west coast. About two years
ego the forgeries began at San Diego, in South
'rn California where they committed forgery,
hen went to Los Angeles. then to Fresno, then
. San Francisco. on this trip they secured
81 900, and on the last trip about $4,000.
The confession secured by Chief Detective Lees
rom Seaver, alias Dean, makes a complete chain
4 evidence against James Cregan, the middle
nan and capitalist. and Charles Becker. the
ctual forger In this crime. For several years,
Becker, Cregan and their associates had been
winding banks all over the United States with
lrafts for amounts less than 500. and raising
hem to hundreds Of dollars. 1t was Beckers
business TO alter the drafts. He was the artist
who removed the writing with acids, restored the
most delicate tnts 10 the safety paper. and wrote
% the new amounts. doing most Of his work with
camels-hair brush. When the amount Of the
genuine draft check perforated or cut
In the paper, he would fill in these perforations
with paper pulp then with hot irons press 1t out
and perforate or cut the new figures to agree
with the amount. When an altered check or
draft left his hands, II was difficult to detect the
alterations even with microscope.
James Cregan was the capitalist or backer who
put UP the money for expenses and buying small
checks or drafts TO be altered. He also at times
D.
man who presented the forged paper TO the banks
Becker has lived In East NewYork for many
years. and at one time kept a saloon here. When
searched after their arrest S2.30I 10 was found
IN the possession of the two men. Cregan had one
1900 BILL twelve 500 bills and some change
Becker had the remainder of the money. and
1ewelry worth at least 81 800 was also found upon
them. Both men have long record of crime.
BEcKER's LONG RECORD.
Charley Becker, alias John Becker, alias Blosh
alias Bader. alias "the Dutchman." has been
associated with the most notorious professional
iorsers on both les of the Atlantic. Among
'ne Americans were George Engel, alias Dutch
george First: old William Brockway, the
SCysunnN'erleiter; George Wades Wilkes; Joseph b.
Ema1pman: alias Little joe; Joe Reilly, alias
rro,t rt ahas Little Joe Second; Andy Roberts,
por. Sleason, alias Canada Frank: Robert
ANA ssn mar alias "Old Bob" alias j. c. Hogan,
lone SsS rnl Hargraves. All Of these men have
whon pa.,. Among the English forgers with
Dectsr nscker has been associated are Oscar
Ceorgs' 1aas slas Ducker. now In an English prison.
I,onSon '%Cnhson. alias Pretty George" now In
mit,ed TSaptaln Beyan alias Smith. who com
bavtne IHuclde TWO months ago in Cairo Egypt.
prssan,,eh oeeh caught red-handed in the act OF
bankina A iot Of forged paper to Egyptian
Inc Zen houses. and Charley Gleason now serv-
Amonn BEARS 9eaIs In the Portland. England. prison.
Carlos SeeAers German forger associates were
ters hrSe.slicoVich. alias "the Prussian": the lat
Clrich usner. George Sescovich. and Charles
Bin" p,no "no was recently associated with "Old
lot Of To,.kway and Smith In the forging Of
crimino,.S and 1873 Becker and others Of the
seres IN Framed committed number OF for
turned ~ ~ Europe. Then Becker and Reilly re-
the Jrnia ~ america and formed a plan TO defraud
W pon.in trust Company Of this city. Charles
LIE y,"'e, y.ez, a clerk employed by the New-York
Of Rsn,u iahce Company. and an acquaintance
eAecf "a, wac Induced TO loan him a cancelled
men, ~ awn by the insurance company in pay
Beci.s" an account This was counterfeited by
u,s .,d and. on information secured from Potez
dSv sne amount the insurance company could
IN, st!on the Union Trust COmpanV filled out