The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-17
POLICE JOTTINGS
The Department" Growing
Weary of Forgery Cases.
All Of the Good Work Comes to
Naught.
OLD FACES REAPPEAR.
Boyer and Buckner Back Among
Familiar Scenes.
Harve Wheeler, Ex-JOintist,
Makes a Funny Talk.
OLD FACES REAPPEAR.

The police force is getting tired
trying to run down check forgers
without the help of the victims and
other courts Not long ago a check
forger was caught by the police and
evidence was against him in every
way until the chief witness fiunked
and the man was turned loose. Then
the victim came to the 'front.' and the
police once more took up the trail OF
the forger. He was traced to ST.
Louis and then lost.
The next case was the Peterson
affair. The police had captured
Peterson for forging a check and
then with tears in their eyes his rela-
tives induced the victim of the
forgery to allow the man to go to the
asylum because he was crazy. He was
soon allowed to leave the asylum and
another man slipped through the
hands OF the police-without their
consent.
Then came the Finley affair. Finley
was taken over to the district court
and the main complainant, Batman.
was not notified of the trial and of
course he did not appear. The man was
turned loose, naturally, and once
more a cry of agony went up from the
hard working police who had sue
ceeded in running the man down.
Co. were the victims of a check
CRATER. Detective Hopkins caught
the man and proved by hand writing
that he was the guilty person. But
the clothing firm had failed to take
the clerks number and identify the
man-another weeks labor thrown to
waste.
Now another character comes up
and works the merchants. The Globe
Clothing company received check
made out to George L. Shore by the
Shawnee Milling company for $3.50.
He went in this store and purchased
a pair of shoes, handed over the
check, received the change and leav-
ing the shoes in the store he said he
would return after them. He never
came back. Shawnee milling concern
reports no such man as working for
them. They also show that the
signature is far from theirs.
The detectives want to work out the
case but they have no clues whatever
except the check. The clerks in the
store do not remember the man.
Some of them say that he is six feet
tall and wore a soft hat. Another
says he was a runt and wore derby.
Still another says he was short and
any more clerks they would probably
say the man wore a straw hat and
pair of pajamas. This is the kind of
Information the police get and they
have to arrest a number "vags" In
order to get a faint smell of clue.
After they get the clue they are for
gotten by the victims and the case
drops.
And still the merchants accept
worthless checks. The police say that
the average merchant in Topeka will
accept any old check you serve up to
them. 1t would save the police work.
the dealers loss and the crooks gain
If the merchants would tighten up on
their check receipts and look into
matters before they sell goods.
The police station officers gathered
in consultation this morning to de-
eide whether to wash the walls of the
station or have them painted. At last
after hot disagreement they referred
the matter to Police Judge S. S.
Army. The Judge thought a minute.
looked over his spectacles at the
walls and with a sigh he said:
1T all depends upon who does It."
The police are still trying to work
the puzzle.
An Austrian who gave his name as
Stephen Brichbich was bagged forNva-
grancy by the police last night and he
looks it. He got off a Rock Island
freight and had been riding the rods
ever since he procured his berth at
Fort Worth, Texas. He wanted to
know where he was, in the United
States or Alaska-he said he thought
and felt as though he had been riding
for year. The only thing he had on
him was whiskers and he could scarce
be seen on account of their growth. He
was fined IS and, not knowing what
the term meant, he decided to drop an
Choir on the rock pile. He is stationed
there today.
George Metzger was pulled to the
station last night by Officer England
for being drunk and causing a little
disturbance of peaceful Kansas avenue.
Jugde Urmy will give him few more
dollars or days in fines this afternoon
unless he gets out of the notion that
he was not drunk. Every time Metz
have 1t in for him, as he never drinks
Last night he was going to clean out
the whole station because he said he
did not deserve arrest At this time
he was so drunk he could not stand I'D
Charlie Boyer is back again." was
the well-known greeting at the police
station this morning. He was invited
to spend the weeks end with the police
and enjoy Sunday dinner at the cost
of the city. He brought his trunk.
which is a red handkerchief, and his
party dresses, which would compare
well with the same handkerchief.
"Charlie' is quite a character. For
a long time he has been entertained by
the police and he is a welcome pris-
oner. He is undoubtedly one of the
smartest men who ever spent his time
behind the city bars. He Is a genius