Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-19
b. VI. WINTERS ARRESTED.
Secret Service Men Apprehcnd Former
Coast Survey EmplOye.

B. NJ. Winters, former employee of the
coast and geodetic survey. was committed
to Jail Saturday by United States Commits
sioner Samuel C. Mills in default of s. 800
to answer charges of abstracting and de-
stroying United States property The
charges of forgery and securing money I'M
der false pretenses may be also preferred
against him.
Winters was arrested Saturday by Chief
Clerk Moran and Detective George Foster
of the United States secret service. Early
In the day a check for $50 was presented
at the cash room of the Treasury Depart
ment for payment. 1t was signed 81 3.
Irvine. disbursing officer coast and geodetic
survey payable to 3. NJ. Winters and in
dorsed by Conrad Grier, who keeps sa-
loon on d near 9Th street northwest The
check had been received from Mr. Grier.
who Is depositor, by the Columbia Ma
tional Bank.
As it did not bear Winters Endorsement
the bank at first refused to accept it, but
upon Grier's Endorsement did so. The treas
ury ofncials saw at once that the check
was fraudulent, and Chief Wilkie was noti-
fled. Messrs. Moran and Foster upon in
vestgation. found that the archives where
the papers OF the coast and geOdetic former
disbursing officer were kept had been re-
lieved of twenty blank checks, similar to
the one used by Winter
From Mr.. Grier they learned that he had
taken the draft from Winters whom he
knew. 1t called for ss4 and the saloon
Keeper had loaned Winters $40 upon ii. and
was TO pay him the remainder Saturday.
II winters did not redeem IT. The latter had
not Endorsed it. and supposed that there
Tore, II was not negotiable. and that II
would not get out of Griers hands In This
ne was mistaken, and this fact led to his
arrest. ~ ms
Grier needed the $40 he had paid Win
tiers, and so took the draft to his hank for
deposit. in order that he might dra ~
against it. When he passed it in at the
receiving teller's window it was refused
because it did not bear the Endorsement nj
the man to whom it was made PAYABLE
Grier accepted it, and innocently thinking
that 1t made no difference who Endorsed
the paper, he took 1t to a friend and had
him write across the back of the check
the name, "B. NJ. Winters" Then he took
IL back 10 the bank.
The teller. not knowing whether B. NJ
winters or some one else had made the
Endorsement, this time accepted 1t, and
placed the amount to the credit of Grier
Not thinking that the check would be so
terday returned TO Mr. Grier and asked for
an additional loan. Moran and Foster who
had been expecting Winters return were
waiting and Immediately placed him under
arrest winters admitted having used the
check, and stated that he had taken In oil
twenty blank checks from the treasury
t1fteen OF these, he said he had destroyed
In Chicago. where he went on a yisit soon
AFTER leaving the coast and geodetic sur
very, three months ago.
On It's face the check stated that tho
amount payable was due for overtime work
such person as j. b. Irvine was ever con-
nected with the coast and geodetic suryey
and the bureau has not had a dfsbursjnp
officer for twelve years.