The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-06
Had Been Written for $500 and
Was Then Torn Up.
WAS AFLIM-FLAM GAME
The Trouble All Started in Fun
with a Drunken Man.
Afterwards 1t Was Discovered
HOnOred at LeavenWOrth.

Leavenworth, May 6-Never again
will any man. drunk or not drunk, with
his pockets filled with greenbacks, bo-
gus or genuine, prevail upon ]. H. Old
ham of Gallatin, Tennessee, to put up
a good check to bet Gust for fun" For
two weeks Oldham has been in Leav-
enworth lighting to get back $500 which
were obtained from him through a
check which he thought had been torn
up before his very eyes on a train
coming from Tennessee to Jeavenworth
March 81 The case was settled yes
Gerday and Oldham got back a goodly
portion of his $500, but had he BEEN
wise he would never have lost any Of
Oldham started from Tennessee with
q car load of jacks intending to go to
Nebraska. On the train he met a man
VINO gave his name as J. G. MOntgOm-
cry. Montgomery claimed to have
been in the Klondike, but had been
back to Tennessee visiting the scenes
Of his boyhood and mentioned several
persons who were known to Oldham.
He seemed to be a pretty decent sort
OF fellow and the two became great
friends.
Across the aisle in the car sat a man
who pretended to be drunk. He was
lousy with money and wads of
greenbaclks were sticking out of every
pocket. He, in a sort of way, made it
known that he had sold a valuable
farm in Tennessee for a few thousand
dollars and was going to Nebraska to
purchase another farm for his son. He
Fecited as best he could how he had
been fieeced by a confidence man of a
large amount of money, but he had
obtained the cards from the man and
would willingly bet anyone he could
fleece them at the game in which he
had been robbed.
Oldham pitied the man and tried to
On a To lot !, lie
telling him he would fall into the hands
of some buncO steerers. But the man
was anxious for play and MOntgom-
cry, who pretended to be a disinterest-
ed party, suggested to Oldham that
they have some fun with the man.
Oldham was willing. He wrote out a
check for $500 on the Gallatin bank
gave it to Montgomery and then went
over to the old man and intended show
ing him how easily he could be f1eeced
But when they got over to him he re-
fused to play and Oldham asked Mont
gomery for his check
In full view of Oldham Montgomery
tore up something. which he Oldham
thought was his check, and the bits Of
paper were thrown from the car win
dow.
Oldham continued on his way toward
Nebraska and arrived there but on the
friend he began, to worry and at
last wired to the bank to stop pay
ment on the check if it did show up.
He was notified that the check had
been cashed to the Adams Express
company at Leavenworth.
Oldham hurried to Leavenworth
Here he tried to stop payment of the
money, but the express company turn
ed it over to Sam Kayser who gave
bond for it. The money remained i'll
Kayser's safe and then Oldham,
through Attorney O'Keefe, took the
matter to the city court. At first
fight was made to keep Oldham out Of
the case, but he at last won out and
then a search was instituted for Mont
gomery, who failed to show up at all
and it began to be doubted whether
the man who got the check was really
Montgomery or some other fellow.
Yesterday all proceedings were drop
ped by the case being settled between
attorneys interested.
Oldham is rich in experience if not
in the coin of the realm and the next
time anyone offers to hold a check fer
him he viii be looked upon with sus-
picion.