Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-27
SALESMAN
OF FRISCO
IN TROUBLE
Police Say They Are
on Hot Trail
Of Fugitive
San Francisco Silk Man
Accused of Cashing
Bad Checks
A. n. Coleman, Well Known All Over
the West, Gets Money from Los
Angeles Hotel and Bank on
Worthless Paper

worthless Paper
If the hopes of Captain Paul Flam-
mer of the detectives bureau do not
fall through within a few days for
mer prominent coast business man and
one who has for more than twenty
years been known in all parts Of the
United States as one of the most sue
cessful commercial travellers, will be
arrested on a charge of forgery. Mem
bers of the detective force have been
on his trail nearly two weeks and cir
culars giving his description and de-
tails of the crime he is charged with
have been sent to all parts of the
country.
Yesterday word was received by one
of the detectives working on the case
that the man had been seen at Ocean
Park early in the morning and it is
now thought that he has passed his
time since his alleged crime hiding in
one of the beach towns.
Detectives were at once detailed on
the new scent, but did not succeed in
finding the man. 1t is hoped he will
be captured today, however, and if
he is the police are confident they
will be able to give out one of the
most sensational stories in high life
which has appeared in Los Angeles
for years.
Presents Worthless Checks
The man who is being so eagerly
sought is A. II. Coleman, for several
years connected with the firm of Beno
Hart & Brothers of Gil Sansome
CO, 1
of this firm are importers Of silk and
Mr.. Coleman was looked upon by them
as the leader among their commercial
travellers.
Coleman was a frequent visitor to
Los Angeles, having made monthly
trips here since taking employment
with Hart Brothers. He was well known
among local merchants and was al
ways thought of as a reliable business
man.
April 12 Coleman came to Los An
geles and registered at the Hollenbeck
hotel. He greeted the clerk and re-
marked that his trip had been more
than usually successful. He is said
to have then presented check signed
with the name of Hart Brothers and
made payable to A. II. Coleman.
The check was for $100, and as Cole
man had cashed checks at the hotel
numerous times the clerk felt no hes
itancy in giving him the money.
Declare Signature a Forgery
An hour later Coleman is said to
have gone to the First National bank,
directly across the street from the
hotel, and presented a check for $3.50
to d. B. Bresse, an assistant teller.
Bresse had cashed checks for the COM
mercial traveller in the past and he
also handed out the money The sig
nature of Hart Brothers was attached
to this check also and 1t was made
payable to Coleman. Both checks
were drawn on the City and County
bank Of San Francisco.
After cashing the second check Cole
man went to his room at the Hollen-
beck hotel, bade his friends good by,
saying he was going to finish his trip,
and left the place.
A few days later word was received
from the San Francisco bank that Hart
Brothers had no account there. The
firm was at once notified by both the
hotel and the First National bank of
the checks and a reply was received
that the checks were forgeries and that
Coleman was no longer Connected with
the firm.
AubIe's Men Fail
The police were at once notified and
plainclothes men were sent out by Cap
tain Auble to investigate. Upon their
return to the station they reported that
they could find no trace Of Coleman,
and Captain Flammer at once detailed
detectives to search for the man.
The San Francisco police were noti-
fled by Captain Flammer and requested
TO look for Coleman and detectives in
the northern city at once began watch
ing his usual haunts in the hope that
he would return.
I'VE are confident we will have Cole
man within the next day or so," said
one of the detectives who is searching
for the man, when speaking about the
case yesterday. Coleman seems to
have been an exceptionally shrewd man
and it would please us nightly to have
a chance to talk with him. The mem
bers of the detectives bureau are doing
all in their power to run him to earth,
as we fear If he is guilty of cashing
these two checks he may float a num-
Der of others before he is apprehended.
Coleman drew good salary from
the firm by which he was employed, but
seems to have been able to eXpend a
great deal more than he received. He
had expensive tastes was a member of
several secret societies, and was known
as a good fellow by all his associates.
we have not heard why he was dis
charged by Hart Brothers, but that
hrm Is doing all it can to aid us in
running him to earth"
The police are doing all i'm their
power 10 catch Coleman" said Archi-
bald @. Way. assistant cashier of the
First National bank, when questioned
yesterday, "and / feel sure 1t will be
but few days before Coleman is be-
hind the bars. He has been a COM
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