The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-21
Nine Employees of Cafe Are
Arrested, Charged With
Swindling Game.
CHECKER SAID TO HAVE
BEEN LEADER OF SCHEME
BY Means of Duplicate Check
System, Ratllskeller Robbed
of Neat Sum.

A clever swindlins game, by means Of
which il is said that T.. j.. Willie OF the
Louvre cafe has been robbed of about
$4,000 by employees Of tho rathskeller,
was revealed Sunday night. when Charles
Cunningham checker at the cafe. and
eight negro walters were arrested oy
William T. Willsie. chief OF the Pinkcr-
ton detective agency in this city, ana
CITY Police Detectives Earl Ripley and
George Cleveland The negro walters
confessed TO tho swindle, but Cunning
ham. Who II is claimed was at the head
OF the game. would make no confession
and is now in the city jail.
BY means of system of duplicate
checks, whereby the walters were GU
ablcd TO pocket neat percentage OF The
cash paid for meals Cunningham and
the walters, said to be acting as his
tools, have been clearing comfortable
sum of money. Nh Willie. manager and
owner of the cafe. has mad suspicious
for six weeks past that he was being
robbed, but he could obtain no substan-
tial clue Determined to put an end TO
the game Mr.. Willie sought the aid of
on the case for more than month past
Pinkertons on Jab,
Four PinlSerton detectives have been
eating at the Louvre regularly. paying
for their meals in the usual manner and
keeping a close watch on the actions of
the walters. The discovery was made
that the duplicate check system was be-
ing used. For instance a customer might
order cocktail and the waiter would
give him q check for 10 cents On this
check was the walters number and also
the number OF the check Then later
he might order meal, and the waiter
would give him another check-say for
dollar, This check would correspond
with the other check In that IL bore the
walters number, and from all appear
original
check. But. instead OF this being a gem
ulnc Louvre check, II would be a dupli-
cate, and this, together with the amount
paid the walter on the duplicate check.
he would put Into his own pocket. turn
ing I'm only the 10 cents with the FIRST
check given. In that the checker is al
it can plainly be seen that it was no
easy matter to check up the walters.
Where Money Went.
Through this system it is said that
Cunningham got about one-half of all
the money that was stolen. and the rest
he split up with his alleged tools, the
walters. The Pinkertons watched the
check system. and after an Investigation
found that meals were being paid for,
but that no account of them could be
found on the Louvre checks, Sunday
night the checkers office was searched
and the whole outfit OF duplicate checks
was discovered.
The Pinkertons went 10 eat at the
Louvre as usual SUNDAY nlSnt, anu II was
arranged to capture the gang. The po-
lice detectives went TO the corridor OF
the Hotel Semloh. above the Louvre, and
waited for the signal, when they rushed
down and. with the Pinkertons placed
Cunningham and eight walters under
arrest. Seven of the walters Immediate
IL confessed to the game and were re-
leased on bail, which was furnished by
a bonding company, They continued with
their work at the cafe. T. G. Miller,
waiter No. ., however. refused TO confess
and he together with Cunningham, was
taken to the city Jail.
Checks Tell Story.
A number OF duplicate checks. bear
ing the number OF Miller. were found In
the checkers room, which furnished am
Pile evidence that he was implicated In
the affair, Miller. however. confessed
later. and he, too. was released on bail.
When the arrests were made il ere
ated quite a sensation AT the cafe, as
the place was crowded With people cat
ing thei- Sunday evening dinner.
The cases will probably come up in the
police court today.