The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-10-18

Deputy Sheriff Baldwin OF Vincennes.
Ind. passed through the Union Station
yesterday en- route for Abba. Ia. having
In custody Austin Christ of Knoxville. ia,
who is accused of passing more than $3oc'0
in forged paper in the neighbOrhood Of ms
home town. Accompanying them as far as
ST Louis was u. y. Kratzer of the KratZer
Carriage Company at Des Moines Ia, and
one Of Ghrists creditors.
Christ was captured at Vfncennes on
Tuesday. For two weeks KratZer had been
following him, 'racking him to Denver.
Colo, and back to Indiana. and IL was into
alighted from the train at Nincennes Tues
day morning.
According TO Kratzer. Christ for the 'ast
four years has been living by cashins
forged paper at various banks. redeenins
each mote as IT fell due by other paper for
larger sums which he would forge in ITS
stead. The story told by kratzer reveals
a singular series of forgeries for when
there was no real occasion, Christ being
possessed Of cousiderable means and belong
ing to one of the leading families OF knox
vile Ia. He is engaged TO be married 10
ali estirnable young Lazy who lives at knox
vile.
kratzer said that the first paper forged by
Christ which has come TO hSh; was dated
abou; four years ago and was redeemed W
christ win another forged note.
G.HRiST'S FLIGHT
AtI8OsS EHE COUNTRY.
The nnai act in Ihis Lne was commltte1
abou, ten days ago when he forged notes
10 the amount 81, ltD and sold tbeln 10 "A
man named Geiser, living at fAnoxNll!e. Tor
Sl,uvo. lie given check Tor the sum
and On October he drove TO Peiia, la,
wL,re he cashed II, and also made out a
draft on the Marion County National Bank
tor $65o. The bank officials teepnoned 10
the Marion County bank asking II Christ ;
draft should be honored. and II Is an iDui-
cation OF the utter absence OF suspicion
which existed that ths bank addressed
promptly replied that IL would honor his
draft for any sum.
Christ then determined to escape, stated
KratZer. and that same night he drove 10
Gully. thence 10 Newton, where he secured
"A new team. which took him to keilog.
Here he boarded train for Des Moines
He then went 10y a roundabout route 10
Denver. his evident object being to evade
goggles and false beard, which he had
purchased At colorado Springs as he passed
through route 70 Denver.
kRATZER TRACkS HIM
TO COLORADO AND INDIANA.
All this WAS learned by kratzer. who
had found out Ghrists defalcation and had
followed rim 10 endeavor 20 have him
placed under arrest. Christ owing his firm
:, considerable sum Of money. When he
reached Denver he learned that Christ had
lust gone back TO Newton, Ia, and he fol
bowed rapidly as possible.
In Iowa Christ again took roundabout
route through several towns. and on last
Wednesday evening. at 10 O'clock. he sent
a telegram to- knoxville asking his fiancee
and her father to meet him and allow him
to explain matters. Last sunday he again
became alarmed and went to Peoria and
thence to Hazieton, Ind.
kra.Zer in the meantime had tracked him
and learned of his presence on the train.
He also discovered that Christ had bearded
the wrong train, which would only take him
as far as Vinc.nnes, Ind. He reached this
town before Christ and notified Sheriff Rob-
inson of that place. Sergeant Baldwin was
sent 10 the station with EratZer, and as
Chris; stepped off tine train he was placed
under arrest
| MOTIVE OF FORGERIES
Is COMPLETE: MYSTERY.
Christ broke down completely on the
train, so kratzer says. and confessed that
| he had been forging paper for years. Ii il
| said that sii.Jlo of the notes are held in
| Knoxville $3.50 at the Marion County Ma
, tional Bank si,e0s at The First National
Bank of Peila. $40 with Forscher Bros.
of Maryville, 10. and the remainder scat
| tered throughout the neighborhod. He will
| he detained AT -ilbra until he has an inter-
view with two of the bankers there.
/ The mystery of the whole affair. said