The San Francisco call., 1906-11-27
SW|NDLER CLARKE
IS PURSUED
6 Financier" Who Worked
Hawkins and Brusie Tries
to Turn Trick in New York
BELSHAW PROTECTED


Although he was busily engaged in
eluding the Pinkerton detectives, F. B.
Clarke, the swindler, who got the bet
ter of the United States National Bank
and the Metropolitan Surety Company
found time in New York City to en-
deavor to borrow $4,000 on the repre-
sentation that he owned valuable but
vague oil lands in Pennsylvania. The
police force of several cities are after
the suave Clarke. He has been trailed
about the country from place to place
and in the meantime the officers of the
institutions which suffered through his
sharp work are tracing out the schemes
he used to get real money out of them
in exchange for imaginary paper
The job which Clarke worked in this
city was centered on piece or ground
owned by Senator Charles M. Belshaw
near the corner of Van Ness avenue
and Jackson street Clarke had agreed
to lease the property from the Contra
Costa LEGISLATOR and contracted to pay
$500 month rental for the land and to
erect thereon at cost of $1,000 a build
ing to be used as garage 'Belshaw
was protected in the lease by bond
issued by Judson c. Brusie, manager OF
the Metropolitan Surety Company.
TAKES CHECK FOR $4,000
After getting that end of the trans
action fixed to his own Satisfaction,
Clarke persuaded President c. A. Haw-
kins of the United States National Bank
to advance him loan of $500. He
took a check for s4500 and later, while
in Pennsylvania, executed draft on
the bank for the balance, but the draft
was dishonored.
1t has been enormously stated that
the last trick was turned at the ex-
pense of the Western National Bank,
of which William c. Murdoch is presi-
| dent. This mistake was due to the
fact that a brother of William c. Muir
doch is an official of the United States
National Bank
= It developed that Clarke had brave
showing of valuable papers to parade
before Brusie after he had secured the
option on the Belshaw property and
was negotiating for the lease. To the
shrewd Brusie, Clarke certified in writ
ing. that he had $4,000 in cash on de-
posit in the Central Trust Company.
Brusie, although he had written a few
burlesques of the Kolb and Dill va
riety did not catch the significance of
| % and three ciphers. Neither was he
awakened when Clarke showed GER
| tificate No. IS in the River and Island
Transportation Company, of which f.
| Heckel Is president and o. Waterman
secretary. Certificate No. 13 stood for
| oe,VVV SHARES Ol SloCh IL lilca Coi potd-
ton, and Brusie willingly believed the
young financier when. he said that the
stock was valued at $4,000
CHECK is HUGE JOKE
In addition to this mass of gilt-brfck
edged securities the applicant flashed
an autographic announcement that he
owned $50 acres of land in Clearfield
! County, Pennsylvania, and pointed out
on the map that there is such a place.
Brusie was impressed and the Metro
politan Surety Company committed it
self to standing sponsor for five years
for Clarke in his deal with Belshaw
When Brusie made an investigation
! he found that Clarke was a joker with
his $4,000 and stock certificate No. 13.
The Central Trust Company had none
of his money and the stock in the
Island and River Company had a very
microscopic value
When Clarke had got Brusie and his
corporation to stand for his dicker with
Belshaw he went to the United States
National Bank and told President Haw-
kins that he was real financier and
Hawkins confirmed the declaration by
! advancing Clarke a loan of $500
Brusie and his Metropolitan Surety
Company now have on their hands a
building on Jackson street, near Van
Senator Belshaw 500 a month rent. 1t
on to the structure and it expects to
rent 1T for some purpose more profit
able than garage would be.