The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-23
HE WAS A LIBERAL BUYER.
Man PurpOrting to Be from Lawrence
Vile, HI, Arrested for Forgery.

A good-looking, well-dressed young man,
purporting to be Herman Stoltz, brother
and partner of Simon o. Stoltz, a we'll
known retail druggist at Lawrenceville.
Ill, was arrested yesterday by Chief of De-
tectives Colbert and Detectives Weible and
Thornton and charged with forgery.
The complaint was made by member of
the Indianapolis Drug Company, with whom
the man had become intimate. Investiga-
ton made yesterday afternoon by the de-
tectives shows that he came to this city on
last Monday afternoon and registered at
the Grand Hotel with the same name and
address which was given at the police sta
ton yesterday. He then began operations,
the entire plan of which is a matter of con-
lecture. He went to the Indianapolis Drug
Company, where he bought 1886 worth of
medicine, which he ordered to be delivered
at the store of his brother at Lawrenceville
the LIST of next month. Simon o. Stoltz, of
that town. is we'll known by the drug COM
pany and is one of it's best customers. Con-
sequently, no suspicion was aroused, and
the check which he made out and signed
Simon o. Stoltz, per Herman was ac-
cepted in good faith. 1t was deposited
promptly, and was the means of exposing
the fellow. In the meantime however,
Stoltz kept up his work of buying ordering
the goods in most of the places without
giving any check, but, as the firm for whom
me sald ne was nuying IS good and as in no
personally from the transactions the sales
were not qpestioned. At Kipp Bros. an or
der for 1926 was left, at Charles Mayer &
Co. $134, at Hollweg & Reese $l32, at San
der SS Rocker $40 and at l.. S. Ayers e. Co.
$780, for which he gave check, as he had
were for a mon ent suspicious, but tele-
phone message to the drug company as
sured them that the man was all right.
Yesterday about 10 o'clock telegram was
received ar the drug cen pany's office from
the bank at Lawrenoeville that the check
was forgery. This was at once communl-
Gated to the police, with the other details,
and, with Chief Colbert, John r. Miller, of
the company, started out to look for the
man. After visiting many of the stores
along Washington street he was found at
Charles Mayer & Co.'S buying more goods.
gram by Chief Colbert. With no apparent
apprehension he said that there was some
mistake. and asked to be allowed to go to
the telegraph Office and address MESA ge
to his brother. This was done, under the
supervision of Mr.. Colbert, and at a late
hour last night he had received no answer
The man was put through the Bertillon
room at once. He consented to this grace
fully and after a three-hour talk nothing
could be got from him that would throw
any additional light on the affair He still
insisted that he was Herman StoltZ, and
that some mistake had been made. The
goods which he ordered could do him no
that this was only the preliminary steps to
the real game He may have been gaining
prestige. among the business men by this
liberal buying, with the possible intention
of presenting a large check, with some
firm as gCarantors as to his identity, or
asking them personally for loans. This was
begun Wednesday, when, after buying the
Kipp order, he asked to have a draft for
$35 cashed. He was accommodated. He was
in a fair way to succeed. All of his bust
moss acquaiptances were pleased with him
and have been showing him good time
since he has been in the city.
Other kilograms received later In the day
in answer to queries sent out by the police
confirm them in the belief that he is a
forger. A dispatch from Simon o. StotZ
said that he had no buyer in this city or
elsewhere. and that he had no clew to the
forgery. The teller of the Lawrenceville
bank also confirmed the statement that the
check was a forgery. In the cell at the po-
lice station last night the man refused to
talk, further than to insist that mistake
had been made. He admitted that in the
face of the kilograms received, all of which
had been shown him, the matter appeared
suspicious. A letter which was taken from
him, addressed to the alleged brother. was
dated last Monday, but had not been mailed
for some unexplainable reason 1t dwelt
upon the beauty of Indianapolis and it's i'm
pressive buildings and said that he was
getting along we'll in his buying. The de-
tectives think that this was prepared to be
found, in the hopes that it might strengthen
his statements.