The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-12-27
is A SHORT CHANGE SHARK
DID A NICE LITTLE BUSINESS AT
BATTLE CREEK.
SENTENCED FOR THIRTY DAYS
A Scientific Game at Figures That
Seemed TO Work All Right for
Awhile-crook Probably Was Afraid
His Record Would overtake Him.

His Record Would overtake Him.
BY punching hole through four
thicknesses of brick with slat from
the Jail bed, Albert N. Green, a short
change shark sentenced to thirty days
at Madison, broke out of the Battle
Creek jail Monday night. 1t was
thought by the authorities that 1t was
not the thirty days at Madison that
Green was as anxious 10 avoid as an
official inquiry into his past record as
q crook.
The crook who made his getaway"
from Battle Creek caught the town up
Saturday on the short change graft.
He stuck Editor Martin of the Battle
Creek Enterprise for $5 and tried to
work his graft on the government.
County Attorney Jack Koenigstein
was called to Battle Creek Monday to
look up the case against Green. After
the county attorneys arrival Green
pleaded guilty" to petit larceny and
drew thirty days in the county jail.
Green was to have been taken to Mad.
Son Tuesday morning but he pounded
out hole in the wall during the night.
Green worked clever game. He
would make a five.cent purchase, put
ting down $40 bill and receiving a
So bill and $4.95 in change. Then
leaving all the money on the counter
he would object to the change and ask
another $5 bill for the $495. But
here | have that nickle anyway" the
crook would say, 80 there's no need
of changing anything" Then when
his victim turned to reach for the
original $40 bill the crook appropriate
ed one of the fives. Then he took
back the ten and the victim gathered
in one five and the $4.95 in change.
The crook would be five to the good.
Green told the county attorney that
he was in Norfolk last Thursday sell
ing harness oil. He struck Battle
Creek Saturday. He failed, it is
claimed, to work Otto Mas and the
Morris drug store. He got five from
the newspaper man.
Then about the noon hour Mr.
Green hit for the postoffice. He had
his game working with the clerk wher
Editor Martin appeared. The game
had reached the s. stage and Martin
picked up one of the fives, saying, 90
guess that's my money" Now here
comes that fellow and picks up my
money as though it was his" remark
ed Green resentfully to the clerk.
Green having lost his ten in the op
erations borrowed a ten from saloor
so that he could try the Battle Creel
Valley bank, But" said the young
man in the bank window, Where i!
my other five?"
Green was arrested and in defaul
of another charge was held for drunk
enness. He Is a man of about thirty
five, a short, chunky, dark complex
ioned man with a mustache and fairl!
we'll dressed.
To the county attorney Green gave
his address as Twenty-seventh and \
streets in Omaha. He said he wa!
both a barber and plumber. HI
claimed to have wife in Omaha ant
wanted the matter kept away from
Omaha on her account. The officers
who do not know that the fellow
name Is really Green believe that thu
Omaha police would place him.
Green had $14.90 when arrested ant
lost that sum on his drunk charge
He also pleaded guilty to the count!
attorneys complaint of petit larcen!
and got thirty days at Madison.
ID. l.. Best of Battle Creek was dep
utized to take Green to Madison. HI
planned to go down Tuesday. Blu
there was no Green. The ex-plumbe
had taken a slat from an iron bed il
the jail and punched hole through
four thicknesses of brick.
After his arrest Green tried to brib'
the jailer to release him. County AT
torney Koenigstein intended to hav'
the mans record looked up for he be
lieved he was a. bad crook.