The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-02-27
KenOsha Police and Sheriff Asked
To Make an Effort to Appre.
bend John |. Butler
WORKED IN THIS DISTRICT
Has the Cleverest Scheme Ever Worked
Anong the Rural Districts of This
Part of the Country May
Be Hiding in Kenosha

The police of Kenosha and Sheriff
Pfennig and his assistants have been
asked to make an effort to locate Will
liam l.. Beck, alias John Butler, alias
John Kline, alias John Hoover, who is
badly wanted on charges Of forgery and
obtaining money under false pretenses
1t is alleged that he has worked in this
county, but warrants for his arrest
have been issued at Waukegan. 1t is
claimed that the man was recently in
Kenosha and it is thought possible that
he is now in hiding here. The man
worked clever game.
A short time after arriving in the
County, he will look up farms that are
for sale, usually some distance from
the county seat. He tells the farmer
that he is widower and is buying the
farm for his son, or some other relative
with whom he intends to live He asks
him if there is a notary public near
there who can acknowledge the papers
that are necessary to be drawn. Learns
there is notary at the village near the
farm. He then asks the farmer if he
has an abstract Of his farm and gets,
if possible, the loan Of it, saying that
he wants his lawyer to look it over He
then persuades the farmer and his wife
to go with him to the notary at the
village and induces them to give him
either power of attorney to sell the
land for them or to sign an agreement
to sell the land to him upon the pay
ment Of a certain price, usually a very
good one. This power of attorney or
contract is then acknowledged by the
farmer and his wife, before the notary,
who signs his name to the acknowledge
ment and places his seal thereon. At
ter getting this seal, he either makes
or has made an exact duplicate there
of. Then he goes to the County Seat
and calls upon some real estate man
or lawyer and tells him about that he
is about to buy this particular farm, in
some instances even taking the farmer
with him to verify these statements to
the lawyer. He then asks the LAWYER
or zeal estate man to look over the
abstract, or if the farmer should have
none, then to make one, and to care
fully examine the records and see if the
title is perfect. This is done and every
thing found all right. He then asks
the lawyer or real estate man to draw
up proper deed for the farm. and to
give the deed to him to take to the
farmer to get it executed, or, if this
rs refused directs the lawyer to mail
the deed to the farmer, requesting him
to go with his wife before this particu-
lar notary public, to have the deed
executed and acknowledged. He then
says, as he is paying cash for the farm
that his ready money will be consumed
and that there are many improvements
he would like to make on the place in
the way of buildings, fences, etc., be-
sides purchasing farm machinery and
live stock, asks the lawyer or real es-
tate man to obtain for him a loan on
this land, which is finally arranged for.
He, Mr., Butler, alias Hoover, then
takes the deed, which has been drawn
up, if it is delivered to him, or failing
in this, intercepts the farmers mail by
getting the deed out of the post of.
flee. or rural route mail box. Having
obtained the deed, he then goes to his
hotel or stopping place. There he very
cleverly FORCES the name of the farmer
and his wife to the deed; also the name
OF the pacticular notary to the acknow.
ledgment, and then places the notary q
seal to the acknowledgment of the deed.
After suitable time, he again calls
on the lawyer or real estate man and
shows him the deed, the identical deed
which the lawyer mailed to the farmer
all properly signed, sealed and acknow-
ledged He again explains that he has
pald the full purchase price for the
land, and would now like to secure the
loan asked for on the place, as soon as
possible, so that he can return home
and move his family on the farm
Thereupon the lawyer or real estate
man sends for the party who intends tc
loan the money. This party, on his ar
rival, together with the lawyer or his
own lawyer, agent or banker, look over
the deed carefully and finding it, to all
appearances regular, the signatures and
notary seal genuine, makes the loan
takes a note for the amount asked for
and also a mortgage on the farm, t.
seure the payment Of the principal OF
the note and interest. The deed and
mortgage are now recorded then the
money IN cash is paid over and this
slick imposter and forger skips the
town.
The private secretary for Secretary