Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-09-11
The PRINCEOF FORGERS
Charles Becker, just Released
From Long Imprisonment.
A REMARKABLE CRIMINAL CAREER

oner - American bsnkers Asso
citation wni Not Pension Him. as
Rumored.
Charlns Becker. known TO detectives
the world over as the king OF forgers
and to criminals as the Dutchman,'
walked out OF San Quentin tCall state
prison the other day, says San Fran
cisco letter 10 the Detroit News-Trib-
une, after serving a seven year SEN
tence for the forgery OF $4,000
check on the Croker Woolworth Ma
tional bank of San Francisco, which
was cashed at the Nevada bank. His
term was reduced TO four and half
years by his good conduct
Becker has been a model prisoner
and has never betrayed the wild beast
that Is under his calm exterior except
at times when he has talked OF James
Cregan, his pal, who squealed. He
has amused himself while In prison by
drawing designs for entertainment pro-
grammes and other ornamental work,
which shows plainly that his hand has
lost none OF Its cunning.
There was report few months ago
that the American Bankers associa-
ton would pension Becker literally
when he came out OF San Quentin,
but James Il. Branch, secretary Of the
association. denied this as he said the
association depended upon its detec-
tives to protect its members and not
upon subsidizlng criminals
The crime for which Becker has Just
paid by four and half years In San
Quentin was the raising Of check
from S12 to $4,000 Frank s. Seaver,
alias A. H. Dean, was the crook who
planned the Job.
He came out here from Chicago in
December. 1896, and with him were
Becker James Cregan Of New York
and Joe McCusker
Dean had about $4,000. He opened
an office in this city. deposited most OF
his money in the Nevada bank, drew
small checks. made new deposits and
in skillful way became known to the
bank officers.
Then he went to Woodland, near the
state capital, and bought twelve dol. |
lar draft from the Bank Of Woodland |
drawn on the Croker WoolwOrth bank |
Of San Francisco, and 1t was turned |
over by Cregan to Becker, who in five
days altered the date and raised the
amount from $l2 to $4,000.
On Dec. II Dean deposited this draft
at the Nevada bank to his credit and
on the following day drew check
against 1t for $4,000 and received the
entire amount In cash.
The forgery was only discovered at
the end Of the month, when the Crock
er-Woolworth bank sent its monthly
account to the Woodland bank. BY
that time the spoil had been divided
among the four men, and they had
scattered.
Dean and McCusker were soon
caught in Minneapolis, and Becker and
Cregan were arrested In San Francisco.
The latter were released, as no charge
could be made against them. They
we're preparing to % to Guatemala.
when Dean. who had made vain ap-
zeal to Becker and Cregan for more
money to hire a lawyer confessed TO {
japtain OF Detectives Lees of this city. 6
Thereupon Becker and Cregan were a
rrested in Newark, N. j., and were
AIKEN to San Francisco for trial. Nc.
'usker was acquitted. as nothing could
e proved against him. Dean turned ,
tate's evidence, and Becker and Gre
an on the first trial We're convicted OF
orgery and sentenced to life terms. |,
On the second trial the iury disa- q
reed, and on the third Cregan "squeal, "
a. and was allowed to 10 free. Beck r,
saw that the game was I'D and I,
loaded guilty, with the stipulation n
hat he was not to get more than seven p,
ears Imprisonment. The court kept n
nth with him. h
Becker is proud Of his skill as a c,
aftsman, but 1t was only an accident al
at made him forser He was born
Germany and came to New York 81
ith his parents when he was ten. es
nat was In 1857. w
he developed so much skill at school fr
It'll pen and pencil that he was ap- ei
enticed to an engraver. He soon de- Y,
Hoped great skill, but the criminal he
IS In him, for he was In love with n m
Il, and he forged a check to bay her lo
engagement ring. "a
Ills father was able to square this sn
q because of his youth he escaped In,
son. But his sweetheart deserted ic,
n, his sister, whom he loved, died. de
he consorted with gang Of des. In
rate criminals. His first exploit was In,
1872, when with Joe Elliott he sue da
'ded In robbing the Third National ON
ak of Baltimore of $4,000. err,
'ecker fed to France, where he met frs
very girl for whom he forged be
OK to buy ring. She had married ca,
len )eweler, but Becker induced her to
eiope with him. and together they
Mt to Turkey. where Becker q, I'd
erai Others, including Joe Chapman
London. spread forged paper in fat
ny cities and cleaned up a large ito
:. sw
hey We're caught and placed in pns- So,
out all escaped except Chapman. pls
was basely deserted by his pals. DO,
ecker returned to New York in 1874 an,
married Brooklyn girl, who has to
lained true to him ever since. In he,
ne robbed the Union Trust com. der
y or New York Of 1928 by one Of !
famous forged checks and was len
ent' with his pals. He saved him. tax
ny turning states evidence. Then Ing
went abroad and left a trail Of ags
'eries in Italy. ga