The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-02
SMOOTH SWINDLING GAME
WALTER f. CLOVES, OF DETROIT,
UNDER ARREST IN THIS CITY.
He Solicited Money Under the Name
of the Sons of Veterans
How He Was Caught.

4 man giving the name of Walter r.
Cloves. OF Detroit Mich. was arrested
yesterday evening at the Office OF the In
dianapolis Foundry Company by Detectives
Kinney and Lancaster. He was charged
with obtaining money under false pretenses
and made a confession. IL is probable that
a charge of forgery may also be placed
DsEaTfist nm. lie mad collected money from
a number Of firms upon the making of
false representations and exhibiting the
forged papers. Those who gave him money
were: VI. Lieber & Co. So Indianapoli
Handle Company. So Hibben. Holweg &
Co. $40: Hoosier Construction Company, So;
.fIpp Bros. s.: Smith, Day & Co, 50, and
Holiday. Wyon & Co. s..
The detectives say the scheme employed
by Cloves was one of the best they have
ever seen. lie went to business houses
with a typewriter letter from Camp No.
S5e. Sons of Veterans. L. S A, asking for
subscriptions TO a history of the camp. The
letter was dated May 10. 1901. To it was
signed the name OF William A. Edwards.
captain. The letter stated that the organ
ization was a part of the general militia,
but had no source Of revenue. and some
improvements in the equipment were neces-
sary. Accompanying the letter was list
OF names signed 10 a subscription paper.
which Cloves said was a paper secured by
a canvass last spring for a history of Com
pany g Of the Indiana National Guard. He
had solicited the subscriptions at that time
and had collected some money, but the
history" was never issued.
Also accompanying the letter and the
subscription list was letter, purpOrting
to be signed by Captain Edwards. The
subscription list had opposite each name
the notation that the amount of subscrip-
tiOn was 10 be paid upon presentation of
one copy OF the history" The second
letter explained that the Sons of Veterans
camp was in hard circumstances and did
not have enough money TO get out the
histories. and the payment OF subscriptions
In advance were asked. Cloves had col
lected from those named and had gone TO
the Indianapolis Foundry Company The
officers there disputed the claims of Cloves
that they had subscribed. The name of the
firm appeared on the list in printing. placed
there by of a rubber stamp. They
telephOned 10 police headquarters and De
tectives Kinney and Lancaster were sent
out Cloves was taken 10 headquarters.
where he admitted that the signature tn
the two letters were forgeries and that he
was collecting the money without the
knowledge OF Captain Edwards. although
he had last spring made a contract with
him for the Issuance of history
He had lived here at the lrOquois Hotel
and large telescope grip was found in his
room. At headquarters the grip was found
10 contain similar contracts made in Pitts
burg. Detroit. Philadelphia. Columbus O..
Chicago ara other places. There We're also
found a large number of rubber STAMPS
and font OF rubber type Cloves claimed
to have become hard up and that this work
was the first of the kind he had ever done
although he had made il "A business of
going about the country preparing such
histories and securing his compensation
BY advertising contracts with merchants.
He claims 20 have family at Detroit. lie
a. about fhlrtN-fiNp wears of