The evening times., 1896-05-22
SCHEMES or TWO CROOKS
Inspector HolIinhsrger Wants a
Sharper Named Hermann.
UNFURNIsHED ROOM GAME
New Plan for Duping HOusekeepers
and Business Men-It Worked Like
Charm for Awhile-A Clever
Check Thief Who Has Operated
Here-Caught In Philadelphia.

The latest ingenious swindling scheme
reported to Inspector Hollinberger has been
christened 1.-THE unfurnished room game"
and heaequarters' detectives are hunting
for the swindler. Many kinds of crooked
jobs have been perpetrated upon the resi-
dents OF this city, but the latest is pro-
nounced the best, and several unsuspect-
ing landlords and Iandladies have been VIC
;imized.
Several large furniture establishments
here, which do business On the installment
plan, have also been taken in by the sharper
out their losses have been inconsiderable, as
ihcy in each Instance recovered their goods.
The fellow vino Worked the unfurIiIshcd-
room game is known To Inspector Holm
berger as Hermann, but this is, of course,
an assumed name.
His way of working. as described by the
chief of detectives, is to rentan uDfurnishe.
room or two in prosperous-looking house
and well-to-do neighborbood.
HOW HE DID 1T.
After securing the apartments Hermann
would go to one of the furniture Install
ment houses, select costly articles for his
rooms. make small advance payment and
have the furniture. even the carpet, placed
IN them. Then he would occupy the newly
furnished quarters a day or two and finally
call upon his landlord or laDdlady for
loan OF money. Hermann would explain
that he was temporarily embarrassed. and
would repay the amount as soon as he re-
ccivcd a draft or bank check he claimed
was coming from New York or Chicago.
Being a stranger 10 the landlord, the
sharper would give him a receipted bill
for the furniture to hold a security until
The money was repaid. The game worked
successfully in nearly every instance, and
after getting the money the fellow would
skip to another locality, only TO victiinize
some other landlord and furniture house.
When The collector called to get tho
second pa yment on the household goods the
cat would be out of the bag, and the trust
Ing householder would realize that he or
she had been buncoed.
Hermann is said to have worked this
game in several instances here, and the
police believe now, after duping nearly all
The installnent houses here, he has fled
the city and is operating elsewhere.
A CHECK SwINDLER.
The Philadelphia detectives have locked
up in Moyaminsing prison, in that city,
clever check swindler. who is said to be
wanted here. The prisoner is known there
as Elmer Dale, alias William G. Murray, but
these names are assumed, and Inspector
Hollinberrcr can tell nothing about the fel-
low until he receives his description. In the
of crooks and other culprits
the inspector says the mans name cuts no
figure, as swindlers employ a new cogno-
men for every trick they turn.
Tie Washington authorities will there
fore not be able to tell anything about Dale
or Murray until they receive his Bertillion
system measurements and description, the
and almost infallible method of
= Dale by his suave manners and smooth
tongue succeeded in swindling Philadel-
phia firms out OF about $4,000. His scheme
was to pose as a wealthy hotel keeper from
Newport News, Va; buy a zig order Of
goods TO be shipped 10 thatplace and proffer
worthless checks, receiving large sums OF
none in change.
Among the articles ordered and shipped
by the firms TO Newport Ne ws were barrels
of whisky, barroom fixtures, furniture and
bicycles. He is said 20 have worked these
schemes both in Baltimore and Washington.