The herald., 1897-03-29
A Three Days Hunt for a
Smooth Forger
CAPTURED IN SANTA ANA
SLIPPERY CUSTOMER TRAVELS
UNDER MANY ALIASES
Talked an Officer Out of Arresting
Him at San Pedro and Escaped,
Only to Be overhauled

After a chase OF three days, extenu-
ing over a good portion Of both Los
Angeles and Orange counties, Police
Detective Steele last night landed in
jail q smooth swindler who 1t Is claimed
has passed several forged checks upon
small firms in this city. The fugitive
was finally apprehended in Santa Ana
yesterday afternoon and brought to this
city on the evening train securely hand
cuffed to his captor. From the state
ments of the arresting officer and the
manner in which the fugitive escaped
arrest on several occasions. 1t appears
that the prisoner is one of the smoothest
workers the police have had to deal
with in some time.
On Monday last forged check for
SIS purporting to have been signed ny
Forthmann, Bergin Ss Co., proprietors
of the soap works on Banning street,
drawn to the order of Jerome Hazard,
was passed on w. H. Wheeler. pro-
prietor of grocery store at 1O7 South
Vignes street. The next day another
check of like amount and character was
cashed by the grocery firm of Long X
Welch whose store is situated at the
corner Of Stevenson avenue and Third
street. The man who presented the
bogus checks was slightly known to
both the grocery men, having bought
goods in their stores several times, or
dering his purchases delivered at 726
East Third street. He gave no name
at the time. but represented himself as
having worked for the soap company,
from whom he had received the checks
as payment.
Thursday the checks were returned 70
he ho MI fpdnrcal n
as forgeries, whereupon both victims
sought the police and reported the mat
ter to Detective Moffat. On that even
ing Detective Steele was detailed on
the case, and began work. Going to the
stores of Wheeler and Long & Welch
he obtained description of the forger
and his residence on Third street. AT
the latter place, on making inquiries, I
was ascertained that the man was going
by the name of Barber, and was living
with a Spanish woman with one child.
a little girl Barber was not at home,
but was reported as working at San Pc
dro. so on Friday the officer went to the
harbor town, accompanied by Harry
Wheeler, son of the grocerYman, who
went along for the purpose of IDENTIFY
ing the fellow if found.
A thorough search was made during
the day, bu. Barber could not be located
One man ~ that name was discovered
but he ws < not the one wanted Wheele.
gave it up and went back. but Steele
kept up the hunt 3ifssisssd by c9nstahnaldd sz ahad
dQHpd That a. mag ,tsiiis &C sykes no,
tel visit Wa a%r Sartod ~ i1 that mus ha as aau
the mar :. 1ated. Steele was not posi-
l,sas of the fellow from the description he
had and Barber talked so smoothly and
gave such an apparently straight ac-
count of himself as to almost disarm
suspicion. He was not taken into Gus
tody but Steele sent word to the city
for Wheeler to come down again the
the fellow, meanwhile watching to see
that the suspect did not get out of town.
The steamer Coos Bay was in port, and
was watched all night to see that Bar
ber did not leave on her, and the next
morning the outgoing trains were also
watched. When Wheeler arrived an
other visit was made to the hotel, but
the bird had flown, and was nowhere to
be found. The hotel people were out a
$40 board bill, and did not even have the
fugitive's luggage to hold as security.
as Barber had taken with him two va
lises, leaving nothing behind. He had
taken everything with him except his
bill. A search was made in Wilmington
and Long Beach, but without result, and
the officer and Wheeler returned to the
city crestfallen.
About o'clock that evening" Saturday.
q telephone message was received at
police headquarters from Constable
Schwartz, who said that he had ascer-
tanned that Barber had escaped by
means of a rowboat in which he was
carried out to the steamship Corona.
which had passed the port during the
night being taken on board as pas
- fAt. Cton al ,x,,e- xxar
at once sent to the San Diego police TO
be on the lookout for the fugitive, but
on the arrival of the steamer at that
point it was found that Barber had left
the boat at Newport. This message ar
rived about IL pm. and yesterday morn
ing Steele left for Santa Ana on the S:17
train.
Of Sheriff Nichols and hunt was begun
through the hotels and boarding houses
rs 1t was ascertained that Barber had
come Immediately from Newport to the
city. 1t was finally found that man
answering the description Of the forger
was stopping at the Excelsior hotel,
where he had registered under the name
of T. B. Wheeler from Eureka Wheeler
was found in his room and the right man
was Gagged at last. He was arrested and
placed In the county Jail to await the de-
parture of the evening train for Los
Angeles.
Wheeler admitted that his right name
was Il. L. Barber, but while on the train
told the detective that his proper cog
nomen was German Lewis. Which Of
the names he is really entitled to is as
yet unknown. Whether Hazzard Bar
ber, Wheeler or Lewis, he is at present
safely locked in a steel cell in the city
Jail with at least two charges OF forgery
10 answer for. In appearance the pris-
oner Is tall, well-built and we'll dressed
fellow, totally unlike what would be ex-
pected of man whose employment was
said to be dock laborer. 1t was this
very discrepancy, coupled with his
smooth talk and plausible explanations
which caused the officer to allow him to
30 on the first interview which after
ward necessitated so much extra work
before he was finally placed behind the
bars.
M