The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-31
F0RGER HAS NERVE
THAT UBIQUITOUS BLOCK OF LOG
GING RAILROAD CHECKS
TURNS UP AGAIN.
FOUR PASSED ON SATURDAY
BY AN INDIVIDUAL CLAIMING TO
BE AUGUST METZGER, OF
RONDO STREET.
HAD ORDERED NO COAL,
And Through This Incident the
Frauds Came to the Notice of
the Police.

The clever forger who, last Septem-
Der, victimiZed half a dozen local mer-
chants out Of sums aggregattng over
500 by means of pay checks of the
Brainerd & Northern Minnesota rail-
road, of Minneapolis, is again operat-
ing in the city, and Saturday cashed
four more of the bogus checks, amount
ing to STA. The forged instruments are
identical with those passed several
months ago. with the exception of the
payees name, which, in the last in
stance, was that of August ]. Metzger,
living at 423 Rondo street. The checks
We're each for $3.50, and drawn on the
National Bank of Commerce, of Min
neapolis. When the forger's previous
swindlings came to the attention of the
police an investigation showed that a
full book of blank pay checks of the
Brainerd & Northern Minnesota rail-
road had been stolen, and subsequently
it is said that the individual passing
the checks has successfully realized
upon over forty of the worthless in
struments in Minneapolis alone. For
four months the police of both cities
have been laying every manner of trap
for the successful forger, but, with an
unusual daring, he continues to put
forth the bogus checks without the
least apparent fear of detection, and
seems likely to be able to carry on his
fraudulent operations indefinitely.
The fOrger is described as a man
of about thirty years Of age, rather
short of stature and slender, smooth
faced, and In general appearance looks
the genuine railroad man which he rep
resents himself to be- His operations
are always conducted on Saturday
after banking hours. His practice is to
make a purchase, sometimes of little
vaule and at other times Of at least
half the amount of the check which
he presents in payment. In answer to
the invariable inquiries of the mer-
chant concerning the check, the forger
in his recent swindlings claimed to be
Mr.. Metzger, and explained the situa-
ton with such apparent honesty that
the genuineness of the checks was I'M
doubted. He said he was employed by
the Brainerd & Northern Minnesota
railroad in Minneapolis, but lived in
this city. He had received the check
for his weeks wages, and, being too
late to present it at the bank in the
Mill City, must in some way get it
cashed here. He always professed to
be in dire need of whatever he had
purchased to carry his family over
Sunday. and, after referring the some
what dubious merchant to Mr.. Metz
gers name and address in the directo-
ry, always succeeded in having the
check accepted.
In this manner he purchased q ton Of
coal from the Northwestern Fuel com
pany, getting the change on the check
and ordering the fuel delivered at 423
RondO street. He then worked the
same game on the c. G.. Lewis Coal
company, and also on another local
fuel concern. when he called on the
st. Paul Rubber company. Here he
purchased an inexpensive coat and es-
capped with the balance of the amount
called for by the check in cash The
first inkling of the worthlessness of
the checks was received by the coal
companies, when their drivers returned
with the information that Mr. Metz
ger" said he had ordered no fuel and
would not receive their deliveries. Sub
sequent investigation at the Bank of
Commerce developed that the checks
were forgerieS