Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-01
DOES c. A. HOLT A
GREAT |IJUSnC[
Smooth Forger Signs His Name
in Endorsing Check at
Mason City
NEWSPAPERS TELL OF CRIME
And tho Real Holt Who is Clarke
Coal and Coke Company Man, Liv-
ing in This City, Hastens to Show
That He is Not the Man Who De-
frauded Wilson Hotel.

George a. Holt, 312 North Second
avenue, travelling salesman for the
Clarket Coal and Coke Company, of
Peoria, H., out of this city, has had a
personal experience that goes to show
him that even little thing like case
of mistaken identity can prove very
initial and surname endorsed a forged
check at Mason City, and because he
pany. the natural suppostion TO any
one not knowing Mr.. Holt would be
that he had committed a crime
1t was an easy matter for Mr.. Holt
to prove his innocence. The newspa-
pers had published the story of the
forged check at Mason City, and
while at Atlantic Mr.. Holt saw that he
was supposed to be a criminal. lie
fastened to Mason City to learn the
real situation. and as soon as Manager
Byers, of the Wilson hotel, on whom
the check was passed, saw the real
Holt. he realized that a great wrong
had been done in suspecting G. A. Holt
of the Clarke Coal and Coke Company.
Of being guilty of the forgery.
Mason City Paper Tells Story.
The Mason City Globe Gazette of
case of the forger passing himself off
as G. A. Holt, as follows:
George A. Holt. the travelling rep
resentative of the Clarke Coal & Coke
Company, of Peoria, was in the city
today to see II he could find any trace
of the man who it is alleged forged
check of $50 and signed the name of g.
Holt. The man came to the Wilson on
January % and presented check Of
$50 on the firm of Gulberson & FSestl.
of Nora Springs, and to make his
game good also showed a letter pur-
porting to be from the firm dated and
post marked at Nora Springs, saying
that enclosed he would find their check
for that amount on account of goods
sold.
The bogus Holt bears no likeness to
the real Holt He was short and ro-
tund and 40 to As years old, while the
genuine George Holt is youpg and
handsome and tall, with plenty OF the
good cushion of adipose to make him
comfortably plump and we'll groomed.
The forger represented that he was
travelling for a coal company at Pc
oria, and hence the landlord was the
more easily msled Mr.. Holt arrived
this morning from Atlantic, after hav-
ing read there in a state paper In a
dispatch from Mason City purporting
to be him had forged the check.
Mr.. Holt had not been to Mason
City at all, and would not have been
here till later but for the item he saw
In the newspaper.
THE incident is annoying to Mr..
Holt. inasmuch as the story which the
bogus Holt told might have led some
of his acquaintance who saw the item
to think he really was the man. Mr..
Holt hardly expects to get trace of the
man, as he thinks from what he has
learned from the police and others that
he got on the first train out of the city.
and is in some remote part of the coun-
try.
Gets Letter of Exoneration.
Mr.. Holt, accompanied by Manager
c. E. Smith, Of the local office of the
Clarke company, returned from Mason
City Friday evening. The story Of the
forgery has been widely circulated, and
Mr.. Holt has already heard from it
from different quarters. General Agent
George w. McGill, of Minneapolis. saw
the account in Minneapolis paper,
and used the long distance phone to
know what in the world it meant. Nc
Gill felt sure however, that there must
be some mistake.
Manager Byers, of the Wilson, had
Immediately notified leading hotel
paper of the forgery, and doubtless
Mr.. Hollis name already appears In the
rogue's gallery for hotel men, as dan
gerous characters who are likely to
beat a hotel" Mr.. Byers. however,
has promised Mr.. Holt to make repair
alton in strong contradiction and has
furnished Mr.. Holt with a letter eX-
planning away any suspicion that had
arisen in his mind before the real Holt
was discovered.