The San Francisco call., 1905-03-23
TRIES TO CASH
A BOGUS CHECK
Police Looking for Young
Stranger Who Attempts to
Negotiate Some Bad Paper
HALLS FROM THE SOUTH
Suddenly Departs From Lo-
cal Bank While the Cashier
Is Comparing Signatures

A debonair young man, dressed with
good taste and seemingly well in
! formed on stock matters, who gives
sought by the local police. Yesterday
he called at the Office of E. F. Hutton
& Co., bankers and brokers, in the
Hayward building, and, introducing
himself to Manager r. E. Mulcahy,
presented a letter of recommendation
from well-known Los Angeles firm
Of brokers. He explained that he had
come from the south with idea of buy
ing industrials and wanted Hutton &
Co. to act as his agents. 1t was sug-
gested by Manager Mulcahy that 1t
would be necessary for him to estab-
lish his credit by making a deposit
with the firm before he could open an
account.
Babcock promptly exhibited a GER
tificate of deposit for $500 in the Citi-
zens' National Bank of Los Angeles
and remarked that he would leave it
with Hutton & Co. The certificate
bore the date of March 20 and the sig
nature of A. j. Waters, cashier of the
well-known Los Angeles banking in
stitution. The young man said he
wanted to make several deals, but was
anxious that the fact that he was buy
ing stocks should be kept secret.
VISITS ANOTHER BANK.
Then he suggested that Hutton &
Co. accept his certificate of deposit,
and, this apparently being agreeable
to Manager Mulcahy, the visitor pro-
ceeded with the conversation on other
lines of business, but finally remarked
that he was in need of funds that
could accommodate him with an ad-
vance.
Babcock's proposition was that he
deposit $4,000 and draw against the re-
naming $500 with a certified check
for that amount on the same bank in
Los Angeles, which he took from his
pocket. Not particularly satisfied with
the character of his visitor, Manager
Mulcahy remarked that he would first
step over to the American National
Bank and ask the cashier to identify
the signature of the Los Angeles CASH
ier inscribed on the back of the check,
but before Mulcahy could carry out
his intentions Babcock suddenly re-
gained his check, and, rising, said he
would go to the bank himself.
MAKES HASTY DEPARTURE.
A few minutes later Babcock ap-
peared before Cashier O'Brien's coun-
ter in the American National Bank,
and. throwing his check on the coun-
ter, said he had been serit there by
Mulcahy. O'Brien, having no particu-
lar reason to suspect the young man,
took his check and started to the rear
of the bank to compare the signature
of the certifcation with that of CASH
Ter Waters in Los Angeles. When he
returned, however, Babcock had left
the bank and then ii dawned on
O'Brien that possibly his visitor was a
fraud. Immediately communicating
with the Los Angeles bank, O'Brien re-
ceived a response that no certificate
of deposit for any amount had been
issued in the name Of Babcock, nor
had check for $500 been certified to
by the bank.
The local bank people notified the
police, who promptly started on hunt
for the owner of the check. The
Pinkerton agency, representing the
American Bankers Association, was
also notified and if the young man Is
found it is very likely that he will be
prosecuted on a charge of forgery.
Babcock is described as about 80 years
of age. feet inches in height, of
light complexion, smooth shaven and
good talker.