The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-11-15
A SVTNDuNG QUINTET
Rounded Up After Being Watched
For Several Months.
A OoLLEGIAN LEADS TIE GANG.

He Led His Glass in Columbia Law
School, and Inherited Ralf Million
From His Father After Leaving Coll
leee-He Is Wanted in Chicago.
New York, Nov. 15.-There Is at po-
lice headquarters here quartet Of
| prisoners In whom the police of al
most every large American city and
many Of the leading business houses,
banks and trust companies have deep
interest. They were rounded up after
being watched for several months. and
were formally held by police magis-
trate yesterday on the nominal charge
Of being suspicious persons.
The police of New York say that
most Of them have been convicted here
and elsewhere Of swindling that has
Melted them many thousands Of dol
lars. The prisoners are:
Alonzo J. Whiteman, 80 years old.
of Danville. N. Y. the alleged head Of
the gang, graduate Of the Columbia
Law school; Frank Edmunds, 40
years old, clerk, of New York; John
Thompson, alias William Hartley,
alias P. Lawton, alias DR.. gorge W.
johnson, 81 years old, clerk. residence
unknown; Robert j. Knox. ~ years
old, lawyer, New York.
There is under arrest at Pittsburg
a fifth member of the gang, Charles
d. Stewart, alias Charles Ward, about
so or 10 years old. He was arrested
there Monday.
According to the statement given out
by Captain McCluskey, chief of de-
tectives, Hartley, under the name Of
DR.. George w. johnson, entered into
negotiations with the real estate firm
of John F. James & Son. in Brooklyn.
for the purchase Of 4 $4,000 house.
"Dr. johnson" said he would pay $4,000
down and would carry the remaining
$4,000 on a first mortgage. In nego-
tiating with the Central Trust COM
pany, Of Brooklyn, regarding the in
terest on the mortgage CDR. Johnson"
managed to secure $3.50 on fraudulent
check from the company, he having
deposited draft for $4,000 drawn on
the Hoboken Loan and Savings insti-
tuition. This was one of the many
similar cases, Captain McCluskey says,
that Hartley will have to answer for.
Several months ago man claiming
to be w. l.. Howe. cashier Of the Ma
tional bank, of Lawrence, N. Y, order
ed 10000 drafts of certain design
from firm Of photographers In this
city, and paid for them in cash. They
we're sent to him In "care of Mrs.
Whiteman, Dansville. N. Y" A few
days later a North river ferryboat
deckhand found one of the books OF
drafts in the river, and the book was
sent to a detective bureau. Soon re-
ports of bogus drafts began to pour
In from all over the country. They
were all made on these forms, and
drawn on the National bank, of Law
renee, N. Y. Investigation by the po-
lice traced them back to Whiteman,
who lived with his mother in Dams
formulated the plans. and his tools
all over the country carried them out.
Another swindling game netted the
gang $4,000 from Woonsocket (R. ~
bank on a worthless check. Then an
effort was made to work" a Pittsburg
bank, but the police had traced the
gang, and arrangements were perfected
to capture them all, but the plans mis-
carried, and Stewart alone, who is
gray and venerable in appearance, was
captured. Word was sent to this city,
and the other three were caught soon
after arriving here.
The Chicago police have sent word
that an officer will be sent after
Whiteman, who was sentenced In that
city to years imprisonment and g.
900 fine for obtaining money under
false pretenses. Pending an appeal he
was released, and when his sentence
was affirmed by the appellate court he
had disappeared.
Whiteman has been arrested score
of times. but has managed to get off.
He has travelled the world over. He
inherited 100000 from his father In
1888 after leaving college. He led his
class in the Columbia Law school.
Edmunds and Stewart have both
served sentences. and Thompson is an
all around swindler.