Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-07-18
4 SMOOTH SN|NDL[R.
FORCES q Deed and Abstract and Sc.
cures 81, 900 from Rock Rap
ids Man.
Detectives Have Boen at Work
on the Case Since
July 8.
He Is Supposed to Have . Long
Record Of Similar Successful
SWindles.

S9peCldl 10
Rock Rapids. July 1S.-About the 9TH
of July a smooth swindle was perpe-
trated upon H. B. Pierce. of Rock Rap
ids. Iowa, by man who gave the name
of Oscar Hu,d. He came to Mr.. Pierce
and said he had a piece of land-eighty
acres-in Buchanan county that he had
Just traded to John H. Shuttle, of Illi-
nois, Cor his quarter section in Lyon
county, Iowa, and was to pay in ex-
change $780, He having about $500 in
cash. wished to make a $4,000 loan. He
had an abstract made by Mr.. Pierce
and brought deed which had been
filed for record in the recorders Office
in Lyon county, Iowa. Everything was
straight anu b,lsiness-like and Mr..
Pierce made a loan for the Mutual Ben
eft Life Insurance Company to Mr.. Os-
car Huro, widower, the transfer beng
made of record. the deed of John H.
Shuttle being acknowledged before w.
Opdyke. notary public of Buchanan
county. Iowa, and filed here July. q.
Mr.. Pierce paid TO Oscar Hurd *2,ooo Dy
check on the loan on his new possess
sion. Mr.. Hurd Immediately hired
livery man to take him to Sioux rams
a distance Of thiriy-tive miles, all the
trains having gone for the day.
When the check passed thru the
hands OF the cashier of the Lyon Coun-
~ Bank his attention was called Ds
some peculiar look or action OF the
man and a couple of hours later when
Mr.. Pierce was in the bank he asked
him in regard TO the transaction. Mt.
Pierce said Mr.. Shuttle did not come out
here from Buchanan county on account
of pressing business ut home and sent
the deed here for record and that the
transfers might be made by Mr.. Pierce.
The cashier said he had Mr.. Snutte,s
signature. as he had done some busi-
ness With him, and on examining the
genuine signature and comparing 1t
with the one on the deed ii showed a
clever forgery. Steps We're immediate
liz taken 10 apprehend oscar Hurd, but
he had gone.
The matter has been placed IN the
hands of detective agencies and no
stone vii! be left unturned to capture
and place behind the bars one If the
smoothest swindlers that has visited
This vicinity.
Careful Inquiry shows that there is
no such notary Is W. Opdyke in Blu
chanan county. Iowa. and letter from
MIR John Shuttle says that he has not
traded his Lyon county land. that he
still owns il ard that he knows no such
man as Oscar Hurd, and that the
whole matter is a clever forgery
scheme
Oscar Husd is about As years of age,
Of medium height, weighs about 200, is
of sandy complexion with full. red face
ard looks, like stockman. 1t is thought
he is the same man that last year
worked II. T. Reed of Cresco. Iowa. for
5000 under the name Of Lewis w. Car
ter the Iowa State Savings Bank OF
Fairfield for $1,000, az Henry Parker
james, f. Cromwell of Marion for 81 800
Il aa Abram b. Wood; Schaller & Hart FOL
4 several thousands as Gordan; Frank A
\ Dearborn. of Wayne. Neb., for $1,000 a!
/ Robert +. Breton. and two similar case.
were reported in1sss. with a description
VERY close to this