The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-08
FORGED CHECKS SIGNED SEARS
AMATEUR POET NABBED CASH.
ING THEM At THE BANK.
First Dozen Accepted without Question,
Depicting the Account Of a woman
Tenant Of the Kenmore by About
81 ,OOO-Folksn Settle. Prisoner Says.


Tenant OF the Kenmore by About
81 ,OOO-Folks'n settle, Prisoner Says.
late Eugene Kelly, the banker, has an ac-
count at the Second National Bank, in the
Fifth Avenue Hotel building. Mrs. Sears
lives at the Kenmore apartments at 1853
West Fifty-seventh street, but is now at
Sound Beach Conn.
She is not in the habit Of draw
ing small checks against her account in
the Second National but since the first
week in August dozen checks for more
than $1,000 altogether have been presented
at the bank bearing her signature. The
signature was 80 like hers that the bank
officials didn't suspect for a moment that
Mrs. Sears had not drawn the checks, and
they were all paid.
On Thursday check for $500 was pre-
sented at the bank by the same man who
had been decreasing Mrs. Sears's bank
account so industriously. The signature
appeared to be proper, just as the sig
natures to the preceding checks had seemed.
The money was paid to the man without
question and he departed.
The bank directors held meeting yester-
day morning and one Of the things they
discussed was the frequency with which
the Sears checks were appearing. Their
att ent ion was called to the matter simply
because it wasn't the habit of Mrs Sears
to draw so many small checks against her
account Exam ming several OF the more
recent checks, two of the directors thought
they saw a slight discrepancy in the sigma
lures. They were not at all satisfied that
the checks were forgeries, but 1t was deemed
best to write to Mrs. Sears and ask her If
they were genuine.
Such letter was indite o the depostor.
While waiting for reply the paying teller
was instructed not to pay out any more
money to the fashionably dressed man who
was presenting the checks.
Yesterday afternoon, though, he appeared
at the bank. He had been there so often
that his face was known. He went to the
paying tellers window and showed two
checks in with twenty dollar and five
dollar bill One of the checks called for
sl25 and the other for $500 Both were made
payable to William Elliott,
Let me have four large bills, please,
said the man, showing the checks and the
money in at the teller's window.
Without exciting his suspicion the teller
hurriedly sent messenger for policeman.
Policeman Day Of the Broadway squad,
was soon in the bank He arrested the
man on the complaint of Edward Webb,
the paying teller Webb said he wanted the
stranger arrested for forgery
The prisoner took his arrest ooolly at
first, but on the way to the Tenderloin
station he became greatly excited and
tfted'to jump from car on which he was
riding with the policeman and Paying Teller
Webb They restrained him. Then he
tried 10 persuade them 10 go TO a saloon
and have drink Fearing he would break
away they declined.
At the station house he described himself
as William Elliott, 81 years Old salesman,
Of 34l Francis street, Williamsburg. Sergt.
Wilson asked him if he had anything to
say.
I'm let my lawyers talk for me, said
the prisoner
He had a gold watch and chain and
gold handled penknife with a diamond
in the handle. The only paper he had in
his pockets was one unaddressed sealed
envelope. The police opened this and
found in it poem which the prisoner said
he wrote, 1t was on paper OF the Osborne
House, Hornellsville. y. Y. Here it is:
TIE KSocKER.
Lies but roast" Is the name OF a dirge
Sadly croascd In diSsonant key
BY the craven who looks at the beautiful world
With eyes that were fashioned TO sec;
But garbcd by needing his self deprared mind
And looking for lecherous stock
He Is able to see but the faults OF mankind
And hell knock and he'll knock and hc'll knock.
His ears arc mistuned for p1sns Of praise
Cometh not In return for sanity.
HIS vision, distorted by stated self gaze
Views the world through a maze OF Insanity.
The worlds out OF t'inc" says the fellow forlorn
or all men I pity him most;
To get square with fate for having been born
Hen roas, and he'll roast and hen roast.
Man is the anvil and he is the smith:
His hammer Is made OF his gall.
High heavens TO blame for giving man fame
And leaving him still al the post.
So he up his face. ycs, I'm In the race II
roast"
So he'll roast and he'll roast and he'll roast.
He'll die by and by. and to heaven he'll ny.
For on earth he gave no man shock
Rrt he'll get TO the gate little too late
And he'll knock and he'll knock and he II knock;
And Misses will meet him In the shape OF he'll hounds
Who'll deem him an excellent toast
And they'll take him below. where envy ahoundS
And he'll roast and he II roast and he'll roast.
Detective Lehr took the prisoner to
jefferson Market court, and he was held
in 81 600 bail on n short affidavit charging
him with forgery. He will be examined on
Monday, when il is expected Mrs Sears
will be in court. On the way from the
station to the court the prisoner became
nervous and made several admissions
One OF the stories he told to Lehr was that
gambler had given him the checks.
Elliott said he had intended TO go TO the
races when he was arrested.
This matter will be Strengthened OUT"
he said to the detective. II have good
people, and they'll settle with the lank.
Then the matter will he dropped
Elliott had $50 on him when he was ar
rested. After he was locked up he sent
his gold watch to a pawnbroker's and OBJ
toipad IN