New-York tribune., 1902-01-18
WORK OF FORGERY GANG.
TWO ITALIANS ARRESTED CHARGED
WITH PASSING BAD CHECKS.
YOUNG MAT5 CAUGHT THOUGHT TO BE A
TooL-DETECTIVE FOR FIFTH AVE
NUE. BANK LOOKING FOR
OTHERS OF BAND

Two men, giving the names Joseph Setimo
and Joseph Roderick. the latter of whom is be-
HeNed TO he member of a gang of four or
nVe forsers. were arrested at the Fifth Avenue
bank, FlIth-ave and Forty-fourth-st at about
l:5o P m. yesterday. charged with forgery.
Set'mo. who is an Italian about twenty years
o!d' Is thought to have been a tool of the gang
rather than an accompce. He was captured
while trying to have certified check drawn on
the bank TO the order Of w F. Andre for $3.50
ana bearing the forged signature of Frederick
Haas builder, of No 216 West Thirty-second-
81" VINO has an account in the bank
IL was known that Mr. Haas's name was
oelhs USED for purposes of Forgery, because a
check for S400, bearing his name forged made
payable to j. Herbert had come to the bank on
Wednesday in the exchanges and been returned
to the forkvile Bank. from which 1t had come.
r. h. Bertine the paying teller, detected the
forgery as soon as the check was presented, be-
cause 1t was longer than those used by Mr..
Haas, who carries pocket check book only.
The teller gave a signal, which was responded to
by Theodore Hetzler confidential clerk. who
took Setimo aside into an incosure. while Mr..
Haas and j. NJ. Fuller, detective who had been
employed to discover the forger of the first
check were sent for by telephone.
Setimo. who confessed that this not his
real name, implicated boss painter who fire.
quently had been employed by Haas and who
received his pay in checks from Mr.. Haas. On
Mr.. Fuller's suggestion Mr.. Haas and Morris
Tischler. Of No 2.01S Second-ave., uron whom
was passed the first check. sent out to see
II Roderick was not In the neighborhood. He
was found in Forty-second- st. between Fifth
and Sixth aves, and brought to the bank. The
prisoners were afterward taken to the East
nv Pat 'Io L
and locked up
The first of the forged checks 1t was learned
before Setimo appeared at the bank was pre-
sented by Setimo at the saloon of Morris Tisch-
Ter on Monday. On that occasion Setmo
accompanied by Roderick, who was known by
Fischer by sight but not by name. Roderick
introduced Setimo J. Herbert and asked Mr.
Fischer. who is d sort OF banker for his Gus
toners. 10 cash the check. Mr.. Tischler OBJ
Jected 10 cashing the check until the young man
presented a card bearing the name of J. Herbert
and giving his business plumbing and gas
fitting and his office No. 1889 Third-ave.
Tschler deposited the check in the Yorkville
Bank. and Wednesday It reached the Fifth
Avenue Bank and was recognized as forged 1t
found that there J. Herbert the
address given the card.
Roderick also gave Fischer a card which In
dicated that his was Johnson and his bust
ness that of carpenter and framemaker on the
West Side.
In the statement which Se,mo made TO the
bank officials and the detective he said that he
had not given his real name. he mem
Der Of a we'll known Italian family. and did not
wish his relatives to know OF his disgrace. He
gave his address as No. 146 East One hundred
and -eighteenth-st.. which is known 20 be fic-
titous. After much questioning. he involved
Roderick, whose address is No. 142 West One
hundred and twenty -fourth-st. He said a frierd
had introduced Roderick to him, and that Rod
erick offered TO give him 81 If he would i'm
personate J. Herbert and get the $500 check
Cashed for him, RodeTiCk, he said, gave him
the 81 and took the S4OO
on Thursday Roderick came to him, Setimo
said, and asked him to get the Andre check
for $500 certified. He objected. and yesterday
Roderick came again and offered him more than
the amount paid him for impersonating Hubert.
He was in need of money. he said and finally
accepted the commission His story was be-
lieved hy Detective Fuller
RoderiCk, Fuller said last night, admitted
going with Setimo to Tischler's saloon to get
the S40O check. The check. Roderick said. was
given to him by another decorator an Italian.
a part of whose name was Antonio. He said
that he did not know where Antonio lived.
on RoderiCk found a genuine check.
drawn to his order by Mr. Haas. for 81 -. This
the bank Cashed and took.
Mr. Fuller said that apparently the forging
was done by a gang Of Italians living the
upper East Side. They came from Philadelphia
the rest Roderick. he said. was also an Italian.