The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-15
HE INHERITED $500, 900
LOST ALL on CHICAGO BOARD
OF TRADE.
HE HAS LED A WILD, EVENTFUL LIFE
He Has Swindled Banks and Business Houses
in all Parts of the Country, But
He Has Hi herto Esbaped
Prison Walls.

New York, Nov 14-There is at police
Headquarters here quartette OF pfls-
oners in whom the police of almost every
large American city and many OF the
leading business houses, banks ana
trust companies have Il deep interest.
They were rounded mp after beng
watched for several months and We're
formally held by police magistrate to-
day 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 netted
them many thousands of dollars. The
prisoners are Alonzo j. Whiteman, 80
wears old. of Danville, \. Y, the al
legged head of the gang, who Is a grad
uate of Columbia Law School: Frank
Edmuntls. 40 years old, clerk. of New
York: John Thompson, alias William
Hartley, alias L. Lawton, alias DIR. Geo
". Johnson. 81 years DID, clerk residences
unknown: Robert j Knox, II years old,
lawyer. of New York.
There is under arrest at Pittsburg
a fifth member of the gang, Charles ID.
Stewart alias Charles Ward, about GO
or 20 years old He was arrested there
yesterday.
According to the statement given out
tonight by Captain McCluskey, Chief OF
Detectives. Hartley. under the name or
DIR. George w johnson, entered into
negotiations with the real estate firm
Of John +. James and Son, in Brooklyn,
for the purchase of $4,000 house.
..Dr. Johnson said he would pay $4,000
down and would carry the remaining
$4,000 ON first mortgage. In neso-
tiating with the Central Trust Com
nany of Brooklyn regarding the interest
ON the mortgage "Dr. Johnson mama
ged to secure $3.50 on Il fraudulent
check, from the company, he having
deposited a draft for $1,000 drawn on
the Hoboken Loan and Savings Institu-
ton. This was one OF 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, New York,
ordered ten thousand drafts of a GER
tain desigil from a firm of photographers
in this city and paid for them in cash.
They were sent to him Care of Mrs.
Whiteman. Danville, New York" 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 Il detective bureau. Soon reports
of bogus drafts began to pour in from
all over the country. They were ali
made on these forms and drawn on the
National Bank of Lawrence. y. Y. In
vestigation by the police traced them
back to Whiteman, who lived with his
mother in Dansville \. Y. There, it is
alleged he formulated the plans, and his
n Al A, Il 4hsasa,
out.
Another ALLEGED swindling operation
recounted by Captain McClIskey, oc-
Cured ON October Bird hast. The First
National Bank of Woonsoeket, II. L.,
paid $1,000 on Il $4,000 worthless draft
drawn by the Lawrence National Bank
of Lawrence, Kansas. on the first Ma
tional Bank of New York city This
deal, the police state. was operated by
Charles Il. Stewart, alias Charles Ward,
aided by Edmunds, Thompson and
Knox. and directed from Dansville by
Whiteman.
After this money was secured. the
gang. except Whiteman, went to Pitts
burg. where the next victim, the Trades
men National Bank, was to be worked.
The scheme there. according to the TO
lice was to deposit $1,000 in cash 10
open an account and give the gang a
standing. This was done. A bogus draft
for $1,000 was to follow, and then an
effort made to draw $1,000. Stewart.
alias Ward. was to do the work. He is
gray and venerable. The bank officials
We're 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. iPtts-