Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-11-21
SHARP F0RGER
Takes In Several People In Co.
IumhIa For Small Amounts.
LOOK OUT FOR HIM.

Not Very Much In the Aggregate
But There Were Several Crooked
Deals Which Showed Rare Persis-
tence and Nerve on the Part Of the
Forger, +. w. Bentley.
The State say f. w. Bentley. who
is branded as a forger by his former
employer, by Columbia banks and by
half a dozen business men about the
city, is apparently possessed of con-
siderable nerve, and has managed to
stay In Columbia for two weeks with
police officers. detectives and others
looking for him, all anxious to give
him berth In the county Jail. Bent
ley managed TO pass forged checks
upon one bank and a half dozen
business men of Columbia. beginning
his operations about Oct. 20, and, al
though the matter was promptly re-
ported to the police department, he
is known to have been in the city
Thursday night and attempted to
work a Gervais street merchant with
one of his worthless pieces of paper
Bentley went to Columbia about
June /, from Dubuque, Iowa, to work
for John Neill 4 Co.. proprietors of
the Capitol City market, 1915 Main
street On October g he was dis
charged by Mr.. Neill and his crooked
deal was pulled off shortly thereaf
ter, when he went to one of the Co
lumbia banks and asked TO borrow
$25 on his note. He was told that
he could not get the money unless
Neill & Co. endorsed the note. Bent
ley, 1t Is said, took the note and went
out, coming back few minutes later
with 1t bearing the alleged endorse
of John Neill & Co. He got the mon
ey and 1t was not discovered that the
signature was forgery.
Several days later Bentley walked
into the same bank and presented a
check for S25 signed John Nein d
Co., and payable to himself. He In
formed the teller that he wished To
get the check cashed and apply 50 on
his note at the bank. The SIS was
counted out to him and he passed 81
back to be applied to his note.
On November ] Bentley called az
the Parlor restaurant and asked the
proprietor. Mr. Ben David, To cash 4
small check for him, which was done.
The amount OF this check was ~
and 1t was signed the same as ne
other: drawn on the Bank OF Column
.bia and made payable to himself
ON November 12 Bentley walEcf
into one of the leading hotels OF tie
CITY late n the afternoon and present
ed n check for $25, drawn on the
Carolina National bank, payable to +.
Bentley and signed john Neiii
Co" He stated that Mr.. Neiil hau
given him the check and that as IL
was after banking hours ana as ne
needed the money badly ne "ouiu
have to have 1t cashed by some one
a,ea The check was cashed all rlsht'
ord the next morning Ii was turned
down at the Carolina Natlonai as
Neill g. Co. had no account tneIe'
The check was then taken 10 MT
Noiu who branded il as forgery
Ar Neill informed the hotel man ina
:, wae not the first check which
BENTLEY had forged against nim a.
several others hau ai'ooN'
ed to his attention
few days later cheek tor
turned up which Bentley had succeeu
ed in passing upon small hiel|ua
=, tho outskirts of the city ana SUI
another one for like amount WIZ
ho had worked off on man IN 'n'
Olvmpia village came to ligh''
TWO checks for small amount
,,,,ich BENTLEY gave on the Paiinetu
N-nttonoI hank, signed by himseh
were turned down by the Damn ~
lack of funds, he never haNi"e "'
an account there ear
n Is also said that draiI ioi
Drawn on Neill and Co and sent IN D;
= 6rm outside OF the CITY, throus'
a,her hank. was turned down d.
90 tho hanks. Bentley being int
author Of 1t. o,,o,
- was learned at the police station
49, pantley was in town Thursoa.
,,toht and attempted to pass a checf
60 s25 on a merchant on GerVaH
street. =, ~,
Possibly others were taken III oH
RentIey with his worthless chech'
opd have refrained from reporting
the cases for fear of notoriety.
n "a said that Bentley has been NV
to with a woman on Main street ano
This woman made inquiries over the
telephone OF Neil & Co. since tne
erst forgeries came to light she aiso
looked after getting Bentleys trunF
and this action was Immediately re
norted to the police. 1t was though'
mat she and Bentley were preparing
20 hoard a train and leave the cit!
toxether but the depots were watched
closely. IL is said and neither of them
was seen.
Mr., Neill had known Bentley 10,
several years and at one time worked
in the same Office with him, with Ar
n,our e. Co. He states that Bentle!
is married. and that his wife is nov
living in Iowa He says that unit
BENTLEY began forging his name he
had never heard anything against his
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