The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-09


deposits in num- 49,
Der OF banks. and
having confederates in several cities.
1t is said that his legitimate accounts
in the banks aggregate less than $oOo.
and yet by keeping checks I'm the
air" he Is able TO maintain continu-
GUS working capital of at least $40 900.
This scheme works perfectly as long
as he and his confederates attend
strictly to business. II he should be
sick single day his whole house or
cards would tumble to the ground
The banks are acquainted with his
methods, and yet are practically help
less. man who passesl "A bad check
without any funds in bank may be
punished severely; but ID few dollars
on deposit safeguards him from the
punishment he deserves.
The dread OF the banking profession
is the forger and checkraiser. IL Is
said the aggregate receipts OF their
operations amount To millions or dol
lars year The bankers OF the coun-
try have resorted TO every expedient
TO protect themselves against these
criminals, but each plan they work
out proves TO have a flaw. and the
crook is quick to find the weak spot.
The banker has tried every sort OF
safety paper, but the paper-manufac-
turer has been unable to produce any
thing which will desy the expert check
raiser and forger When the bankers
brought out the punching machines
with the words mot over so many
dollars, they were Immediately count
a. xtsffh n
paper mastic--a mixture which en-
ables him TO plug up the holes and
make the paper appear so perfect that
il would pass the eye OF even the
best trained bank clerks
Professional swindlers sometimes
work alone, but more often ply their
trade in group or gangs. One OF the
favorite schemes is TO buy bank
draft. raise il, and then pass II wher-
ever opportunity offers. The check
raiser may be trained chemist, and
know thoroughly all the operations
with chemicals, pastel chalks. analine,
water colors, magnifying glasses, pens,
erasers. stamping and perforating
machines, and the finest OF camel
hair brushes. The first process Is TO
erase the figures and the written
amount of the draft After this the
paper Is skilifully treated TO eliminate
every evidence of erasure, and then
the desired amount is written in 10
harmonic with the writing and char
acter Of the original. Most profess
sional cheok-raisers are caught within
a few months OF their crims They
have far more trouble in lodging the
penalty of the law than they have
in deceiving the banks.
When the artist of a gang of swim
dlers completes his work ii is sub.
mitted to every other member of the
gang for suggestion and criticism.
Usually there are two or three inspec-
lions before the work is pronounced
perfect After the paper passes mus
ter with the gang one OF them must
take the paper to some bank and open
an account. The others go with him
and act az pickets. On reaching the
selected town they separate. register
at different hotels, and do not meet
again until the game has been won
or lost.
The man chosen TO LAY down the
paper first makes the acquaintance
OF some real estate dealer or other
prominent citizen He assumes TO be
figuring in some important deal, III
which said real estate man or prom
inent citizen hores to make commits
sion. The swindier displays his draft
when he thinks Ii safe to do So and
Gets an Identification which enables
him TO place IL on deposit in one OF
the banks. He and the fellow mem
bers of his gang have system OF
nrearranged signals which usually en-
able them to escape, even IL the bank
teller is inclined TO be suspicious
II Is mparatively easy for the pro-
fessional swindler to prove an alibi.
One OF his favorite methods is to have
confederate go to hotel and reg
lister in the name of the person the
swindler will purport to be when he
is passing his spurious paper. This
confederate will be much in evidence
around the hotel. giving the clerks
and other employees abundant oppor-
tunity to become familiar with him.
The principal crook will work the
trick and then hasten TO his home
to gn, where he makes II point 10
pay number OF outstanding bills.
when he pays his grocer 1t may be
the tenth day OF the month. but he
will remind the grocer that II Is the
ninth. and ten chances to one the
Grocer will not notice the error He
may pay a half dozen bills in the same
way When the law finally gets hold
OF him he can prove by the hotel peo-
ple that he was not the man VINO
stayed there, and can also prove by
the records OF his tradesmen that he
was In his home town the very day he
is accused of having been somewhere
else. Usually his alibi stands and
the law Is cheated.
The American Bankers association
has a bureau whose duty II is TO run
down every criminal who defrauds or
attempts to defraud any OF its mem
hers. A prominent detective agency
is engaged by the year to trace
swindlers and burglars and IL has
been so successful In experimenting VIC.
lators OF the law that swindlers have
learned TO give a wide berth TO banks
displaying the protective sign Some
time ago a confidence game was work
cd on a western bank. Later tho
hank received letter by mail max
ing full restition. and berating II
for not displaying the protective
align. What Is a poor fellow TO do"
said the writer. III you do not let him
know in advance that you are pro
tected." This association also main
tains a publication, several pages OF