Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-11-15
ouARTETrE OF swlnpLERs.8
A RESUME OF THEIR EXTENSIVE
t. OPERATIONS. 81
(By Telegraph to ylrginlan.Pllot,

(By Telegraph to yirginian-Pilot.)
New York. Nov. 14.-There is at police
Headquarters here a quartette of pris-
oners in whom the police OF almost
every large American city and many of
the leading business houses banks and
trust companies have a, deep interest
They were rounded. up after being
watched for Several months, and were
formally, held by a. police magistrate
to-day on the nominal charge of being
suspicious persons.
The police of New Yorlt say that most
of them have been convicted here and
elsewhere of swindling that has netted
them many thousands of dollars. The
prisoners are SAloilzotgJ. 6Whiteman,, 80
wears old. of Evansville, N Y, the all
legged head of the gang. He is n grad
uate of, Columbia Law School.
Frank Edmunds, 40 years old clerk
of New York
John Thompson, alias William Hart
ley, alias P. Lawton, alias DIR. George
w. Johnson, 81 years old, clerk. resi-
denCe unknown.
Robert ]. Knox. AZ years old. lawyer,
of New York.
There is under arrest at Pittsburg a
fifth member OF the gang-Charles D.
Stewart. alias Charles Ward. about 60
or 20 years old. He was arrested there
yesterday.
HARTLEY'S SLICK WORK.
According to the statement given
out tonight by Captain McCluskey,
chief OF detectives, Hartley, under the
name of DIR. George w. johnson, en-
tered into negotiations with the feal-
estate firm Of John T. James s. Son,
in Brooklyn.s for the purchase of IA
$4,000 house. DIR. Johnson" said he
would pay 5000 down and would car
ry the remaining $4,000 on flrst-class
mortgage. In negotiating with the Cen
trail Trust Company, of Brooklyn, re-
Earding' the interest on the mortgage
DR.. Johnson" managed to secure $3.50
on n fraudulent check from the COM
pany, he having deposited a draft for
$4,000 drawn on the Hoboken Loan and
Savings Institution. This was one of
many similar cases, Captain McClus-
key says, that Hartley win have to
answer for.
WHITEMAN's MoDUs oPERAND1.
Several months ago q man claiming
to be w. l.. Howe, cashier Of the Ma
tfonal Bank of Lawrence NJ Y, order
ed ten thousand drafts of q certain de-
sign from a firm of photographers III
this city and paid for them in cash.
They were sent to him Care Of Mrs
Whiteman, Evansville, N. Y" few
days later n 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 Lawrence, N. Y.
Investigation by the police traced them
back to Whiteman, who lived with his
mother in Evansville, N. Y. There, it is
alleged. lie formulated the plans. and
his. tools all over the country carried
them out.
Another alleged swlndling operation,
recounted by Captain McCluskey, oc-
Cured on October Sd last. The First
OF Woonsocket, r. T.,
paid $4,000 on a $4,000 worthless draft
drawn by the Lawrence National Bank
of Lawrence Kas., on the First Ma
tional Bank of New York City This
Charles p. Stewart, alias Charles Ward.
aided by Edmunds, Thompson and
Knox. and directed from Dansyille by
Whiteman. = .
THE PITTSBURG SCHEME
After this money was secured, the
gang, except Whfteman, went to Pitts
burg where the next victim, the
Tradesmen's National Bank, was to be
worked.
The scheme there, according to the
police, was to deposit 1000 in cash to
open an account and give the gang
standing. This was done. a bogus draft
for $4,000 was to follow, and then an
effort made to draw $4,000. Stewart.
alias Ward, was to do the work He Is
gray and venerable. The bank officials
were notified by the police, and plans
were made for the arrest of the entire
gang when they came on Monday to
draw the $4,000. The plans miscarried,
and Stewart alone was caught. The
other three escaped to New York. Pitts
sburgs police wired Captain McCluskey
and the men were caught soon after
landing here. -
WANTED ELSEWHERE.
WhIteman, who came from Dansvilie
to this city Saturday last, was arrest