Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-09
CLAIM WOODBURY.
IS j. {. MARCEL
BertiIIon Measurements Show the
Man Wanted Here Resembles
Kansas City Fugitive
DENIES PASSED BAD CHECKS
Think Prisoner in Local Jail Man
Who Robbed Bank in
SunfIoWer State

Never before has the Bertillon sys-
tenn for the detection of criminals faced
perhaps a test so severe as that Whlch
will be applied to 1t as a result Oh the
arrest of James A. Woodbury. IN chi
cago a few days ago and his return 10
this city to answer a charge that ne
passed a worthless check on the Whll-
ley JeweIry company.
Woodbury., according to the police de-
partment, is J. e. MARCEL, notorious
swindler, who plundered bank at
Highland, Kas., of $350,000; served a
short term for that offense; was par
doned and later defrauded merchants
in Kansas City, getting $lO,OOO on
worthless checks.
The Bertillon measurements OF WOOD
bury and MARCEL are declared to be the
same. woodbury. denies that he is
MARCEL. Officers are coming from Kan
sas in an effort to establish Deyonu
question whether Woodbury. is MarceH'
ARRESTED IN CHICAGO
Woodbury. was arrested May in the
Grand Pacific hotel in Chicago after a
months search which extended from
the Pacific coast to the Gulf or Mexico
He registered there as l.. 5. Crltcnen'
He was returned to Los Angeles by De
tective Ritch and may have his prelln-
mary hearing this morning In Ponce
al II
Woodbury. was identified as MARCEL
Yesterday by the local identification
bureau on advices received from the
Kansas authorities, requesting that d
lookout be kept for man named j. T.
MARCEL, who is wanted there tor secur
ing $4,000 on worthless collateral. AS
is the custom, Woodburys Bertlllon
measurements were taken here. Ihey
were compared with those sent by the
eastern officers and proved the same.
MARCEL was convicted May ~, l9O4,
of embezzling $350,000 from the State
bank of Highland, Kas., OF Whlcn ne
was cashier. He was sentenced 10 an
indeterminate term in the Lansing pen
itentiary from from to thirty-hVe years.
After being imprisoned there for almost
three years he was pardoned FEBRUARY
25, 1907, by the governor OF the state
DEFALCATIoN SHOWN
Marcell's defalcation in the bank was
brought to light by an accounting Or
dered bv the stockholders, who be-
came suspicious. 1t is alleged that
upon learning that an accounting OF
the banks finances was to take place,
he burned the books of the bank, Stole
more money and attempted to apscond'
He was apprehended while boarding
q train.
After being released from the Ian
have returned to Kansas and detraud-
ed a number of merchants there OF
S10. 900. giving worthless paper as col
lateral. He disappeared after secur-
ing the money.
Woodbury. was arrested in Chicago
on a charge of passing a worthless
check. preferred against him by the
Whitley Jewelry company, when
charged he passed a check for $685.
CLAIMS TO BE BROKER
Although Woodbury's get rich
scheme was not new, 1t had not peeh
onerated in or around Los Angeles un-
til he came here and established him
self as a broker. After installing him
self in the offices he visited the Holly
wood district and there secured nome
for his bride of only few months.
He became acquainted in the Holly-
wood National bank and later depos-
tied two checks totaling $1,000 on east
ern banks, for collection. The checks
we're noted in a deposit book and
woodbury. warned against checking
against them.
Within a few days he visited the
Whitley Jewelry companyS store ana
selected a diamond ring for hlmselt
and a gold watch for his bride, oIer-
ing as payment check for S393 on the
HOLLYWOOD National bank. His bank
*.
posit of the two checks for collection,
overcame the suspicious of the clerk
and he succeeded in cashing the check
Later in the day he returned to the
HOLLYWOOD National bank and cashed
a check for $1,000 made payable to MN
self. He fled the same evening, de-
serting his penniless bride, who later
secured work in a downtown drug
store.
After his disappearance it was
learned that the fugitive, while in the
employ of a local bank had not only
swindied that institution, but endeav-
ored to sell it to a San Francisco con-
Germ at a ridiculously low figure.
NOT MARCELL HE SAYS
woodbury., when seen in the city jail
Yesterday was unwilling to talk. When
he entered the jailer's office he was
met by newspaper reporters who greet
ed him with a Good morning, Mar
cell" He appeared surprised at the
| salutation and quickly stated he was
glad to meet them but sorry that it
was under the present circumstances.
| He denied stoutly having ever lived in
Kansas and repeatedly referred his in
ouisitors to Earl Rogers, his attorney.
"If I owe anyone anything | am
ready any time to arrange to pay 1t
| hack. dollar for dollar" he said. This
is the first time 1 have ever been in
trouble and it has been quite a new
| experience to me. The charges made
against me by the Kansas people are
| absolutely false and without founda-
tion and I will prove it in good time.
It is a case of mistaken identity and
/ do not fear the results, as feel as
sured that I will be vindicated in due
time.''
His hearing may be continued until
officers arrive from Kansas to identity
him