Arizona republican., 1898-01-30
A SWdNDLE IN SILKS
A Complex Fraud Worked on Dry
 Goods Firms

USE Ou tlu6 LeI0puOu6 duu Uy COulllVldl employment of American District Messenger boys Charles Walker is charged with swindling some of the largest importers and manufacturers agents in silks in this city. He was arrested today by Detectives Melon ough and Campbell, of the Central of flee, and taken to police headquarters, where he divulged his scheme and, the police say, admitted his guilt. The scheme as unfolded to Capt. McClus- ky waH so complex that it staggered the, captain for awhile, and Walker had to have recourse to a diagram to explain it.
 Walker stated that he was 50 years of age, a native of Canada, and re- sided at Belleville, N. J. For years he has worked in the dry goods dis trict in this city, and understands the methods in vogue, particularly as to the purchase of goods by out-of-town buyers and the usages as to ship ments, invoicing, etc. He was we'll fitted to carry on his peculiar style of peculations. The specific charge against Walker is the swindling of Eiseman Bros, dealers in silks at Nos. 71 and 73 Grand street.
 On a date mentioned, Walker went to a telephone, and called up Eiseman Bros. He represented himself as M. Sparks, and stated that he was the buyer for E. D. Garrett of Galveston, Texas He wanted Eiseman Bros. to send two pieces or rolls of black silk to H. B. Claf1in & Co.,, for shipment, implying that he had just purchased 8 large amount of goods from Clafiin & Go. and wanted the silk shipped with them He desired silk of the same grade and texture as the last sent ito E. D. Garrett. He also stated that the goods purchased of H. B. Claflin & Co. weEe to be shipped on January IT, and he wanted the goods there by that time.
 The two rolls of silk were sent by Nsemlan Bros. to H. B. Clafin & Go. On the morning of the 17th H. B. Claf- lin & Go. received a telephone mes sage from Sparks stating that he had sent messenger boy to the store for two pieces of silk, and instructing the firm to deliver the silks to the boy, who would take them to Sweetser, Pembroke & Co.,, who were going to ship them with a lot of goods he had purchased there. The boy arrived at H. B. Claf1in & Co.'S with the order from Sparks written on the letter head stationery of Sweetser, Pem- broke & Co.
 Everything appearing regular, H. B. Clafin & Co. delivered the silk over to the boy. IA few blocks from tue store Walker, alias Sparks, took the bundle from him. Then he took them to a pawn shop and hypothecate ed them for a few hundred dollars.
 Besides Eiseman Bros, Walker has swindded Valentine & Bentley of No S7 Grand street, and Spielman Bros. of No. 83 Grand street, and many others in the same way. He admits
 
 900 thus far this month by his opera tions
 When Eiseman Bros. heard from Galveston they reported the case to police headquarters, and Detectives McDonough and Campbell were placed on the case. They haunted the dry goods district, and questioned every messenger boy they saw carrying a. bundle.
 Finally they saw a messenger boy coming out of Strauss & Co.,, No. 357 Broadway, with a bundle of silk. They questioned him, had their sus- picions aroused, and, following him. discovered Walker in the act of talk ing the bundle from him. He was at once arrested.