The Globe-republican., 1902-08-14
CAUGHT
Slick SWindIers Who Worked
Dodge City.
PLAYED UNLUCKY AT LAST.
Plans Were Upset and They
Were Caught by a Mere
Accident.

The bogus check men who worked
Dodge City have been captured in Colo
rado, or at least it is believed that two
men held at Leadville are the same par
ties. The two men before being caught
made a trip clear across Kansas working
different towns, and at last when they
were caught it came about by a mere ac-
cident. A merchant who had cashed
one of the checks happened to meet
Leadville contractor whose name had
appeared on the check. The merchant
had cashed the check only a few NOM
ents before and in speaking to the con-
tractor mentioned that he had cashed
check for one of his men. 1t happened
that the contractor was man who did
not use checks in paying his employ ees,
and this of course gave the thing away.
1t being Saturday night the men were of
course not expecting the forgery to come
to light before the following Monday
morning and they were consequently off
of their guard.
The men have been heard from all
along the line between here and Lead
Vile and no doubt the same parties
who operated in Dodge City. The Den
yer Republican of Monday gives the fol-
lowing account of their arrest in Sun
days dispatch from Leadville:
ssTwo of the cleVerest forgers now trav-
elling around the country arrived in
LeadVille some time during the week.
Late last night, just before the stores and
saloons were closed, they began the man
ipulation of a programme in the forging
lIne which was astonishing for nerve,
and which they anticipated would not be
discovered until M onday morning when
the banks opened, by which time they
expected to be far away from Leadville.
Although they victimized several mer-
chants, the victims have the satisfaction
of knowing that both men are now in
Jail. One was arrested this morning
and one tonight. They gave their names
Jerry S. HiIburn and William Sennel.
Their checks were made payable to one
Woodson, while the name of w. w. Co
BILE, the we'll known contractor, was
signed to all the checks. The amounts
were from SIS to $23 each and more than
a dozen of the checks were cashed sue
cessfully- The forgeries were cleverly
executed, and the penmanship showed
experienced hand. The two men
worked their game by entering a store
together, dressed as workmen. They
talked over building contract on which |
they claimed to be at work for Mr.. Coble. |
They then purchased what they wanted,
amounting to about $3, and rendered a
check, getting money in return Two of
the checks were cashed at a saloon, ear
ly in the morning. The men entered |
without their coats and vests at this place. |
One of the clothing dealers where a
check was cashed happened to see Mr.. |
Coble short time after he cashed the |
check and remarked having received one |
of his checks. Coble stated that he had
issued no checks, but was paying all his
men in coin. This resulted in the author
tiles taking up the case. The result was
that one of the men was caught at a sa-
loon late last night and the other at
Springtow this morning. =
They worked Hutchinson and other
Kansas towns before coming here. They
touched LaJunta for $50 after they left
here and after Sheriff Hale had wired to
LaJunta officers to look out for them.
They tapped two or three other places in
Colorado later. AT Victor, Colorado, on
Friday they cashed in $500 worth of
worthless checks and used the same
name one of them used in Dodge City. |
They seem to be adopts at evading the Of
f1cers and their graft has been bringing
them several hundred dollars a week. Col
orado was flooded from Dodge City with
cards describing these men and telling
how they worked and it seems very queer
that they had such good success.