The San Francisco call., 1905-01-07
SWINDLER USES
FORCED CHECKS
Berkeley Merchants Victim
lied by Man Who Uses
Name of Charles +. Cole
FLOOD OF BOGUS PAPER
Clumsy Counterfeit Accepted
From Schemer, Who Gets
Good Coin in Exchange
FLOOD OF BOGUS PAPER
Berkeley Office San Francisco Call,

Berkeley Office San Francisco Call,
214S Center Street, Jan. 6.
A flood of forged checks, passed upon
merchants of Berkeley during the last
few days, came to the attention of the
police to-day when four of the victims
related their tales of woe, and showed
in evidence the bits of worthless pa
per which they took in exchange for
coin. All the forged checks were on
the University Bank and were drawn
to the order of 4" j. -Woerdt.'
The name of c.. F. Cole, agent for the
Spring CONSTRUCTION Company in this
part of the country, was signed to
the checks. The company has an ac-
count at the University Bank, of which
account Cole is made agent. The per-
son perpetrating the forgerieS evident
ly was familiar with this fact, but neg
lected to make his checks out in the
manner adopted by Cole, who is wont
to issue a check signed by THE Spring
Construction Company, per {. F.. Cole. :"
John Sweetman, proprietor of the
Chicago Hotel at West Berkeley, was
one of the victims He accepted a
check from a stranger, who had bought
a few drinks at the bar of his hotel
and in other ways had made himself
known as good fellow" The strang-
er's expenditures were not large, but
they gave him a certain standing and
when he asked that his pay check" be
cashed, Sweetman obligingly favored
him with $25, a part of which immedi
ately was spent over the counter. When
the check came to Cashier Mills at the
University Bank of Berkeley he
promptly declared that the name at the
bottom did not represent any account
in the University Bank.
Fred Munday, proprietor of the Roy
al Arch saloon at San Pablo and Uni
versity avenues. was the second vic
tim of the check passer to make his
trouble known. He received one Of the
documents which u. Woerdt" so
thoughtfully distributed in West
Berkeley. The amount inscribed on the
bit of paper was identical with that
which Mr.. Sweetman paid, and the
check met similar fate when it came
to-. the bank for payment. James
Grady, bartender, cashed. the check at
Munday's place for "Woerdt.' He will
. have to stand the loss.
The police expect to hear from other
merchants of Berkeley who have been
victimized by the smooth stranger who
picked up the money so easily in West
Berkeley. They declare that 1t is usu-
ally the plan for swindlers of this sort
:. to cut wider swath than four bogus
checks would represent. Inquiry is
being made among merchants for
traces Of the swindler
John Sweetman, one of the victims,
said: 'The man who got the money
from me represented himself as a Ia
borer, who had money coming to him
from the quarry people near here. His
checks were made out in regular fash
ion. They looked like pay checks.
had no hesitation in cashing them,
though had only known Woerdt, as
he called himself, few days"
Fred Munday tells a similar story.
A third victim Of the forger appeared
at the West Berkeley Bank this after
noon, in the person of saloon n-keeper,
whose place of business is at Ninth
street and San Pablo avenue. His
name was not given out at the bank,
but he Is reported to have lost SIS
through the check passer's operations.
Charles F. Cole. agent for the Spring
Construction Company resides at 2417
Bancroft way. He said tonight: T
. have been informed that my name has
been forged to at least four checks that
have been accepted by merchants Of
Berkeley. have no idea who has done
the work Woerdt is unknown to me
hope the swindler will be caught and
punished"