The San Francisco call., 1908-08-13
BOGUS 'COLONEL'IS
BAD CHECK PASSER
SeIf=Styled Warrior Celebrates
Jubilee With Women on
Worthless Drafts

San Francisco received visit from
another bogus check passer this week
in the person of one self-styled
colonel ]. A. Mckenzie, who sue
ceeded in obtaining $3.50 from Pratt
& Becker and $40 from Tom Dillon.
The man, whose real name is said to
be Mcpherson, registered at the St.
Francis hotel on Monday from Tono-
pah, New Monday night, feeling in the
mood for little tour along the glis-
tening trail the colonel called an au-
tomobile and visited several cafes. He
was accompanied by two viyacious
young women, whom he entertained
very lavishly.
Tuesday he visited the store of Tom
Dillon and made a purchase. A little
later he called upon Dillon and ex-
planned that although unknown in San
Francisco he was prominent among
the elite of many eastern cities. He
then braced Dillon for $50 in return
for a draft on a Tonopah bank. Dillon
learned yesterday that there was no
such bank as the one drawn upon by
Mckenzie. Tuesday evening the erst-
while colonel visited Pratt & Becker's
and told them that he had just called
on his dear friend Henry I. Scott. The
balmy story of being temporarily en-
barrassed was given to Pratt, which
was supplemented with the statement
that he would like to have check
for $3.50 cashed. The check was signed
in the name of II. w. Scott.
Pratt was deceived by the name on
the check and thinking it was Henry
T. Scott he cashed it. Yesterday Pratt
learned that the check was worthless
except as a souvenir. Mckenzie con-
ided TO his women friends and those
within hearing while in a cafe Tuesday
night that he was celebrating the
twenty-sixth anniversary of his grad
uation from West Point.
Yesterday afternoon Dillon met the
bogus army officer at the st. Francis,
and, after explaining that by some in
advertence his draft had been unhon-
ored, he invited him to return the $40
or go to Jail. McKenzies attempt to
look indignant failed. and he then tried
to explain to Dillon that he had been
drugged and did not remember any
thing about the draft. This move was
unsuccessful, and Dillon did not leave
the colonel until he had received Sc
curity for his $40, which was McKen-
zie's watch and chain.
Pratt & Becker interviewed the
colonel last night, but no money was
forthcoming. All kinds of promises
were made, but Mckenzie did not make
good the check which he gave Pratt.
Henry T. Scott's son denied all knowl-
edge OF. the man, and stated, when seen
by the victims, that the check was not
signed by his father.
Mckenzie asked to be excused for a
moment during his conversation with
Pratt & Becker last night, as, he said,
he wished to call up his friend Tirey
L. Ford. Ford did not know him. The
colonel departed and his present
whereabouts is unknown. His bill at
| the st. Francis has not been paid, but
| the hotel has enough of his personal
effects to protect it from loss.
The two young women acquaintance
of his are also among those who were
led to parting themselves from sew
eral dollars. Mckenzie laughingly told
them Tuesday evening that he would
have to borrow little money from
them in order to carry him through
the night until the returned to the ST
Francis. When they drove up to the
st. Francis Mckenzie left the young
women and promised to return in a few
minutes. He then disappeared