Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-24
MAIL BOX RDBBER|[S
Sensational Crime Uncovered by
Detectives in Chicago, lnvolv.
ing Money Thefts.
Letter Boxes Robbed OF Their
Contents and Many Banks
Defrauded.
Thousands Of Dollars Secured
by the Gang. Who Are
Arrested.

btlN cl Illtill DOANS lIil u tIiN ut'N W 80
false key: abstracting letters contain
| ing checks the signatures of which
AFTERWARDS were frequently forged; and
the defrauding of at least six Chicago
banks made up the substance of re-
markable confession made yesterday
by Alvah Giles, alias Harry Brown,
member of the Holmes gang.
Giles confession directly implicated
the two Holmes brothers. now under
arrest, in one of the biggest series of
swndling and forgery operations re.
Gently conducted in this city. Three
trips "a week were made to rob mail
boxes, he said. and as many as three
| forged checks We're presented ana
Ecashed at one bank on the same day
Some of these checks the young pris-
oner admitted he had passed.
| Giles, who is 30 years old, was
brought from Genoa, Neb., in the
morning, and his confession was made
lin the afternoon in the presence of his
! father, Arson Giles, Lieut.. McWeeney,
| Detectives Thompson and Gallagher,
! and Postoffice Inspector Stuart.
Coming to Chicago from Milwaukee
month ago, Giles was sent to Claude
Holmes. then at 9S La Sale avenue,
to secure his influence in obtaining
place TO work. He professed to know
nothing of Holmes alleged criminal
work and was unconsciously drawn
into the brothers scheme and became
their tool Shortly after his arrival.
Giles said, Holmes moved to 1918 Wa
bash avenue. and later to 231 Ontario
street Continuing his confession the
young man said:
"Three weeks ago. late one evening,
Claude took me to Wilson avenue and
Sheridan road. Claude drew Il ham
mer from beneath his coat and struck
IL small box with it. The box was
split. he took the front of it. and we
returned Claude then made a dupi-
cate key that would open the mail
box and the lock was thrown into tho
river from the Clark street bridge.
Three nights a week l went with
Claude to various parts of the city and
with the aid of the key robbed mail
boxes. Letters and checks We're stolen.
Claude possessed IL complete forger's
Quilt. II WIS dSIcetl Ilc WIS W Scl
two thirds of the proceeds from the
checks and stamps and | one-third.
I'm some cases the name to whom
the check was made payable was re-
moved by means of acid and the words
To currency or cash written in by
Claude. Then false name WAS in
dorsed on the back and the check was
cashed. About eighteen of these wero
passed, netting about $500, before the
first check belonging to Mrs. II. L.
Crane was secured.
One evening box at Twenty sixth
street and Wabash avenue was opened.
A letter was found containing a check
from Mrs. Crane to Mickey Brothers,
grocers, for s4OO. This was taken to
the rooms and Claude began pracllcing
the signature.
Finally he traced the signature so
perfectly it was almost impossible to
tell it from the original. In this way
about eighteen checks We're forged
with the name of Mrs. Crane attached.
Then Holmes mailed the check back
to Mrs. Crane.
The checks were pushed by myself
and Claude Holmes. Sometimes George
Holmes took the checks, and in one day |
the three of us passed three forged
checks at the Corn Exchange National
bank amounting to over $1,000 in all. |
This was the day before George Holmes
was arrested in the bank while pre-
senting check for $940.
Previous to this a pretending trou-
bic between the two brothers had been
patched up The supposed break in
fri Jc1i To
room for me and get me into the |
the deals suddenly.
II passed check for $3.50 on the
Corn Exchange National bank about
two weeks ago without arousing sus-
picion. 1t was forged by Claude. While |
/ was in the scheme there was about
S2,100 secured from banks, and much |
more probably secured after l left Chi
cage. / know of checks being passed |
on the Chicago State, Merchants Loan
and Trust. First National. Garden City,
Corn Exchange National banks, and the
Northern Trust Company. have no
idea how many mail boxes were robbed,
but it was great many.
II tried time and again to break
away from them, but when l would
leave them something drew me back. |
couldn't sleep or eat until I returned.
This continued until / went home, and
then broke what seemed to be a spell
to me. My father was boien hearted
over the matter and told me to tell all
l knew. l am doing it,
Exonerates Woman Prisoner.
Those under arrest, In addition TO
Giles charged with the crimes outlined
in this confession, are:
George Holmes, silent member of the
gang.
Claude Holmes, his brother and the
reputed brains of the gang.
John Hogan, third male member.
Mrs. Holmes. alias Marie Roltsch,
Georges supposed wife.
Lizzie Tennis.
Giles, however. was persistent in pro-
tecting Lizzie Tennis He emphatically
declared she was innocent of any con-
nection With the case. He confessed
that he intended taking her to his faith
ers ranch in Nebraska and marrying
her.
Giles gave consent last night to the
officials of the Corn Exchange bank to
take $500, deposited in Henry Siegel &
Co.'S savings bank. He said he would
as part of the proceeds of the forgeres
to the bank