The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-23
MORE FORGED CHECKS
A Man Of Many Aliases Forges
r. B. Thompson's
Name.
HE GOT SOME MONEY
A Gold Watch and ClOthing-Makps
His Escape Before Forgery
Is Discovered.

t/LHE JhIette VI luestldy, VIII tHb
news of forgery. had not been OIL the
streets three hours before another folger
made his appearance in the city and is
so far winner $50 in money, a $50 gold
watch and $l2 suit Of clothes, and all
because the Billings merchants are so
accommodating as to cnsh checks
tuesday evening at about 8 O'Clock
as g. W. Forester, Of the jeweler firm
OF Forester & Frizelle. was closing up
his days business q man entered the
store and asked to look at the gold
watches. They W 3re exhibited to him
and after selecting $50 timepiece
presented check drawn on the First
National Bank Of Billings for $97. SO
made payable to A. M. Mason and
signed by r. B. Thompson, the flock
master OF Highfield, Mont. The check
was readily cashed as Rufus Thomp.
son g paper is as good as the money
itself, the man purporting to be Mason
receiving the watch and $47.50 in
cash. The discovery that the check
was forgery was not known until the
following morning when Mr.. Forester
went to the bank with the check and
some money to make deposit. Assist
ant Cashier Reynolds did not think the
check was all right and after confering
with Cashier Morse and comparing it
with some Of Mr.. Thompson Is checks
which were in the bank, it was de.
clared a forgery. but clever piece Of
work just the same. The blank space
at the top Of the check was filed in in
the same manner as though by MI.
Thompson and it was numbered thirty.
| five.
AS soon as it was discovered to be a
forgery it was found that another one
had been cashed, this at j. D. Lose
kamp's for $S7, the fellow getting a
$l2 suit Of clothes and $25 in money.
This check was made payable to E. @.
Holt and also contained what was sup
posed to be r. B. Thompson's sigma.
ture. The fellow appeared at Yegen
Bros. store early in the evening and
after selecting 81 worth Of goods pre-.
sented this check. It was taken to the
cashier and after some little study he
refused to accept it. Instead Of being
permitted to take the goods away with
him he was told he could call for them
the next day after the bank had opened.
At the places he cashed the checks he
stated that be was going to Rosebud
the next morning after horse which
be had left near that place. Telegramt
were sent to stations east on the North.
ern Pacific Wednesday morning, but
nothing was heard from them. In the
afternoon Sheriff Hubbard received
word from Conductor Berry that man
answering the forger's description had
ridden with him Wednesday morning
and had ticket to Helena. The sheriff
at Helena, was notified, but up to the
present time nothing has been heard Of
| the forger's whereabouts.
The man arrived in Billings Tuesday
afternoon OH the stage from Lavina
and to the occupants gave his name as
E. NJ Luke and said he had been work
ing for r. b. Thompson ut Hightield
herding sheep. He engaged room al
Mrs. Maran's lodging house over the
Central Meat market. Shortly after hiG
arrival in Billings no visited the Chap
pie Drug stnre and purchased station
cry. Upon examination Of his room
the next morning scraps Of paper were
found upon which he had written tht
name "R. B, Thompson, as though
trying to initiate his signature.
II