The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-11
FORGED OFFICIALS NAMES.
PHOENIX AND DAN WILLIAMS
FOUND OTHERS TITLES USEFUL.

Donovan Right and Left-IIis Name
Forged TO Orders for Their snIar-
les and Money Secured From
Brokers Through This Means.
Messrs. Van Giesen and MnriI Have
Suffered Phoenix Forged the
Name of Capt. John II. DiIIOn-Dnn
williams Is Under Arrest.
A rather extensive series of forgeries, in
which two of the negro messeng gers en-
ployed at the county Court House are the
guiny parties was unearthed Friday aft-
ernoon and yesterday morning. One of
the men. Dan Williams. has been arrest
ed aud committed to jail; the '.er, Phoe-
nix Williams is still at liberty.
The folgeries have coma as a surprise
TO the officials at the Court House by
whom both of the messengers have been
almost implicitly trusted and who have
confided 10 them a times large sums Of
money for deposit in the banks, The TO-
tai amount involved in the forgeries is not
large, less than $50, but there are cir
cumstances surrounding the case that
make ii of more than passing interest
The forgeries have been going on for
two months and ii is surprising chat dis
Closure and arrest of the pair of criminals
has not sooner come about. The only
losers discovered up 10 date are f. A. Van
GeSen and J. Maril, two brokers, who
advanced the negroes money on the
strength of forged orders upon BARLEY
Donovan, janitor at the Court House
The first rude shock to the confidence
that had been reposed in Phoenix VIII
liams was produced by the events of
Friday morning and afternoon. During
banking hours Phoenix was sent to the
Germania Bank by Capt. John r. Dillon.
receiver of tax returns, for the purpose
of making a deposit. Evidently it then
occurred 10 the negro that it was a ia
vorable opportunity to put a preconceiv-
ed plan into active operation, and he set
about il.
Going to the discount clerk in the bank
he produced a note made to the order of
his wife, A b. Williams, signed by him
self and Endorsed A. B. Williams and
John r. Dillon. 1t was for $50, and was
due sixty days after date. Phoenix passed
1t over the counter to the discount clerk,
assumed his blandest most pleasing and
engaging smile and wa ted while the clerk
examined the signatures
why, Phoenix" said the clerk this
does not look like the signature of Capt.
Dillon"
T,
instant reort, Capt. Dillon was being
shaved when he signed the note as in
dorser and told me to come and get the
money. The barber gave him a pad and a
pen and he signed the note while he was
lying back in the chair. / guess that's
the reason the signature doesn't look like
II does usually"
With a dubious nod of the head the clerk
was proceeding TO enter the amount of the
note and other particulars in his books, !
crediting to the account of Cap4. Dillon, |
when Phoenix again interposed. ''The cap
tain does not want the note placed to his
account, but the amount in money. Just
give me a pay ticket and l will collect
az the teller's window" The ticket was
made out, showing the amount of the
note, less the discount and armed with
this Phoenix sauntered over to the win
dow Of Teller Walter Hogan and showed
the note. with the pay ticket affixed.
MIR. Hogan did noF pay particular atten- !
tion TO the signatures of the note, taking
IL for granted that an examination of
these had been made by the discount clerk
before the pay ticket had been affixed |
He turned over the money 10 Phoenix /
and Phoenix departed. No sooner had he |
left the bank than Mr.. Hogan made a re-
ne wed examina ton of the note and discov-
cred at once that the signature of Capt /
Dillon was only passably clever forgery. |
he reported the matter at once 10 Cashier |
Hogan, who took the fraudulent note and /
started for the Court House Phoenix was
found engaged in his duty about the build |
ing and the money that he had received
was demanded of him. He gave il with
an appeal for mercy and without an ef- !
fort to conceal his guilt. Capt. Dillon was
not then in the Court House and for a
time the matter was permitted TO rest
Fhis was mistake, as Subsequent events
proved. Phoenix did not show up around
the Court House again that afternoon, |
and the story was suppressed in order
that his arrest could be effected when he
reported for work yesterday
The only thing Il at yes erday served to
reveal was renewed and redoubled evil |
dence of the tricks that Phoenix and Dan
who, by the way, are not related to each
other had been playing. Phoenix came
IN during the early morning, but left be-
fore the Offices We g Cre1ed
Later in the mcrning, however. appear- /
ed money brokers. Van Giesen and MARI
who procee ed to unfold their own vr.-
Vate and particular tal of wee. For The /
purpose Of max ng money from the mon
ey lenders, Phoenix had devised and he
and Dan Rae followed a plan that seems
TO have worked successfully Mr. Van
Giesen has been worked ~ both Of The
negroes but Phoenix is the only one of
TIE pair who managed to secure Illicit en-
trance into thetpockets of Mr.. Mari
Janltor Donovan is accustomed TO draw
each month Il sala les Of the messen-
gers and 70 pay thcm h mself Taking ad-
vantage # his custom the negrc es would
ilrst write an order OIL the jaultor. to
which they would al fix Their names This
order would then he indorsed 20 X
a tley Demo an" TIE idea was nat the
amount should be subsu ac ed by Janitor
20 olan from tie salaries of the men.
vetore ne paid them On the fifteenth Of
the month.
IN TINS manner Phoenix has secured
trom Van Giesen $50 and from Maril $i4.
while Dan mu.cted Van Glesen of S24
THESE are the only pieces of rascahty thar
nave been oroughl 10 public attention up
to date.
A number OF warrants were sworn out
against the Two men, and on one of these
Dan was arrested in the corr dor of Inc
Court House at o'c.ock yesterday a fter-
noon. The warrant was issued by Aiapis-
lrate BeN ans, and the arrest was by Of
ncer Harry Beckett. When Dan was ar
rested, Phoenix was nowhere 70 be found
Dan made a comp ete confession Of
gum, saying that ne had been Induced 20
embark upon the somewhat perilous en-