The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-01
PEN AND BRUSH, TOO
j. It. THOMAS, A PAINTER, SAID TO
BE HANDY WITH THE
FORMER.
ARRESTED ON SUSPICION
THAT HE WAS THE PERPETRATOR
OF SEVERAL WEST VIRGINIA
FORGERIES.
LONG RECORD OF MIsDEEDs
Charged Against j. Il. Quick, Which
Is Supposed to BE the Prisoners
True Name.
LONG RECORD OF MIsDEED.

y. 1. InOInaS, a painter In the employ
Of John Wacohb, 844 East Seventh
street. was arrested by Detec-
tiyes DAILY and Campbell yesterday,
on information from Lewisburg
and Hinton, w. Va. where ne is
said to be wanted by the authorities
on the charge Of forgery. The
local police department is request
ed to hold Thomas until officers from
West Virginia arrive with requisition
papers, and though the prisoner denies
that he is the man wanted in the South,
he will be kept in custody until further
investigation.
The information upon which Chief
ScWheitzer acted in ordering Thomas
arrest asks for the apprehension of
j. Z. Quick, alias J. T. Thomas. The
prisoner at the central station admits
that his name is J. T. Thomas, but de-
clares that he was never known as J.
t. Quick. From Lewisburg, w Va,
there is copy Of a warrant for the
arrest Of Quick, alias Thomas, on the
charge Of passing a forged check for
$l1 IN that city Jan. 8, also the alleged
forged instrument, which is drawn on
the Bank Of Lewisburg by E. S. Watts
ard made payable to J. 7. Quick. An
accompanying letter from Sheriff
Nickel states that Quick is g. bad
character. who formerly lived near
Lewisburg, and that he has served a
term in the West Virginia state peni-
tertiary for murder. The papers from
Hinton, town in Summer county w.
Va, adjoining Greenbrier county, in
which Lewisburg is situated, are from
County Attorney Miller and consist of
an indictment against ]. T. Quick for
passing a forged check in that city,
also Jan. 8. This check was likewise
drawn on the Lewisburg bank, and
bears the same signatures as the other
one. The letter states that Quick is
very clever, and in case Of his arrest,
will require the closest watching to
prevent him making his escape.
THOMAS was found by Detectives DAILY
and Campbell by means of a photo
graph in the rogues' gallery With only
his description and the clue that he
might possibly be in st. Paul, they sue
ceeded, after several days work, in
rounding him up yesterday, while at
work on a house on Sims street.
Thomas was under arrest on charge
Of forgery in Chicago last January, and
1t was a picture taken then that led
to his apprehension. He denies having
uttered forged paper either in the
Windy @CftY@er in West Virginia. He
formerly lived near Lewisburg and ad-
mits having been on a$visits to his fam
lily when the offense of Which he is ac-
victim Of mistaken identity.
According to his story, Thomas has
lived in this city at different times
for the past six years. Last january,
he says, he was stranded in Chicago,
while on his way to his people in the
South, and wrote to a man named J.
7. Quick at Lewisburg, who owed
him money, and asked him to send
funds to him at Chicago. Quick, he
says, sent him q check which he sup
posed was genuine, but when he en-
deavored to get it cashed he was ar
rested. Being released on bonds he
went home, as he claims, remaining at
LeWisburg about a month, and then
returning to ST. Paul, where he has
since been associated with Mr. Wachob.
The charges against him at LeWisburg
and Hinton, Thomas says, were I'M
known to him until his arrest, and are
either the result of operations on the
part Of Quick or some one else who
used both his and Quick's name The
allegations against his character,
Thomas says, are unfounded. He has
never been in trouble before.
Thomas asserts. and declares the
charge that he has served a term in
the penitentiary for murder to be alb
solutely false. He says that the man
Quick who he claims lives at Lewis
burg, looks very much like him, and
also that his folks wrote him that Quick
was in some kind of trouble at one
time, which, he intimates, may explain
the charge Of his being an ex-convict
The local authorities do not take a
great deal of stock in the story told by
Thomas, particularly that portion re-
lating to the resemblance between him
self and some one named Quick.