Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-04
TAKEN At GUNS POINT.
!
Disguised SIeuth Captures
"Green Goods" Men.
HE POSED AS RURAL DUPE
Makes His Prisoners Manacle
Themselves Together.
ARREST IS MADE IN SALOON
/
fable Is Tipped Over on Detective,
. But BE Holds the Door and
: Forces Submission.
ARREST IS MADE IN SALOON

NEW YORK August 4. - Despite a
shrewdly prearranged plan to avoid fall
Ing into a trap after year of prelimi-
nary negotiations. two green goods"
men, we'll known to the police, were
forced at the point of a pistol to hand
cuff themselves together in a back room
of a saloon in Brooklyn yesterday and
to call a patrol wagon in which they
were take to police headquarters In Null
berry street to be locked III cells.
Policeman James Gegan of the central
Office made the arrests In the disguise OF
a countryman. He masqueraded as Louis
Ruthruff a dealer In farm machinery, of
Belleville. Mich.
The prisoners are Charles Forbes, alias
Charles T. Mcdonald. thirty-four years
old, who said he lived In the Hotel Gre
noble, It'll avenue and Seth street. and
James McVicar. alias Abner r. Lyons.
fif;y-two years old. who described himself
an engraver. and gave his residence
as No. ga Macdougal street. Brooklyn.
The pictures of both are in the rogues'
gallery as confidence men, and the police
say that Forbes was a member of the
band which f1eeced William f. Walker,
the abscopdng bank cashier of New
Britain, Conn.,. of 100000.
. Ruthruf about a month ago turned
over 20 the postal inspectors letters which
he had received in the course of nearly
\ year previously. The missive signed by
Lyons ultimately presented an offer to
sell him 5000 worth Of "art goods for
$1,000. Walter s. Mayer. chief inspector,
consulted Police Inspector McCafferty.
and Gegan and David Wiiber. also of the
central pf11ce. were assigned to the case.
In his l4tters Lyons had directed that his
mail be sent to grill room at 10th
street and Amsterdam avenue.
To Meet at Astor House.
Under instructions from Gegan Fir.
Ruthruff continued the correspondence
with Lyons. and eventually an arrange
ment was made that they should meet at
the Aston House last Sunday night. On
that day the Michigan man sent tele-
gram to Lyons that he would arrive here
at two minutes after 0 O'clock and would
go directly to the hotel
To meet the possibility of Lyons being
at the Grand Central station. Gegan
slipped on the train when it reached 125th
street. He was dressed like a prosperous
farmer. wearing clothes of country make
and three days growth of beard. As
he was not met at the station. but felt
Astor House and registered as Ruthruff,
whose signature he had practiced so that
he was able to make fairly clever forg-
cry.
day, when Mr.. Ruthruff'' was called to
the telephone. Gegan answered and a
voice said:
What's the password?'
Heart and hand he replied.
What Is the order NUMBER
Three twenty-nine."
"All right said the voice; this is Ly-
ons. We have to be very careful. Now.
who's the governor of Michigan"
who's the mayor of Detroit?'
Thompson"
How far is Belleville from Detroit:"
Twenty-Five miles,
How many inhabitants has Belleville ?"
q. six hundred.
How many churches?"
Three"
,."All right. Now keep quiet until you
hear from me again..
district messenger boy appeared at
the hotel at : o'clock in the afternoon
with note telling "Ruthruff'' to give him
his signature and the password and order
number in ink. He did so. and half an
hour later Forbes called for "Ruthruff''
with another note telling him the bearer
was only messenger, but that the recip-
Tent should accompany him. After walk
Ing round the post Office, where Lyons
was lettering for chance to see the sup
posed Michigan man. they took train
Tor brooklyn and went to a saloon In the
Boulevard near Chauncey street. where
they were presently Joined by Lyons.
Dramatic Arrest In Saloon.
All three went into a back room and
sat at table. Forbes and Lyons plac-
ing themselves between Gegan and the
door. After some conversation Lyons
produced a sealed package. which he said
contained the 5000 in green goods" in
one. FIVE and ten dollar bills He in
structed "Ruthruff'' not to place il in
bank, but to mix it with good money and
use il from time to time. Then he ask
ed IL "Ruthruff" had brought the $1,000.
Yes" said Gegan, and reaching into
his pocket he whipped out a revolver and
said, You're under arrest"
On the instant Forbes tipped the table
over against Gegan. but the central Office
man evaded it. and with a quick jump
got TO the door, where, with his uplifted
weapon. he commanded the situation.
With his free hand he produced a leather
case, tossed II to the table and ordered
his two prisoners to handcufr themselves
Both men protested. saying that he had
caught them and that they would not
resist, but Gegan insisted and they obey
ed He flung his whistle to them. opened
the door and said:
BLOW that for policeman
Again the men demonstrated and again
they obeyed. In a few minutes police
man arrived and was ordered to call
patrol wagon from the nearest station So
quietly was the thrilling arrest accom-
plished by Gegan single handed that no
one in the barroom of the saloon was
aware OF II until the wagon came. The
prisoners were hustled into il and taken
to headquarters in Manhattan
Although most of the work was done by
McVicar. or Lyons. the police say that
Forbes. who is we'll dressed, quiet and
gentlemanly in demeanor, was the
brains of the scheme and planned it's
details.