The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-19
-- --~ 80 . --------------------
THIS SCHEME WORKX1D.
a swindIcr's sIic~ Say of Getting
Money on Draft and Farged
Copy of II.

swindIer's sIic~ Say of Getting
Money on "a Draft and "a Farged
Copy of II.
From the ST. Paul Pioneer Press.
novel fraud by which a Minnesota
bank was induced innocendy 70 abet the
robbing OF a Montana bank has petplexed
recently one Of the detective agencies. In
quiries made last week at a ST. Paul hotel
as to possible guest who wore a silk hat,
a Prince Albert coat and gray mutton-chop
whiskers revealed the nature OF the crimi-
nal scheme. But the inquiring detective
would not repeat names
A few weeks ago. said the detective. the
very respectable gentleman with the silk
nat bought country bank not far from
this city draft on New York for 81 800
paying for il In currency, He explained
that he was going TO a small town IN Mon
tana and that he did not care to take SO
large "A sum with him IN cash, Would the
cashier kindly notify the only bank in
ihat Montana town that he had sold the
New York draft 10 Mr.. Hat. and that MIR.
hat would cash the draft at the Montana
town? Certainly the cashier would. lie
did write. And when the owner OF the
draft appeared a few days later at The
Montana bank he found not the slightest
N'ifiNNANS - Ne'4tAih5 q piEEu copy III lHE
draft
you're Mr.. Hat Of Philadelphia. or
course" said the exchange clerk In Mon
tana. I'VE received letter from the bank
that sold you the draft. Let's see. Tall
gray sidewhbskers. very subdued manner
oh, yes! That's all right Description, a
matter of old FORM you know. Your sig
nature2 exact, OF course"
So, with apologies for taking the usual
precautions, the clerk, upon comparing the
signatures of Mr.. Hat, accepted his receipt
and gave him all in gold. as became A
banker of the mining state, $1,000 As the
new customer went out he made a partic-
ularly good joke about the Montana
weather.
The old gentleman with the sabdued
manner had copied The original draft upon
a blank that he had somehow secured
from the Minnesota bank The letter from
the bank would naturally have auieted
any suspicion Ia Montana, for the letter
gave, as usual, the number of the draft
and other details. which were fully cor
roborated In the forged copy. Inasmuch
as the letter proved to the Montana bank
that Mr.. Hal must possess an original
draft for the amount required. the bank
would never entertain the thought that
forged copy would be presented by the
holder Of that original. Thus the cashinz
Of The forgery was easy
At once The gentle defrauder took the
next train for Minnesota. Ee reappeared
before the cashier of the Minnesota bank
and smiled through an unctuous apology.
I'm extremely sorry 10 trouble YOU
again" said the urbane gentleman But
you see, I've decided not to make that
Montana trip this month. / have found a
little real estate deal up in ST Paul where
! can invest the money to better advan-
tage, at least for the present. Now, will
you be good enough to cancel your draft
mo- - EXPANDING the fido roI
"and let me have the 81 ,60O?-
The Minnesota cashier was as agreeable
as had been the Montana clerk. The agree
able Philadelphia received his second
81 500. He smiled. The cashier smiled
The Montana clerk kept smiling whenever
he thought of the ahable stranger who
made so pleasant a little joke about the
weather. Everybody continued to smile
until the Montana bank drew upon the
Minnesota bank for 81 500 advanced upon
draft Then there was but one smiler left
the polished the respectable, the witty
Mr. Hat Of Philadelphia"