La Junta tribune., 1900-05-05
eA.mlo CHECKS GALORE.
4 Stronger !" Strange Town oess
Some vssy Strange ThIngs.

w. N. AdiSHasf "a SAiA A~aAGs
but better known to the business
men Of La Junta as "W. NJ. Craig
head, OF Swink." did a very extern
sive and lucrative business in the
line OF cashing checks last We'd
nesday evening. The intervention
OF Night Marshal Devine, who in
tercepted the "sto1kman from
Swink" in his wild career, pr obably
saved the town ffom bankruptcy.
w. NJ. Marshall, who is appar-
emily an unsophisticated youth OF
about twenty-five summers, ar
rived in this city last Sunday even
ing and registered at the St.
Charles hotel. He spent the fol-
lowing day and two succeeding
days in interviewing our merchants
and looking over their well assorted
stocks OF merchandise, making
various selections, and nothing
but the best to be had seeming to
suit his iastidious taste. He re-
quested that the goods be laid
aside and said that he would call
for them in few days.
Last Tuesday night he broke in
to the Office of the X. w. English
Lumber Company, extracting
thereirom La )unta State Bank
check book and a rubber stamp
bearing the words "The X. w.
English Lumber Company" With
these he proceeded to fix himself
to do business, making out checks
in different amounts aggregating
s425. The checks were drawn in
favor OF w. NJ. Craighead, and
signed with the rubber stamp, with
signature OF A. w English under
meath.
Craighead first secured a horse
and buggy from the livery barn of
]. NJ. Nelson and then proceeded
to visit the merchants from whom
he had made purchases. He first
called upon McCarty & Anthem
where he had purchased bill of
furnishing goods amounting to
S55.75. He rendered an $50 check
in payment, and received S24.
in cash. The Swink farmer prob.
ably intended to secure a good
supply OF clothing and furnishings,
having had s6a. IS worth laid away
at Price Draper's. For this bill
OF goods he rendered $40 check
and received s7.65 in money.
He then called upon Bomgard-
ner 6 O'Neil, where he had pur-
chased 45-Colts. with hostler
made to order, knife, razor, etc
amounting to s24. In payment
he rendered $40 check and re-
ceiveo $40 in cash. A gentleman
of Mr.. Craighead's fastidious tastes
would not deem an outfit complete
without jewelry, SO he stepped
into Fisher & Larsen's and pur-
chased SIo3. SO, including gold
watch and chain. For these goods
he flashed check for SI2o. Mr..
Fisher thought the check alright,
but refused to let the goods go un-
til Mr.. Craighead had been identi::
fed. Mr.. Andre VS., of the Palace
drug store, became suspicious OF
the stranger, and asked Mr.. En-
glish over the telephone whether
he had issued such a check, re-
ceiving the reply that he had not.
Andrews then hunted up Night
Marshal Devine and placed him on
the trail Of the forger. Jack found
him at Joys Pharmacy, where he
was about to consummate the ex-
change of a s45 check for drugs,
toilet articles and more cash.
When placed under arrest he
stoutly maintained that the checks
were alright, but on the way to the
residence Of Mr.. English to be
identified he wilted, and offered
Devine SIoo to turn him lose.
Jack accepted the proposition with
alacrity, and after he secured what
money the prisoner had, $s2. 6s.