The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-10
4 Socket SERVICE Catch
L. 4. Grimmell Located and Arrest
ed in Philadelphia.
On Representations That lie WIS
Government Official He IL Alleged
10 Have Cheated Many BnnISs-Cor-
cred Wide Field of Operations
and Secured Thousands of Dollars.

Chief Wilkes Secret Service meu In
Philadelphia made a very important cap
ture in that city Thursday afternoon. The
prisoner is f. E. Grimmell, twenty-five
years old, for whom the Secret Service men
all over the country have been on the hunt
since December last.
Grimmell originally came from Buffalo
y. Y, where he had been employed as
drug clerk. From there he secured posi-
tion as civilian clerk in the office OF Major
Hall. the disbursing officer of the Army
Medical Department in San Francisco. He
remained in this position. apparently hlllnS
his duties to the satisfaction of his su-
perior officer until December %, 1893.
when he departed from San Francisco Tor
parts unknown. He is alleged to have
taken with him Major Halls check book,
containing 400 blank checks, which in their
printed form are drawn upon the Assis-
tant Treasurer with name and Location
blank to be filled out. While IN the office
Of Major Hall he had ample opportunity
to make himself acquainted with all forms
ard names to give checks filled out by nm
the semblance Of honesty.
Grimmel came East after leaving san
Francisco. and the checks filled out and
fraudulently signed by him began TO show
up and disclose his field of operation. Chief
Wilkie was at once notified, and he kept
his men throughout the country on the
alert.
Grimmen's first successful operation was
performed in Houston. Tex, where he
cashed a check for $4,000. drawn on the
First Texas National Bank. His story was
that he was buying mules for the Govern
ment and to get the lowest prices was
obliged to pay cash. This seemed plausi-
Bile to the officials of the bank and they
gave him the money. He next was found
in New Orleans, where he succeeded IN
having the Union National Bank advance
him the sum of $3.50 on a check of several
thousand dollars. The New Orleans Ma
,ionaI Bank also advanced him $3.50 on d
similar check He always told such
plausible stories that he aroused no suS-
piston.
From New Orleans he proceeded east,
and was next located in Memphis, where
he succeeded in getting an advance OF
81 COO on a check of $1,000 from the Mem
phis National Bank. His next place OF
operation was found to be st. Louis. where
he got $3.50 from the Continental National
Bank. and $1S1 from the Mechanics Bank.
Cincinnati was his next field for operation.
Here he called on Mr.. Charles Bronner,
clothier, and bought lot of stun, repre-
senting himself as E. Z. Grimshaw. OF
Brooklyn \ check for SlO2 was cashed LOT
him in the transaction. In Covington, the
First National Bank accommodated him Dy
cashing a check for $3.50. The Bankers
National Bank in Chicago advanced Grim
NELL the sum Of 500, and the Bank OF
Commerce in Cleveland, accommodated
him with s247. This is where his opera
tions for January ended. During this month
he secured between $1,000 and $4,000.
Chief Wilkie said last night that Grim
nell may have secured more during the
month of February The February reports
have not been received yet. Grimmell the
chief stated. was not expected to turn
I'D in the South. and he received informa-
ton of his whereabouts while in Phila-
delphia on a counterfeit case. Grimmeil
is said to have dropped about $4,000 IN
New York pool rooms last Saturday, but
this did not keep him from lavishly enter
tanning a party of men and women at
fashionable resort on the same day.
William J. McManus, in charge of the
Philadelphia secret service force, made the
arrest. 1t has since developed that Grim
nell served three years in the Columbus,
Ohio. penitentiary for grand larceny.
The loss caused by Grimmells forgeries
will fall on the respective banks. The
specific charge against Grimmell and on
which he was brought before the United
States Commissioner was that of stealing
United States property-the check book.