Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-11
Clever Forger Succeeds Getting
$500 From an Indianola
Bank
FARMER TAKES CHECK FOR $4,000
But johnson Was Caught in Tine to
Prevent Loss of the Stock, Which
Was to Have Been Shipped Next
saturday-Beleved to Be an All
Around Crook.

DeS MoineS, FEB. l1.-CnaTleS JoHi-
son, alias U. q. Green, charged with
an extremely clever forgery at Indian
ola. badly wanted at Danville. Ill, anc
said to be noted crook, was captured
| on Il Rock Island train to Atlantic last
evening on information furnished by
Deputy Sheriff Jones of this city. john
son had been in Des Moines thru the
day and was heading for Omaha when
intercepted by message sent to Sher-
/ lift Marshall at Atlantic from this city
johnson succeeded at Indianola In
achieving one of the smoothest pieces
of forgery that has even been attempt
ed in this part Of the country. He
went to Indianola Monday and repre-
scented himself as U. z. Green, a noted
cattle man and prominent Short Horn
breeder of Danville. Ill. He visited the
stock farm of Brown & Randolph and
meeting Mr.. L. w. Brown, represented
himself as Green. Mr.. Brown had
met Green at the International Live
stock exposition in Chicago and re-
called the name clearly, tho he did not
remember Green's features and natur-
ally supposed the man who appeared
before him was the noted breeder him.
self. Johnson proceeded to go thru
the herd of about $50 cattle and with
the skill of an expert picked out six
head of blooded cattle, the finest in the
herd. He displayed wonderfully clear
knowledge of stock and talked about
cattle in way that was little short OF
astonishing to Mr.. Brown. The latter
was more than ever convinced 1t was
Green he was talking to and thought
nothing OF it when the sale had been
made and Johnson presented check
for $4,000, the cost of the stock, drawn
on Danville bank. The check was
a special form bearing the printing OF
u. q. Green of Danville. Mr.. Brown
went with Johnson to the First Ma
tional bank at Indianola. There Brown
did not attempt to have the check
cashed, but receipted for 1t and de-
posted it to his account.
AS soon as Brown had deposited his
check, johnson drew another check
for 5000, payable to U. Y. Green. He
said he wanted some spending money.
He presented the check to j. f. Simp-
son OF the Indianola bank, and the
cashier at once turned over the $500
Before Brown and johnson left, the
cashier got in word with Brown and
asked IL the, man representing himself
as Green was big breeder of fine
stock and was good for any sum he
might draw for
II was arranged between Brown and
Johnson that the cattle should be ship
ped to Green at Danville, Feb. IA.
Yesterday morning, becoming suspi-
cious. Cashier Simpson wired to the
bank at Danville, on which the check
was drawn. reply was received that
the man was not Green and the check
was forgery.
In the meantime, however, Johnson
had come TO Des Moines. He accom-
panied Mr.. Brown here yesterday morn
ing. Brown went on to Newton to at
tend a sale of fine stock. Johnson re-
manned about the city during the day.
He and Brown had made it up between
them to go to Kansas City to examine
some fine stock. In fulfillment of this
agreement and to prevent Brown from
becoming suspicious, Johnson met the
Indianola man at the Rock Island depot
as the train came in at $3.50. They talk
ed things over and Brown said he had
concluded not to go to Kansas City.
Johnson said If that was the case, he
would go on to Omaha, where he had
some business. Brown climbed on the
1ndianola train leaving at 4:40 and
johnson took the 1920 train for oma-
ha.
In the meantime Sheriff Lew Hodson
of Indianola had called up the sheriff s
office here but a short time before the
train was due to leave for Omaha, and