The sun., 1898-01-08
A BOY NABS A SWINDLER.
PLATED DETEorTTE AND WAS ON
HIS TRAIL FOR THREE WEEKS

Bipaiiy Ran Him Down IN East Twsnty.eishth
street-swindior Had Buncoed Hin Out OF
a1S by an Ole Trich-Other Bsys Have
Been siniiariy Bunceea By the Same Mas.
John Mckee, q 14.year.old boy, who lives
at 77S Second avenue and is employed by a
Second avenue grocer. was sent to q Fifth ave-
nue bank on Dec. 1S to get $l2 check cashed.
As he was leaving tho bank with the money ho
was accosted by n stout. middle-aged man with
gray mustache, who had the appearance Of
clerk.
DO you want to make somo money!" the
man asked.
The boy said he did, and tho man told him he
would give him 81 II he went into tho bank
and got check cashed for him. He gave the
boy an envelope containing what purported to
be q check for $50 on Yonkers bank, written
with a lead pencil.
Mckee took tho envelope and was about to
go In the bank when the man said ho wanted
some security that he would como back with
the money, and suggested that he givo him the
$12 he had just received. Tho boy did SO, and,
going into the bank, was informed that the $50
check was worthless He ran out to the side
! walk, but the man had disappeared with his
S12, 30 ho reported tho matter to his en-
ployer and then to the police. His employer
told him he would have to mako good the loss
out OF his salary Of 30 week, and the police
told him to look for tho man and procure his
arrest when he found him.
Young Mckee felt aggrieved ut tho loss Of
his salary, and determined to bring about tho
punishment Of the swindler IL possible. He
sleuth," and the wonderful captures Of al
sort OF criminals he had made, so he determined
to do some detective work himself.
whenever he was out on errand for his
employer he kept his eye constantly open for
the man whose trail he was on. When not at
htu Late t,a D. thN
streets, peering into passing cars and carriages
and stores and scrutfnizing all short men with
gray mustacho whom he passed.
He was beginning to think that it was much
easier for boy detective to capture villain
eSsenR s in Es
Twenty-e eighth street. He was going toward
Lexington avenue when he saw tho man APP
proaching. and the two were nearly together
when the man saw him and apparently recog.
nized him, for he loft the sidewalk to cross TO
| was determined that his prey should not escape,
80 running up. he seized the mans coattails and
"Helpi Police. Police!"
Inc man tried to disGngage his coattails and
on tenaciousy. Turning about, the man struck
the boy in the right eye and when Mckee let go
Of his coattails tried to board passing car. but
hold of tho mans coat and shouted for the po-
saw man beating boy % and. Selling S the man. man,
| held him until Policeman Deboe came along
Of Robert Gilbert, but refused to say where he
lived He was locked up on the boys COM
plant, and the police remembered that Charles
Bartell. IA years old. Of 1893 Avenue b, had
been swindled out Of $50 on Dec. in a similar
manner. Bartell was sent for and identified
the prisoner as the man who had got his
money. The police also had another complaint
from boy from W hom $11O had been taken
through the same scheme.
Gilbert was arraigned in the Yorkville Court
yesterday and at the request Of the policeman
was remanded until to-day, 80 that the third
complainant could be produced.