The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-09-26
FRAUDULENT CHECKS
oskaloosa Firms Victimized by
Smooth Swindler.

evening by a smooth stranger who
suecessfullyfpassed forged checks in
amounts from So rs to SIS 80. He had
no trouble in working his game and
operated in time to get out Of the city
and is by this time no doubt planning
to work some other city.
The checks were made as drawn by
"The Oskalooss Roller Mills" per.
George E. Brown, manager, and
we're on the Mahaska County State
Bank. All of the checks were made
in favor of o. Meadows and were so
endorsed in proper manner, The OPP
orator entered store and seemed a
little impatient and hurried. He
would then present the check with
some little remark and he invariably
received his change in cash.
The list of places and amount Of
checks PASSED is
Charles Strohmeier Market So %
Oskaloosa Shoe Company Is 25
E. D. Brewer Shoe Company IS O6
Tom Neagle Shoe Store IS so
T. K. Smith Jewelry House 16 %
Total rs 81
The man went to the counter in the
| Strohmeier meat market and pur-
chased meat to the amount of 80,
cents. He purchased a SO. 90 pair Of
ladies' shoes at the Oskaloosa Shoe
Company place, a $500 pair at.
Brewers, a SO. so pair at Neagle's and
a $780, ring at T. K. Smiths house,.
He left the ring at the house for sore
slight alterations stating that he
would call for it Tuesday following.
The total amount of goods purchased
was $3.50 and the total amount of
checks presented was 1881, leaving
the fellow.a cash deal OF 1871 aside
from the goods that he secured.
The man is described as being about
five feet six or eight inches in height
aud rather chunkily built. He APP
peared toihave very dark complex
ion, had about a days growth of
dark beard and his face seemed a
little rough as though it had eruptions
OF some character. He wore a thick,
black moustache, close cropped and
slightly curled at the ends. He had
a bicycle cap of heavy, black mater
ial pulled we'll forward and had a
black overcoat on over a suit of
working clothes, jumper and over
alls that seemed to have seen much
wear. In some places he carried a
dinner pail. : He was to all appear
ances labor soiled and his face was
begrimed as though he had been
working about the machinery of some
shop. He was open in countenRnce,
very obliging to everyone in his man
ner of address but seemed slightly
nervous and in a hurry in all the
places where heiworked his game.
The stamp that he used in signing
the checks was made specially for
the purpose. a. The Seibel mills where
Mr.. Brown isImanager have never
had q stamp of the character used,
and they have no accounts in the
city under the name "Oskaloosa
Roller Mills" They have their bank
account with the Oskaloosa National
Bank and not the Mahaska County
Bank upon which the checks were
drawn. This was undoubtedly part
of the fellows scheme for he knew
that his work in all!probability would
not be discoveredEuntil the clearance
of Monday afternoon and in this he
was correct. The forgery was not
discovered until Monday afternoon.
The checks presented at the oska-
loosa National Bank with deposits
were discovered Immediately and
soon the clearances of the day re-
vealed the others.
The forger is fprobably the same
one who haslbeen working in other
parts of theSstate. He has been sue
cessful in Sioux City, Des Moinesi
Msrshalltown and Eldora.
Mr.. Brown states that a man was
in the Seibel mill one day last week
looking around. He pretended to be
an old miller and was in the place
some little time. There was also an.
other stranger about the mill Satur-
day morning who may have had
something to do with the case.
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