Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-15
QUARTET OF BIG SWINDLERS
New York Detectives Capture the Members
of Noted Gang.
FORMER MAYOR OF ruluTH THE LEADER
AIonzo J. whitcmnn, n Graduate oi
Columbia Law school, Manages
scheme to Dcfrnud Banks that
is National in Its Scope.

NEW YORK. Nov. 14.-There is at police
here a quartet of prisoners IN
whom the police of almost every American
,ity and many OF the leading business
ho,se banks and trust companies nave
doom interest They were rounded up alter
heing watched for several months ana were
formally held by a police magistrate today
en- the nominal charge OF being suspicious
persons. The police OF New YORK say the
most of Them have been convicted mere anu
elsewhere of swindling that has netted 'noth |
many thousands of dollars. The prisoners
are. klonzo ]. Whiteman, 80 years OF age
Dansville, n. Y, the alleged head Oh 'he
gang: he is a graduate of Columbia law
school former state secretary OF Minheso'a
and former mayor of Duluth
Frank Edmunds, 40 years OF age cierh' Vi
New York. ,u,,,,,
John Thompson, alias William Hartiey'
alias p Lawton, alias DR.. George W. 1onn-
son. 81 years of age, clerk resiuenee un-
known. -
Robert J. Knox, AZ years Of age, lawyer,
New York. ,,
Tbora is under arrest at Pittsburg fifth
member of the gang Charles d. Stewart
alias Charles Ward about 60 or 70 years Oh
age. A..
According to the statement given out to-
night by Captain McCluskey, chief OF detect
ives Hartley under the name OF Ut. VI
w. johnson, entered into negotiations VIII
the real estate firm of John james oon
NJ Brooklyn for the purchase of $loooo
house. ooo
"Dr johnson" said he would pay $5,Ooo
down and would carry the remaining So'ooo
on a first mortgage. In negotiating WIN 'ne
Central Trust company of Brooklyn regard
ing the interest on the mortgage Dr. JONI
SON" managed to secure $3.50 on frauuu'ehC
check from the company, he having oepos
tied a draft for $4,000 drawn on the Hopoheu
Loan and Savings institution. rms was one
os many similar cases, Captain McCluskey
saws. that Hartley will have to answer ior'
Several months ago man claiming TO De
w T. Howe. cashier of the National bank
of Lawrence. N. " ordered 10000 drafts OF
n certain design of firm of lithographers
NJ this citv and paid for them In cash. Ihey
were sent him Care Mrs. Whiteman, Dams
willie N. Y" A few days later North river
ferrvhoat deckhand found one of the DOCKS
of drafts in the river and the book was sent
| to a detective bureau. Soon reports OF posus
drafts began to pour in from all over lhe
country. They were made on these iorHs
| and drawn on the National bank OF Law
renee N Y. Investigation traced them pack
tn Whiteman, who lived with his motner III
Dansyille, N Y. There, it is said. ne forhu-
Iated the plans and his tools all over tne
country carried them out.
Get Money ON worthless Drntt'
Another swindling operation, recounteu ps
Captain McCluskey, occurred OCTOBER ae.'
Tho First National bank of Woonsochet ~
Maid 81 600 on a $4,000 worthless draft
drawn by the Lawrence National pahk oi
Lawrence, Kan, on the First Nationai oahh
of New York City. This deal, the ponce
stated was operated by Charles .. ete"ai'
alias Charles Ward, aided by Edmuhus
Thompson and Knox, and ulrecteu HUN
Dansyille by Whiteman.
After this money was secured the Ganh
except Whiteman, went to Pittsburg, wher'
the next victim, the Tradesmen's Nationa
hank was to be worked. The scheme there
according to the police, was to deposit Sl'oo'
in cash to open an account and give th'
gang n standing. This was done. A bogu'
draft for $4,000 was to follow and then al
effort made to draw $4,000. Stewart, ana
Ward. was to do the work. He Is gray AM
venerable The officials OF the bank wer
notified by the police and plans laid TO ar
rest the whole gang when they came o.
Monday to eraw the $4,000. The plans ms
: carried and Stewart alone was captured. In
other three escaped to New YORK. Plttspurg
} police wired Captain McCluskey and the me
, were caught soon after landing here. Whlte
: man, who came from Dansville to THIS CIT
last week. was arrested at the Hotter .
Marc, on Fifth avenue, where he had regis
tered as C. w. Caldwell, Philadelphia"
He had been sending invitations to hin
self by telephone and telegraph to occup
n hox at the horse show and to dine g
nrominent clubs The chief of police say
] Whiteman is wanted in Chicago, where h
was tried year ago for grand larceny an
= sentenced to serve two and half years, h
having jumped his bail, when he learne
that the Illinois court of appeals had a.
firmed his sentence. He will be turned ovt
il to the Chicago police, who are believed
II be ON their way here The police records
@ this city charge Whteman with swindlir
: several hotels in this city, the Grand Pacif
l. hotel in Chicago in May, 1885, the Park
= house, Boston, in June, 1899, and the Isl'
IS worth hotel in Atlantic City in August
10 the same year. Thompson will be tried he
n for swindling the Central Trust Co.
= Brooklyn.
p SwindIed Hotels.
't Among his operations the police cred
= him with swindling the Hollywood hot'
ls Long Branch; the Narragansett hotel, Prov
dence. r. l.: the Russell House, Detroit, al
= the spaldng hotel.
10 Edmunds will be sent to Woonsocket
5, all probability to stand trial with Stewa
"a for the theft of $4,000. Edmunds' picture
J. in the rogues gallery and he has serv
terms in both the Elmira reformatory a
70 Sing Sing.
W Charles d. Stewart has his picture in t