The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-12-23
THE PRINCE OF FORGERS
John L. Collins Is the Man Who Ope
rated in Shreveport.

The Times-Democrat says that John
L. Collins, the much-wanted forger who
has operated in a score of American
cities under the name of Collins, Grit
fifth, Gardner, Ganeu, Stringer and
Vaunn, caused surprise in the Grim
inal District Court Monday by pleading
guilty in Section B to the first charge
upon which he was. arraigned-uttering
as true forged check. He was to have
been arraigned on another charge in
Section B, but this was deferred.
Collins saw that he was caught and
had no chance of escape. The evidence
against him was conclusive and over
whelming. He had been carrying on the
forgery business for months in score
or more of cities and was thoroughly
equipped-as an examination of his eff
fects showed-with all the papers and
paraphernalia necessary to conduct big
forgery business. And there is every
reason to believe that he was the head
and front of the gang of forgers who
tried to operate here the day after he
was arrested A dozen towns wanted
him for forgeries, and he saw that if
through any chance he escaped convic-
ton here it would be only to stand trial
at these other places. Collins recognized
the necessity of taking his medicine >
and pleaded guilty as the best and
shortest way out of his difficulties. The
minimum penalty for the offense is
light-two years imprisonment, which,
even if a pardon is not secured, can be
reduced by good behavior.
By pleading guilty Collins evidently
counted on reducing the time of his i'm
prisonment, as there would be no delay,
as would have been the case had he
stood trial. There was little chance OF
his getting bail, and he would have
spent several months in Jail awaiting
trial He had nothing TO lose, but ev-
erything to gain, by pleading guilty
Moreover, there was the probability that
I plea of this kind would produce fav~
orable impression, as it usually does.
| by saving the court and the district at
torney the trouble of trial, and this
would tend, he hoped, to bring about a
light sentence. Instead of his crime be-
ing a minor one the result of tempta-
ton or a step from honesty, such as
calls for mercy, it was most aggra-
| yated one, or rather series of crimes
He had been carrying on forgery as q
| profession for months if not for years
had robbed scores of banks and had
made very handsome sum out of hi,
crimes. "A slick artist" he had sue
| ceeded in escaping arrest, and it was
only by very clever police work that he
| was cause in New Orleans In fine, ht
| is very dangerous man, who ough
net to be at large, and the longer time
he is locked up, the better for thos'
| upon whom he preys His known forg
cries would entitle him, if sentenced Oh
all of them, to minimum imprison
ment of fifty years, and maximum i'm
,prisonment of three hundred and fft,
years. The fact that he has PLEADED
guilty does not entitle him to any con
sideration in the matter of sentence, a
the plea was not made because of re
pentance or remorse, or to facilitat
Justice, but because it looked to thi
sharp forger that it opened him the bes
chance to "get off easy"
Collins is the man who operated il
Shreveport. Fortunately his victim
are few.