The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-02
YOUNG FORGER CAUGHT.
Made Wholesale Business of Cashing
Bad Checks.

James F. Bell, a well dressed young
man, who lives with his grandfather,
James F. Crozier at 116 Buchanan
street, charged with forging and pass
ing over 500 worth of small checks.
was stalked at the home OF a young
widow sweetheart, and arrested by a
pair of police detectives at IL o'clock
last night.
Taken to the police station and
searched he admitted forging large
number of checks, so many he said
that he did not remember on whom
they were drawn or passed.
In the search of his pockets, cam
paign letters for Tom McNeal for
mayor were found. These bore the
McNeal letter head and were signed
by Bell himself as manager OF the
McNeal campaign and giving tele-
phone numbers and office address.
He had called on McNeal and vol
unteered to circulate petitions. Nc
Neal did not know him. He had
circular letter in his pocket
In his pocket was a letter addressed
to H. M. Bell, his sister, at his own
residence. In this letter he urges that
the campaign needed church help
and asked her to do all in her power
to further the good cause This was
signed by himself as the campaign
manager.
Mr.. McNeal when asked about this
me and asked to circulate my petitions
on the West side. He appeared to be
an honest young man and as / had
never seen him before and knew
nothing of him. / judged him by his
appearance. The only arrangement /
had with him was to the effect that
he would circulate petitions
The checks forged by Bell are of
divers kinds and on different banks
and individuals for the most part ffc-
titious.
One check for SO was drawn on the
Merchants bank in favor of H. Brat
tom and signed H. p. Hanson.
Another was on the Prudential
bank in favor of Chas. Moon and
signed Geo. Keller. This was for SIS.
Another was on the Bank of To-
peka in favor of Frank Carlson and
signed H. NJ. Clark. This was for $15-
The Dibble Grocery report that
some one cashed worthless check
for $14 on them yesterday.
The Union Pacific Tea company re-
ports paying a worthless check for $40.
G. w. Carrier. grocer, reports cash
ing one.
F. ]. Lannan reports having cashed
one.
Paxton & Paxton report another.
Gillette & Nicholson coal dealers, re-
port cashing a check for a colored man
who could hardly write The check
was written in a good hand. It proved
worthless.
Asked if this colored man was work
ing with him, Bell replied: Il don't
know anything about the business of
that man. I had nothing to do with
him"
The police have not apprehended the
colored man. The losing merchants
and banks describe Bell as the man
who gave them the checks, and Bell
admits that he did.
nd
father of the forger. has spent some
of the penitentiary and is ready to
quit
Detective Lon Sauls, who with Will
Hutton, arrested him last night, says
that he arrested Bell last July for
passing a So check at the Campbell
drug store. Bell was arrested about
six weeks ago for enbezzling 800 from
the Wiss Grocery company at 1874
Quincy street. He was collecting for
the store and neglected to turn in the
money His uncle paid the money
back.
Bell said at the time he wanted the
money to go to the navy. Today again
he told Chief of Police Jenkins that he
wanted to straighten up and if released
would go at once and join the navy.
The police detectives are investigat-
ing in regard to any possible connec-
ton Bells sweetheart might have had
with the forgeries. They are withhold
ing her name but say her residence is
at the northwest corner of First street
and Topeka avenue.