The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-02-28
WAS A SMOOTH ONE

WAS A SMOOTH ONE
Sheriff Murray Captures Man Whe
Passes Worthless Checks at Nit
chell and Aberdeen
Sheriff Ed Murray made an
important capture last Saturday
when he arrested a man who
registered at the St. Hubert
hotel as William B. Holmes.
Mr.. Murray had several days
previously received a letter from
the sheriff at Mitchell to watch
out for a man giving his name as
Holmes, who was wanted for
passing worthless checks. He
had worked his little game at
Mitchell, Bowdell, Aberdeen and
other towns. He had evidently
gone east and returned back, 40
he came in on the west bound
passenger Saturday morning.
Henry Mcpherson, a clerk at the
St. Hubert, had been informed
that man by that name was
wanted, and should he register
here he was to imm ediately
inform Mr.. Murray. Sat
urday Mr.. Mcpherson noticed
the man register aud called Mr..
Murray up by phone. Mr.. MUIR
rap took good look at the man
and then went to the Dakota
Central telephone office and
called up the sheriff of Brookings
asking him for a description of
Holmes. The description tai.
lied and Mr.. Murray arrested
Holmes. He was very we'll
dressed, smooth shaved, aud
about 5 feet 6 inches tall.
Under pretext of wanting to
go to the closet. he was able to
tear up number ofblank checks
he had in his pocket.
Holmes worked his check game
very smoothly. He would go
to a town, register as D. G. Ames
or William B. Holmes of St.
Paul. He would then go to sa-
loonkeeper and offer to buy his
business. After a price was set
he would tell his man that he
would be Oh hand at certain
time, a day or so ahead, with the
papers for signing and the mon
ey. Having thus worked up q
credit and confidence he would
soon show up with some small
check to have cashed, and which
were in most cases cashed.
He had already started his lit
tie game here, having called on
B. G. Rix, with the view of pur-
chasing the saloon.
The sheriff from Mitchell
came to Milbank Sunday night
on the midnight train and start
ed back with his prisoner on the
2:3O train. That Holmes did not
fleece several in this city is ac-
counted for by the fact that he
was nabbed by the sheriff.
Mitchell, Feb. 25.-W. B.
Holmes, who recently came to
this city from some point in Wis
consin, has made a good start as
a forger, but he has been
brought up sta1ding in the early
part of his career. Several
weeks ago he came to Mitchell
and presented a draft for 1850
at one of the banks to have
cashed. The cashier, however,
declined to cash, but accepted it
for collection against the Wiscon-
sin bank, on which, it was al
legged, the draft was issued. In
the meantime Holmes issued
several checks against funds in
the Wisconsin bank, which later
proved that he did not have any
money there. In all he got
about S25 from the local bank on
forged checks, and then he
skipped the country. The OFF,
GERS have been looking for him
and finally located him in Mil
bank, in the nor thern part of the
state. He was arrested and
brought back here today. AT
Aberdeen and at Webster
Holmes was successful in pass.
ing some forged checks, aud in
this line he has created quite a
career in the past three weeks.
He was taken before the justice
OF the peace and was bound over
to the April term of circuit
court. He is the son of respect.
ed parents back in Wisconsin
whom he expects to come to his
his rescue in this case and help
him out.