The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-12

New York, October THE police say
tina Emmett C. Gibson, also known as
George A. Sherin, who was arrested to-
day and is now a prisoner at police
headquarters is the most accomplished
bogus check and hotel swindler in the
country.
Gibson, according to the police a
succeeded by means of forgery. bogus
checks and dealing in stocks and bonds
and playing his wiles upon first class
hotel keepers during the last four years
in getting and spending in the neigh
borhood of $500, 900. Among his victims,
according to Police Captain McCluskey,
are Henry Clews and John Wana-
maker.
The police had been getting com
plants from different first class hotels
in this city for many days back.
Bogus checks were laid down by Glib
son in payment Of board bills. The
checks were honOred in almost every
case. their worthlessness only coming
to light when he had made himself
scarce. Complaints reached head
quarters from the police of cities both
in the east and west and the police re-
cognized Gibson's handiwOrk. Detec-
they located Gibson at the Hotel Bar
tholdi. They did not find him in when
they went to the hotel yesterday to bag
the game. He was, however, found in
the Grand hotel. The detectives saw
a tall, slim, sharp featured man
with blue eyes, q high forehead
and blonde whiskers. He was well
| dressed and very cool when the officers
invited him to taxi a stroll to police
headquarters protesting that the police
Ia made a mistake.
A. p01ioo 20 dn, ~ - he 6n0orih01
| himself as Emmett c.. Gibson, unmar-
ried, 80 years old, of the BathOldi hotel
and a native Of this country. He said
he was vice president of the Akron
Street Railway company Of Akron,
Ohio, a lawyer and once upon q time
Judge in an Ohio town. The specific
complaint on the blOtter against him
was made by the auditor Of the I'm
| perial hotel. He alleges that Gibson
| was a guest at the hotel on August 9Th
| Of last year and presented a worthless
check for $500 in payment OF a $265
board bill. Gibson put down" the
check and vent away with the balance
in cash. He was seen no more at the
Imperial.
"Gibson had an Office in the Mills
building not long ago." said Captain
| McCluskey. 1T was handsomely ap.
| pointed. He talked o his connection
" An IN
as q winning ard to gain confidence
He won over even Mr.. Henry Clews
In fact his office was ext to Mr.
C1ews'. When he had wOrmed himself
into Mr.. Clews' good Graces he calmly
laid down with him a $1,000 check. Mr.
| Clews cashed it. only to discover how
worthless it was, but Gibson had gone
A paddock was put on his Office door
| Gibson met Mr.. Wanamaker in Phil.
adelphia some time g and the dry
/ goods man was attracted by him.. Glib.
son suggested a paper to be started and
run by him in the interest Of Mr.. Wan.
amaker's store. Good idea Mr.. Wan.
| amaker said to Gibson, and q PLAN
was purchased. The next thing Mr.
| Wanamaker knew Gibson had sold the
| plant for several thousand dollars and
Philadelphia has not known him since
10 far as / know"
Akron, Ohio, October 7.-Emmit G
Gibson organized h Akron Street
| Railway and Illuminating Company OF
this city auout two years ago. At q
meeting Of the directors OF the company
last January he was move q . pres.
ident and became vice president of the
company. He was formerly located a
| Chicago where he had an Office and wa.
known as a Speculation. La er he moved
to New York and opened an Office or
! Broadway street in the Mills build.
ing.