The Washington herald., 1908-07-12
BAD CHECK DRAWN
ON A LOCAL BANK
New York Police Hunting
for Alleged FOrger.
PAPER CALLED FOR $4,000
PurpOrted TO Bear the Endorsement
of Washington Publishing Com
Dany and Was Issued Against the
Commercial National Bank, Of
This CIty-IntrOduced by Friend.

New York. July u.-To-night the New
York and Brooklyn detective bureaus
were asked TO arrest FOR forgery q man
passing under the name OF Robert w.
Wibber. who. 1t is alleged. tried to swim
die the Title Guarantee and Trust Com
pany OF Brooklyn by means OF worth
less check for $500 on the Commercial
National Bank Of Washington. d. c.. to
which the name Of the Men OF Mark Pub
fishing Company Of that city was signed.
He got only SO from the Title Guarantee
and Trust Company before the swindle
was discovered. but on the strength of the
check he persuaded Clinton B. Repp. a
phonograph dealer, OF $50 Greenwich
street to cash his check for SfO0.
The story OF the alleged swindlc. as re-
ported TO the police. is that on last Sun
day Rudolph Kleeman, of SIS West 18th
street. who had invented a coIlapsible
leather bag. advertised In several news
papers for a man with 5000 10 push the
invention. Next day a smooth-talking
man. about thirty-ive years old. called on
Kleeman and said he was Robert W.
Wibber. late OF Norfolk. Va The man
said he had Just sold out his tobacco bus
mess in Norfolk. and had come to town
with certified checks for 5000 TO go into
something else.
Friend Introduced Him.
Kleemnn said that when he told wib-
Der about the collapsible bag the latter
was enthusiastic and decided to put $500
OF his bank roll into the proposition.
Hleeman then took wibber around town
and introduced him 10 his friends, IN
cluding Clinton B. Repp. the phonograph
dealer Repp and his partner were let
In on the ground floor. and Wibber and
Kleeman then employed Charles A. Cur
tin. a lawyer. Of 25T Broadway. TO draw
up the papers OF Incorporation. Kleeman
asked one Of his friends on Wednesday
for advice as to a good bank for Wibber
to put his $500 check IN. This man was
friend Of Frank L. Sniffen. manager
OF the banking department Of the Title
Guarantee and Trust Company OF Brook
lyn, so he gave Mr.. Kleeman a note OF
Introduction to Mr.. Sninen.
on Thursday Kleeman and Wib0er
called al the bank and Wibber handed
over his check. which ne said he was
using 70 start his account. The check
was drawn on the Commercial National
Bank Of Washington and purpOrted 10
be made by the Men of Mark Publishing
Company 10 the order OF r. w. Wibber.
The check was signed with what pur-
ported TO be the names ot the president
aud sws-n 6 .r.Ff
Mr.. SniTen made out the names 10 be
Merrill +. Gales and r II. HummeII.
The check appeared 10 have been GER
titled by the Commercial National Bank.
but the signature OF the banks teller
could not be made out.
Got $40 and Disappeared.
After Wibber had indorsed the check
and Mr.. Kleeman had also written his
signature on It, Mr.. Snl7en told Wib-
Der that he would have 10 ask him
not to draw on the check until he heard
from Washington which would take un
Ill to-day. Wibber went away protesting
that he didn't like 70 have any DELAY
In organizing the company. and the check
was sent to the Washington Loan and
! Trust Company for collection. In the
meantime. in response TO Wibber's ap-
peals for money to start things going.
Mr.. Kleeman. as president OF the Ru-
dolph kleeman Manufacturing Company.
the name Of the new concern. wrote out
checks on the Title Guarantee and Trust
Company for $780, which he got Mr.. Repp
TO cash. OF this amount WIbber got
So and he hasn't been seen since
The officers OF the Men of Mark Pub
fishing Company which has Offices in the
Jenifer Building. are understood to be
Benjamin F. Johnson. president. and J.
Frank Price. manager Johnsons address
is given in the City Directory as 4O4 Sew
enth street northwest. which is the loca-
ton Of the Jenifer Building. Prices name
does not appear In the directory, although
II is listed In the telephone book, the ad-
dress given being the Jenifer Building.
Officials of the Commercial National
Bank refused last night to discuss the
report Of the check transaction in New
York in any manner.
Efforts 70 get In touch with Johnson
and Price last night were unavailing, as
they could not be located
EII Niagara Falls Excursion. July IL,