The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-02
Jay William Boon Arrested by
 Bodeker and Hamilton
LETTERS FROM A FRIEND
Advises Boon to "Play It Safe and Get All You Can, for We Will Need the
 Cash"

| cash" was the advice of friend of Jay William Boon, who is confined in the city. jail on the charge of forgery. Other in a dress suit case in his boarding house, 22101a Second avenue, which lead | the detectives to believe that Boon is wanted in other cities for forgery and that he has been aided by friend and 8 relative. Boon was arrested here on a charge of forging his fathers name to a check on an Opelika bank for s90 When first examined by the detectives he said 1 his father sent him the check but he said afterwards that he would plead guilty to keep from causing his father any in- convenience.
 Although the arrest was effected Sat- urday night Detectives Hamilton and Bod eker did not complete their investigation until yesterday. The arrest was made upon the complaint of Wood & Crabbe, wholesale dealers in grain and flour. The victim is B. F. Crabbe, who vouchsafed to stand for the genuineness of the check. At that time Saturday, September 23, both MT. Crabbe and MT. Wood were as sociated with the J. G. Whitfield com pany.
 Asked for Endorsement.
 Boon entered the store and asked MT. Crabbe to endorse check for him, which had been sent him by his rather, Alonzo Boon of Camp Hill, Ala. MT. Crabbe knew the boys father well and knew the son also having met him several times while transacting business with the fath- | 4l,A anlr was presented for payment at the Amer ican Trust and Savings bank of this city. It reached the First National bank of Opelika on which 1t was drawn, Monday. September 20. The paying teller noticed a similarity of all the signatures on the check and protested the payment. The check was returned and MT. Crabbe was notified. As he and MT Wood had Just formed a partnership the former laid the facts before his partner and they de- cided to have the local detectives make an investigation. The case was placed | in the hands of Hamilton and Bodeker who found Boon early Saturday night. j He was taken to police headquarters where he underwent close examina- ton. After denying that he forged his fathers name he practically contradicted himself in the eyes of the officers by say ing he would plead guilty rather than put his father to any trouble.
 An attempt was made to communicate with Boon's father at Camp Hill, where he runs a hotef >nd other enterprises, but without avail. Not desiring to hu- initiate the youth In the event his fath- CT wanted to come to Birmingham and straighten out matters, MT. Wood agreed to let Boon sleep at his home under guard until yesterday morning. The de- tectlves were willing and 1t was near ly noon yesterday before he was locked up and charged with forgery. A telegram was received later from his father but it's contents were not made known.
 Letters found on Boon when placed un- der arrest and letters in his suit case caused the detectives to place him In jail. The letters in his pockets have caused the detectives to reach the conclusion that he has committed other forgeries. The following Is portion of one of the letters:
 Letters Found.
 "Opelika, Ala. August 1. 1905.
 Dear Old Boy: I received your letter this morning and was glad to hear from you. Will, enclosed you will find three blanks. Now, old kid, you must play it safe and get all you can, for we will need the cash, and don't never think that l will give you away. You ought to know that l am your best friend
 The balance of the letter referred to a trip they had evidently planned together. It also contained a warning to Boon to keep everything quiet. The signature contained only one word, but the detec- tives associated the writer with the au- thor of the following letter, written more than one month later:
 Camp Hill, September 21, 1905.
 Dear Will: I received your letter this morning. I have been up here about three weeks and am working for Tom | Wood Was a little surprised to hear you were in Birmingham. I thought you had forgotten me. Now, old boy, I will send you these checks and I want you to do something with them and do it quick. for l want to leave this country. Dono't do me like you did before. I think we could have a good time Well, l will close No news of interest. so let me hear from you soon. As ever your true friend, J. R. PlTKlN.'
 Burn This Letter.
 The first letter was addressed to Salis- bury, N. C., where Boon has been catch ing for a baseball team. The second was addressed to 1816I2 rirst avenue, this city The detectives think Boon failed to communicate with Ptkin after he re- ceived the checks in North Carolina until he reached Birmingham and wanted more blanks.
 third letter was evidently from a relative. It was dateu Camp Hill, June 24" and among other things had the fol- lowing regarding Boon's operations: "If had ever thought of you coming back here I would have never sent you that check. Remember, you promised me you would never give me away. For Gods sake, do anything almost before you come back here Burn this letter.. The let ter also refers to the receiver as being wanted in Thomasville, Ga.
 They say they will go to the ends of the earth for you" 1t concludes.
 still another letter from his sweetheart gave the detectives additional informa- tion about Boon. She reminded him oi the bad things she had heard about him. but declared her devotion unsNaken.
 All of these letters have caused the de- tectives to believe that Boon has com mitted other forgeries. With this in view telegrams have been sent to a number of places.
 Boon is a young man, not much over 20 years of age. He has splendid ap- pearance and was well dressed when taken into custody. During the summer he has been playing ball in Nor = Caso-