The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-13

Scheme-Thc Litigation Resulting.
EASTON, Pa, MAJ 12-This section has
mystery which has amazed the detec-
tives Within a year notes to the amount
of more than $4,000 have been presented
against the estates of dead millionaires.
All are pronounced forgeries. The maker
of the false notes. who appears to be the
same in each instance, is unknown. He
has not realized a penny on his peculiar
venture. The authorities say he is as
sisted by a woman. He Is a clever pen
man. as shown by she photographs of his
handiwork and of the signatures of the
men who are dead
He has sought to get payment on the
notes through prominent lawyers of this
and other nearby places. but the lawyers
have never seen their strange client and
have failed to reach him through the
mails. In order to prevent discovery the
note ''kiter" mas communicated with the
lawyers elected in letters mailed from
trains, so that his communications bear
the postmark of no town. An odd fea-
ture of the matter is the tirelessness of
the spurious note operator. He has va
riety of signatures, and every now and
then the executors Of some estate are as
founded by demand for thousands.
He began his work in 1856 with one
moderate note. after which he was quiet
for several years Then, in October of
slast year he started in again with
thusasm. 1t is believed that there are
many Of his forged notes extant of which
there has been no public mention The
facts have been held secret for many
months in order that the detectives might
have a chance. and now that there ap-
pears to be small hope of catching the
mysterious penman. secrecy is no longer
necessary. Just how it is known that a
woman is concerned, the authorities de-
cline to say.
In 1886 William +. Edelman. an attor-
ney Of this city. received in the mail a
judgment note for IS ,00o against the es-
tate of the late Thomas NJ. McIlhaney,
of Stroudsburg. II was in favor of John
Henry, whom no one knew. The letter
accompanying the note was signed y. B.
Ford, and tE= writer asked Mr.. Edel-
man to collect on the paper and hold the
money subject 20 order.
Notice was given to the administrator
of The McIlhaney estate, who demanded
the surrender of the note for canceiia-
ton. declaring it to be a forgery Mr.
Edelman, who was acting in good faith
for his client, declined TO make a sur
render but said that If after reasonable
time Mr.. Ford did not appear and explain
the matter he would not present the note
for collection. Suit was brought against
the attorney, with the result that the note
is now in tn, parliamentary office at
Stroudsburg fer safe-keeping, at a cost
in litigation II date of $3.50 for the Nell
haney estate and of SIPS to Mr.. Edelman.
Three years ago, just after the death of
Stephen Kistler, a rich tanner of Strouds-
burg, his administrators were startled by
the appearance of note for SOS 900. pur-
porting to be endorsed by the tanner. The
note was repudiated. suit was brought,
and while the signature was pronounced
genuine, the note was pronounced
forgery, since it had been raised from $3.50
to 81, 600. An effort to trace the note
after 1t had left the hands of the original
holder failed.
In October, 1900 n note was received in
the mails by Mr.. Edelman agains. the
estate of Henry Fulmer, President of the
First National Bank of this city. It
was for $4,000, was dated November "a.
1886. and made payable four years after
date 10 the order of Henry Fulmer. 1t
purported to be signed and endorsed by
Mr.. Fulmer.
6 Mr.. Edelman concluded that this note
was from the hands of his former mys-
FERROUS client and was forgery. The
more recent letter was signed j. b.
Smith," but a comparison Of the two sig
natures led TO the conclusion that they
were written by the same person. Nj,
Edelman wrote to the address given IL
the letter, but his communication was re
turned stamped "Uncalled for" He then
voluntarily surrendered the note to
Chester B. Fulmer administrator of the
Fulmer estate. and H. J. Steele. attorney
for the estate.
In April last a judgment note for 49,
Co., dated April &c, 1897. payable four
years after date. to Henry Fulmer, and
purporting to be signed and endorsed by
him, was received in the mails by Knecht
& McKeen, lawyers here, for collection.
Accompanying it was note dated