The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-24
"R. B. Clark" Who Had a
Bogus Check Cashed.
ARRESTED IN MEMPHIS
HIS VICTIMS ARE ALL OVER THE
SOUTH AND WEST.
REAL NAME is SAID TO BE ''DuRHAM.

| was through lne Efforts or Mr.
Palmer Ierman That He Has
Been Arrested.
An arrest of national Importance was
made Wednesday morning at Nashville,
Tenn, by Detectives Crockett and
Koran.
The prisoner is d. d. Durham, alias
r. B. Clark, alias G. A. Davis, alias
Il. Z. French, alias Fred Lewis.
sd. d. Durham is said to
be his real name. He is a notorious
forger, whose operations extend over
almost every State in the Union. while
his victims are numbered by the scores.
One of the them-the Royal and Borden
Furniture Company-is in this city.
| Durham's victims have all been furni-
ture dealers and the publication of his
crooked doings have appeared in West
ern and Southern furniture journals for
| the last several years. Merchants were
warned against him, but despite this
| fact he has continued to opera tie unmol-
ested.
| He came to Raleigh on Sunday, July
18th, and left next day with 800 of
Royal and Bordens good money. He
registered at the hotel as II. B. Clark
claimed to represent the Andrew Ho-
man Company, of New York. carrying
their photographs of fancy tables, par
lor suits and the like, offering them at
very low prices. Having no reason to
suspect him, the Royal and Borden
Company gave him small order and
| then cashed a check for 500 for him.
| 1t was this check that has been his
undoing. The prompt action and good
judgment of Mr.. T. Palmer Jerman,
treasurer and manager of the Royal
and Borden Company have resulted in
this arrest, and the bringing to justice
of one of the most noted and daring
forgers in the United States
HIS DARING FORGERY HERE.
The story of how he cashed the check
and had it subsequently returned to him
marked mo good" has already been
told in this paper As has also the
fact that he thereupon at once sent out
descriptions and confidential letters to
all the furniture men and police author
tiles in the South.
| Wednesday he was rewarded for his
trouble. The following telegram was
received from J. III. Clack, chief of police,
Nashville, Tenn:
"R. B. Clark, alias D. D. Durham.
furniture Swindler and forger arrested.
Wire"
The facts touching the forgery here
were sent and the police were requested
to hold him until an officer could be
| IN 1,,r l. 4,
the mans crimes had been many and
Tennesseeans were among his victims,
therefore, they were unwilling
that he should leave the
State until he had paid the
penalty for them. This being the case
Mr.. Jerman contended himself with at
taching the money, nearly $500, found in
the forger's possession.
Clark. or Durham, of whatever mis-
name-it is believed to be Durham-is
perhaps 40 years of age: feet, 10 inches
tall; weight about IT'S pounds; bald
headed; chara cteristic feature-nose fat
on bridge, protruding at end He is of
commanding appearance, highly educat-
ed and good conversationalist. A good
many years ago he was a travelling
salesman for a large New York furni-
ture firm. He was prosperous and sue
cessful, but on some account fell into
disgrace with the trade He was later
convicted of forgery and was sent to
the Albany, On. ", penitentiary. AT
ter his release he came South and be-
gan his extended series of forgeries.
HOW HE OPERATED.
The fellows method was simple vet
remarkably successful. He invariably
represented himself as the representative
of some substantial furniture firm. Here
it was the Andrew Holman Company, of
New York In other places he posed as
a drummer of the Globe Furniture Com
pany, of st. Louis. At still other places
he claimed to be travelling for Palmer
and Embury, of New York. In this
role he has visited almost all the cities
in the South and West, calling on the
prominent furniture dealers in the place.
He was fitted out with samples and
photographs and solicited for the COM
lpany he claimed to represent, although
he had no connection with any of the
firms. After having sold a bogus order
he would ask the firm to cash a draft on
his company, usually making the amount
$75 or 500, stating that he mad run
short of travelling expenses. The draft
was usually cashed and in the course of
several days would be returned as bogus.
In the meantime the man would have
disappeared and would soon be heard
of in another city.
1t is known that the fellow was in
Memphis on June IL and succeeded in
victimizing two firms of that city-the
Armstrong Furniture Company and the
Rhodes Furniture Company-one of SIS
each. He tried the same game on G.
w. Fisher Company. of Memphis, but
failed. From Memphis he went West
and was next heard of at Paris. Texas,
where he secured $75 from N. III. Rag
land. He also operated in Dallas. San
|