The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-10-13
PRINCE OF SWINDLERS.
BEAT PEOPLE OUT OF s40o,0 900 IN
LAST FOUR YEARS.

gus Dealer in Bonds and stocks-EenrT
Clews and John Wa7ar.aksr Among
! a!- y.c:tms-scrn. OF his Transactions.
The police say that Ammet G. Glib.
son, aIso known as George 4. Sheri-
dan, VINO was arrested in New York
Thursday and IS now prisoner at
! police headquarters, is the most accom-
plished bogus check and. hotel swim
der iatne country.
Gibson, according to the police, has
succeeded, By means of forgery, bogus
checks and dealings in stock and bonds
and playing his wiles upon frst-class
hotel keepers, during the last four
years, in getting and spending in the
neighoorAood of 100000.
Among his victims, according to
Police Captain MeClusk KEY, are Henry
Ciews and John Wanamaker.
The police had been getting CON-
plants from different frstclass hotels
IA this city for many days back. b.
gus checks were laid down by Gibson
N paymont OF board bills. The checks
we're noaored in almost every case.
their 1orta.essaess only coming 10
l;ghs wlsn be had made himself
scara. Com plants reached headquar-
ters from tbs police Of cities both in
Tie east and the west, aud the police
recognized G.bson'S handlwork.
Detectives were put on the Clews
case and they located Gibson at the
Hotel Bartholdi. Tney did not find
him ia when they went to the hotel
yesterday to bag the game. He was,
however, found in the Grand hotel.
The detectives saw tall, slim, sharp
featured man, with blue eyes, a high
forehead and blonde whiskara. He
| was well dressed and very cool when
Gae Off GERS invited MIN to take stroll
10 police headquarters, protesting that
the police ha1 made mistake.
j At police headq 1arters he described
himself as Enmea c. Gibson, unmar.
ried, 80 years old, Of the Bartholdi
hotel, and native Of this country.
He sad he was vice president of toe
Akron Street Railway company OF
Akron, o., lawyer and onc3 upon
time judge il an OHIO town.
Tne specific complaint entered on
the blo!:sr against MIN was made by
| the auditor Of the I'm perial hotel. He
alleges that Gibson was guest at the
hotel on Angus. 6 Of last year, and
presented worthless check for $500
N payment of a $265 board bill. Glib.
son put down" the check and went
away with the balance in cash. Hs
was seen no more at the Imperial.
Gibson had an Office in the Mills
building not long ago." said Captain
! McCiuskey. It was handsomely ap-
pointed. ae talked about his connec-
ton with the Akron Street Railway
company as winning card to gain
| confidence. He won over even Mr..
| Henry CleWs. In fact, his Office was
mex! to Mr.. Clew's. When he had
worked himself into Mr.. Clew's good
graces, he calmly laid down with him
a check for 81, 900. Mr.. CIeWs cashed
it, only to discover how worthless it
was; out Gibson had gone. a paddock
was put oa his Office door.
Gibson met Mr.. Wanamaker in
Philadelphia soma time ago. and tbs
dry goods man was attracted by him.
Gibson suggested paper to be started
and run by hin IN the interest OF Mr.
Wanamaker's store. Good idea,
Mr.. Wanamaker said to Gibson, and a
plant was purchased. The rext thing
! Ac. Wanamaker knew, Gibson had
! sold the plant for several thousand
dollars and Philadelphia has not
Known hin since, 50 far as I know.
i have no! ye: got definite idea
OF the amount OF Gi0son's swindles. /
am told that they Will foot up more
| than $1,000 in fours years, and he
operated in both the east and west.
Among the hoIels hare at which
Gibson stopped and presented his DO
gus checks were the Netherlands, the
Fifth Avenue aud the Imperial. He
beat the hotel Netherlands out OF an
$50 board bill c. July "a last. He
stopped one day at the Fifth avenue
and a check was cashed for him.
When he paid his bill he managed to
get 50 rebate, and the Fifth avenue
saw him no m ore"
| Captain McCluskey enumerates
among the hotels which have suffered
from Gioson's patronage the Parker
House, Boston; tbs Holienden, Cleve-
land; The Stratford, Philadelphia; the
Bristol Inn, Akron, O., and ths Cad
lac and the Lincoln, Pittsburg.
4 widow in Cleveland is said to have
been defrauded out OF $1,000 by Glib.
son. Among the papers found on him
we're papers instituted against him by
thr German American Bank Of Pitts
burg.