The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-03-11
hINDOOS PASS
WORTHLESS CHECKS

One Of the clCverest swindhpp
games ever perpetrated in The Dalles
was worked by Hindoos this week
which resu lted in local merchant,
oasbing checks to the amCunt Of s6eE
In favor of Basin Singh which were
not worth the paper they we're written
on.
Escaping from the city, Singh and
fellow countryman made their get
away tuesday morning to be caught
at Rowena by Sheriff Levi Chrisman
and Chief OF Police J. Ii. Harper and
we're brought back, when all but S4S. &.
10 OF the $685. which the Hindo got
away Tith was found on his person
and was returned to the business men
Three Hindoos, it appears. we're 10
the game, though Basin Singh was
the only one who signed the check s
which the merchants cashe~ that we're
worthless, aud he is the Only one who
is being held on the chaI ge of obtain
Ing money under false pretenses.
A gang OF HindoOs have been work
Ing for several months grubbing land
In the Dutch Flat district and bave
done considerable trading with the
local merchants. WEelheF all OF them
conspiIed to leave this part OF the
country and "sting" as many OF The
Dslles business men as possible is not
known. At least Basin Singh and
two Others framed up premeditated
plot to make away with scme of the
local capital.
The foreigners have been good Gus.
toners of several of the business men
here for several months, buying sew
eial hundred dollars worth of goods
and always paying TOR the same with
checks signed by Singh which we're
always honored at the Hood River
bank on which they we're drawn until
yesterday.
After doing considerable trading
with The Dalles merchants when they
had received a good reputation, the
three Hindoos schemed to make
haul. That the whole affair was pre-
meditated, is apparent for the Hin
docs only asked the business men,
who had received good money from
them before, to cash Singh's checks
yesterday and this murning.
kCharles Twinebam cashed a check
amounting to sl85 for Singh; Henry
Dunn cashed another for $40 and a
check for S62 was honored at the G.
J. Stubling Liquor House. All these
checks were cashed previous to last
night and it was learned this morning
that they we're worthless. The matter
was reported to the officers aud they
obtained the money Tor these checks
from Singh this morning. All these
men wanted was their money and as
it was not an assured fact that the
HIudoos we're ''orooked, they were
not held ulder arrest. Soon after II
developed that several other local
business men had been stung but none
Singh and one OF the others, however,
we're apprehended at Rowena and
hTought back here
A warrant was sworn out against
Singh on the charge of obtaining
money under false pretenses and he
was placed in the city Jail to await
hearing Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
Singh, who speaks fairly good English,
argued with some of the merchants
interested in the case and the Officers 8
that he would sell land which he owns
In settlement but his proposition did
not meet with favor. He will, 10 all
probability, be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law.
Basin Singh is the Hindoo seen
about the streets of the city, wearing
a yellow turban. and from all appear
ances, has been the leader of the
bunch which has been located in this
vicinity for several months
1t is estimated that the Hindoos
owe different business me- of the city
shout $500, having several large &C.
counts. s.-Chronicle.