The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-12-09
A SMOOTH GAME THAT DIDN'T WORK
Jimmy Collins and His Friend From Mon
tana In Jail for Trying to Pass
Bogus Draft.

Jimmy Collins and His Friend From Mon
tana In Jail for Trying to Pass
Bogus Draft.
Jimmy Collins needed new suit and
needed it badly, but didn't have the
price. He had friend from Montana,
however, who had plenty of dough and
be wanted to see Collins dressed up.
But il they hadn't come to Edgerton to
spend their money probably neither
would now be languishing in Jail at
GAINESVILLE charged with states prison
otfense. 1t all came about in this way:
Thursday morning Jimmy Collins walked
into C. II. Babcock's clothing store and
introduced his friend, James F. Logan,
as son of a wealthy mine owner of
Butte, Mont. Collins was looking pretty
seedy and said his friend would stand
the expense of an outfit of clothing.
They made purchases at the clothing
house amounting to $40. Collins put on
the clothes and Logan rendered the draft
for $500 in payment. 1t was drawn by
the First National Bank of Butte, Mont,
upon New York banking house. The
draft was taken by Mr.. Babcock to the
First National Bank. Upon consulting
the bank directory it was noted that the
cashiers name and the name signed to
the draft were different. Logan agreed
to stand expense of a telegram to Butte
to satisfy the bank The next thing that
bothered Babceck was to get Collins out
of the new suit after he became suspic-
ious that the draft was no good. Call
ing Logan one side he said it might take
couple of hours to get reply from the
telegram and in the meantime Collins
had better take off the suit which would
be done up and laid aside for him.
The ruse worked and then Babcock took
Logan over to the telegraph office and
were aboutto file dispatch of identifi-
cation to the Butte bank, when Collins
rushed in and with great display of in
dignation said the charges were outrage
Gus and wouldn't pay them. This con-
tirmed the suspicion that swindle was
being attempted, but before a warrant
could be obtained and the officials mott
fled, the men had left town. The Bank
ers' Association was notified after dis
patch from the Butte bank, stating the
draft was spurious, who communicated
with the PiEkerton agency and machin-
cry was at once set going to capture
these men. GAINESVILLE officers were in
formed that the men we're seen at Indian
Ford and to keep look out for them.
They managed to slip into the city after
dark but the police received tip and at
10 o'clock Friday morning Chief Brown
and Deputy Sheriff Wallace Cochrane
went to room in Smiths hotel near the
depot and surprised both men in bed.
Under the, pillow where Logan slept
were found drafts similar to that they
attempted to pass upon Babcock, the
clothier, made out for $500, another for
$1,000 and still another perforated for
$1,000 that had not been filled out. Sat
urday morning j. G. Gilmore, Chicago
lawyer appeared on the scene with war
rants to take the men back to Chicago,
but the local officers look upon the
proposition as scheme to get the men
out of the state. When Gilmore saw
the prisoner in the jail, he said to Col
Inns, I'm afraid they have got you in
tight box You made a mistake, too,
when you showed some of the stuff into
one of my clients in Chicago" "Ill go
with. you to Chicago, Gilmore, right now
if you say so,'' responded Collins. His
client was woman who is alleged to
have lost about $l36 and eighteen bot
ties of wine on some bogus paper pre-
sented by Collins recently. The visiting
attorney was unable to identify Collins
partner, Jim Logan, who for the most
part maintained discreet silence, while
manifesting much interest in the con-
versation. Logan told the local police
that before he would go to Chicago they
would have to Ego through all the pre-
liminaries," meaning that they would
have to get extraditio- papers.
Collins and Logan wa re taken before
~ ~ r1
and the warrants for their arrest was
uttering fraudulent draft for $500 pur-
porting to have been drawn by the LIST
National bank of Butte, Mont, on the
First National bank of New York in fav-
or of James Logan, and of securing the
signature of Mr.. Babcock to the same by
false pretenses. They were also charged
with having other similar paper in their
possession with intent to defraud. Bail
was fixed at $1,000 each. In default of
payment the two we're sent to the Rock
county Jail to await their examination,
which is temporarily set for Thursday.
Ia the opinion of the court officers the
examination will not be held on that
date for the presence of the cashier OF
the Butte bank will be necessary to es
tablish the spurious character OF the
draft they attempted to pass. The
Bankers association having become inter
ested in the prosecution the case will
probably be pushed until the men are
landed in prison. The offense is pun
ishable by sentence of l to Z years.
That Collins should come back to his
old home to work this scheme is little
surprising for he must have known that
much of his crookedness has not been
entirely forgotten here. Collins has an
international reputation, having run and
won races in England. One of his best
fake race jobs was done at Superior
against Duluth man. The Superior
ties backed Cuckoo" heavily, but he
ran poorly and fell down near the finish.
The race was run near the railroad sta
ton and he caught freight pulling out
to avoid being mobbed. The title
cuckoo" fastened itself upon Collins