The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-26

NAN IN CELL
SAYS HE'S BUSY
QUEER ACTING INDIVIDUAL WHO
REQUESTED TO BE ARRESTED
SENDS WORD TO JUDGE HE
CAN BE FOUND IN HIS CELL
ISSUED BOGUS CHECKS.

When are they going to give me /;
preliminary hearing?" inquired TIL
mysterious prisoner at the city jai
going under the name of j. M. Thomp
son, of Desk Sergeant Bowers thii
morning.
I'm a little while" answered tn,
sergeant.
''Well," said Thompson, "whenevel
you are ready, you can tell the judge
he win find me here, for / am a busy
man."
Such remarks as the above tend tc
convince that something is mentally
wrong with the prisoner, who hobbled
into the office of the states attorney
yesterday on crutches and requested
to be arrested. The man was brought
TO Jail last evening and a complaint
was filed against him by Mr.. Schas
Of the Schas Garage Co. for the is
suance of bogus check for IS, in pay
ment for the rental of an automobile
which he used one evening.
The facts known of Thompson are
somewhat disconnected, and the only
thing of which anyone seems at all
certain is that he is mentally unbal-
anced A preliminary hearing viii be
given him just as soon as answers are
received to certain kilograms which
were sent out last night by the po-
lice department to parties whose
names were procured from the pris-
oner in his more lucid moments
Issues Bogus Checks.
Thompson claims he has been in
the city only two days, having come
here from Chicago, from which point
he was registered at the Metropole
hotel where he stopped before his
arrest. However, to the police depart
ment, he told another story and said
he was from San Francisco. To add
to the confusion of his varied state
ments, he insists that his affairs in
New York are badly tangled and need
strengthening out.
The first evening of his arrival in
the city he rented an automobile from
the Schas Garage Co. and when he
came to pay for its use, he offered to
write larger check than the amount
Of the rent, so that he would receive
some currency in change. But the
company did not consent to that, and
Thompson merely wrote a check
for So.
The next day he is said to have is
sued another check for $1,000 to a
certain well known real estate com
pany in the city for some property
which he agreed to purchase. This
was also found to be worthless. Aside
from this he hired another automobile
for which he did not pay.
ls Bright and Cheerful.
Thompson is bright and cheerful
though he is somewhat crippled with
rheumatism, he says. He talks con-
stantly and keeps up a running fire Of
comment in his cell about his condi.
ton and his financial affairs, which
he AYERS need unraveling.
When the arrest was made he was
brought to the police station In the
chiefs buggy. He was assisted by sew
eral patrolmen, whom he thanked
courteousiy for their kindness.
Thompson laughs about his predica-
ment and contends everything will
come out all right, just as soon as his
hearing is over and that all his at
fairs in New York need Is a term In
Jail in Fargo, which will apparently
solve every difficulty.
When asked this morning why he
issued bogus checks, he said 1t was
done purposely in order that he would
be thrown in Jail and allow him 1T
tie respite in which to recuperate
from his financial losses and physical
condition.
1t is one Of the queerest cases which
has ever come before the police de-
partment's notice, and it IS hoped that
the replies to the kilograms sent out
last night will throw some light on the
situation.