The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-19
THIS sCHEmG WORKED.
swindler's Way Of GettlnR None
on Dram aud Forged Copy.

swihdIer's Way of Gettlng Money
on Dram and Forged Copy.
st. Pani Pioneer Press: A novel fraud
by which d Minnesota bank was induced
innoecntly to abet the rohbing Of q
Montana hank has perplexed recently
one Of the detective agencies. Inquiries
made last week At a ST Paul hotei as
to possible guest who wore a silk hat,
a Prince Albert coat and gray mutton
chop whlskers revealed The nature of the
criminal scheme. But.the inquiring de-
tectve would not repeat names
A few weeks ago, said the detective,
the very respectable gentlmau with the
Bilk hat bought OF a country bank not
far from this city q draft on New YORK
for II ,6DO paying for It IN currency. He
explained he was going 10 q small town
In Montana ana that he did not care
to take so large q sum with him In
cash. Would the cashier kindly notify
the only bank In that Montana town
that he had sold the New York draft
to Mr., Hat. and that Mr. Hat would
cash the draft at the Montana town?
Certainly the cashier would write. He
did write. And when the owner OF the
draft appeared few days later at the
Montana bank he found not the slight-
est difficulty In getting cashed q forged
copy Of the draft
You're Mr.. hat, Of Philadelphia, Of
course" said the exchange clerk In
Montana. I'VE received letter from
the bank that sold you the draft, Let's
see? TAIL gray side-whiskers, very
Bubdued manner. OH, yesl that's all
right. Description. a matter of form,
you know. Your signature? Exact, OF
course"
SO. with apologies for taking the usu-
al precautions the clerk, upon cOmpar-
ing the signatures of Mr.. Hat, accepted
his receipt and gave him all In gold,
as became q banker OF the mining state.
$1,000. AS the new customer went out
he made particularly good Joke about
the Montana weather.
The old gentleman with the subdued
manner had copied the original draft
upon a blank that he had somehow Sc
cured from the Minnesota bank. The
letter from the bank would naturally
have quieted any suspicion in Mon
tana, for the letter gave, as usual, the
number Of the draft and other details.
which were fully corrobOrated In the
forged copy. Inasmuch as the letter
proved to the Montana bank that Mr..
Hat must possess an original draft for
the amount required. the bank would
never entertain the thought that a
forged copy would be presented by the
holder Of the original. Thus the CASH
ing OF the forgery was easy.
At once the gentle defrauder took the
next train for Minnesota. He reappear-
ed before the cashier OF the Minnesota
bank, and smiled through an unctuous
apology.
I'm extremely sorry to trouble you
again" said the urbane gentleman,
''but you see I've decided not to make
that Montana trip this month. have
found little real estate deal up In St.
Paul where / can invest the money to
better advantage. at least for the pres
ent. Now. will you be good enough to
cancel your draft here" Extending the
bona fde Originally ,'and let me have the
$1.e00?"
The Minnesota cashier was as agree
able as had been the Montana clerk.
The agreeable Philadelphiah received
his second $1,000. He smiled. The CASH
Ter smiled. The Montana clerk kept
smiling whenever he thought Of that
affable stranger who made so pleasant
little joke about the weather Every
body continued 10 smile until the Mon
tana hank drew upon the Minnesota
bank for $1,000 advanced upon draft.
Then there was but on smller left-the
polished. the respectable, the witty Mr..
Hat of PhiladelDhln