The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-09-26
lNTHELAW'STOILS
Bert Wallace Is Asked to An
sWer Ugly Charge.
Alleged He Stole Check, Skipped Out
To New York City, Where
He Now Is.

Robert P. Wallace, better known
in Mankato as Bert Wallace, has got
ten himself into trouble. as the fol-
lowing story printed in The st. Paul
Pioneer Press, shows:
County Attorney Kane made appli-
cation to the governor yesterday for
requisition papers for Robert P. Wal
1are, alias Charles Wallace, st. Paul
man who is wanted in this city on a
charge of passing forged check for
$3.50 on the State bank of ST. Paul.
Wallace is now on the 'Island" in
New York City serving out a ten day
sentence on charge of trying to beat
q cabman out of his fare.
Wallace, it is alleged, entered the
studio of Mrs Carrie A. Hyde, 1879
West Sixth street, on Aug. 30, and
ordered shaving set decorated.
While waiting on him, Mrs. Hyde was
called into another room and when she
returned she found Wallace holding
three letters which he had taken from
her desk. He said that he would mail
them. Mrs. Hyde asked him not to,
but he kept the letters, she says, and
went out.
1t is alleged he opened one of the
letters, in which was a check on a
Hartford, Conn, bank payable to the
Aetna Life Insurance company and
signed by Mrs. Hyde. The name of
the insurance company was erased. it
is alleged, and his name was inserted
and the check presented at the State
bank. The officials of the bank tele-
graphed to Hartford and received
what they thought to be instructions
to cash it.
The officials paid the money as soon
as they received the reply by wire.
The next day they received more ex-
plicit instructions, which said that
the name was forgery. Wallace left
in the meantime.
A special to The Pioneer Press, re-
ceived Tuesday morning, gave the
officials the first information as to
where Wallace had gone and efforts to
have him brought back were COM
menced Immediately.
Wallace, it is claimed, was arrested
in New York City last Monday on
charge of trying to beat John Elan
nigan, Metropolitan hotel cabman,
out of $40 fee. AS he did not have
any money he was sent to the
''Island" to serve out the sentence.
When arrested he gave the name of
Charles Emerson, but later was identi
fed by the clerk of the Metropolitan
hotel as the man who registered as
Charles Wallace of st. Paul and who
claimed to be the agent of western
wagon company The clerk claimed
he owed the hotel a large bill.
1t is also said that he had served
five day sentence on a charge of trying
to beat the Victoria hotel out of a
board bill
The local officials telegraphed for a
description of the man arrested, and
as it tailed with the Wallace wanted
in st. Paul the New York police were
instructed to hold him until arrange
ments could be made to have him
brought to st. Paul. When told that
he was wanted in st. Paul on a
charge of forgery, Wallace, it is said
broke down.
Wallace is about thirty years old and
has lived in st. Paul for several
years. He is the son of Louis Wallace
of 294 Sherbourne avenue, and form
erly worked for Hallowell & Co. His
family has promised to make good the
loss of the bank. His relatives say
that they believe he is insane, and cite
his actions in New York as proof
that he is not in his right mind.
Bert Wallace lived. in this city
several years ago and was employed
st the Mankato Theatre.
A deputy sheriff departed last night
from st. Paul to secure Wallace. He