The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-03
WAS ACLEvrR SWlNDLER
Woman Nearly Got Away With $2O,-
900 In Bonds.

bonds which she had obtained from
the firm of Babcock, Rushton Ind
Rookery building. woman known as
Alice Cheney Brown, was arrested at
the Union depot and made to return
the securities.
She had a ticket for Denver and
was aboard the train waiting for its
Repetto found her preparing to retire
for the night.
Repetto's instructions from the
brokers were not to detain the woman
IL she restored the 100000 worth of
bonds. This she readily assented to,
and she took them from handbag on
the seat beside her.
The woman had also passed a
worthless check for $63 on the man.
agement of the Congress Hotel COM
pany. Detective Repetto. who is en-
ployed by the hotel company, had this
little score to settle with the woman.
She made good the amount of the
check and was allowed to go her way
The method by which the woman
obtained the bonds was by passing a
worthless check on the brokers for
$1e,72O. Soon after the transaction
Orville f. Babcock, one of the firm
became suspicious of the genuineness
of the check, and telegraphed to the
Farmers Loan & Trust company of
New York, on which bank it was
IL.
the woman purporting to be Alice
Cheney Brown had no account with
the Farmers Loan & Trust.
1t was known to the brokerage firm
that Mrs. Brown was staying at the
Annex, and a messenger was sent there
to find her. At the hotel it was learn
ed that the woman had paid her bill
and left She had paid with a check
on the Farmers Loan & Trust COM
pany and had ordered carriage to
take her to the Lasalle station.
Manager Southgate of the Annex
examined the check passed on the
hotel, and inasmuch as the check on
the brokerage firm was worthless he
declared that the smaller one was
worthless also.
Detective Repetto was called in and
with Mr.. Babcock went to the mu-
nicipal court, where a warrant was
sworn out charging. the woman with
operating a confidence game.
The cabman who drove the woman
from the Annex was found. and he
said she discharged him at the Lasalle
street station. 1t was learned that
woman answering the description of
Mrs. Brown had engaged another cab
man, and that he drove her to the
Northwestern depot. After discharg
ing the second cabman she entered
third vehicle and was driven to the
Union depot.
In the baggage room it was discov-
suit case to Denver. presenting her
railroad ticket at the time. The Bur-
lington train for Denver did not leave
Chicago until 1880 O'Clock. and Re-
shortly before the time of its depar-
ture. How the woman got past him
and aboard the train without being
seen is a mystery to the detective.
When questioned on that point by Re
petto she looked out of the car win
daVv and 1anphpd
At first Mrs. Brown pleaded for
leniency, asking that she be permitted
to pay the hotel bill and continue her
trip to Denver. The detective agreed
she paid him in cash. Then she turned
over the bonds. When she did so she
told amid sobs that she had planned
to obtain the bonds which she hoped to
sell in Denver so she could get funds
with which to aid a brother who is I'M
der arrest in the east for some offense
The securities were turned over later
to Mr.. Babcock, who was waiting for
Repetto at the Auditorium Annex. Mr..
Babcock said the firm would make no
effort to prosecute Mrs. Brown.
The bonds were 20 in number, of 81,
900 each. They are first mortgage
per cent bonds of the Madison River
Power company.
Mrs. Brown went to the Annex last
Thursday. She registered as Mrs.
Frank z. Brown, New York" The day
following her arrival she called on Bah
cock, Rushton & Louderback with let
tiers. presumably forged. purporting to
be from a New York broker. Negotia-
lions were begun for the purchase of
the bonds. but the deal was not closed
until yesterday.
1t was learned after the Denver train
had departed that Mrs. Brown got
through the station without being seen
by Repetto by a clever ruse. Outside
the station she saw tired woman hold
ing a baby and engaged her in CONVEX
sation. Without arousing the woman's
suspicious she induced her to let Mrs.
Brown hold her baby and then accom-
pany the child and its new friend to the
train. In passing through the depot
Mrs. Brown was seemingly intent on
the child and as she was not supposed
to have a baby passed unnoticed.