The Washington times., 1912-07-30
WORTHLESS DRAFT
SW|NDLER SERVED
TERN IN COLORADO
&C. B. Morse Is Identified
as F. ]. Mowery, a No
~,
torious Crook.

According to a statement given
out at Police Headquarters, today, q
photograph OF Theophilous J. Mowery.
alias ]. T. Murray, alias. L. H. Form
ham. alias wortham. has been identi-
ned as that OF the man who, under
the name of C. B. Morse, obtained
through the real estate firm Of Boss
q Phelps $4,000. by means of a
worthless draft.
Mowery is one Of the most motor
ious worthless draft operators in the
world. In Hay. 1910. hs obtained ap-
proximately $4,000 from three banks
In Denver. Colo, but was placed un-
der arrest after attempting to ne
eotiate q big draft at another Denver
bank. Convicted and sent to the
State prisoa at Canon City. Colo, he
escaped from the road gang a year
later and went to Seattle. WASH.
where he got away with $4,000 by
means of bad drafts. Arrested in
City to serve his unexpired term, but
on April 10. 1912. was paroled.
Felix oNeill. chief OF police of Den
ver. in a letter to the Washington
police. received this morning, said:
He is shrewd and daring and gets
the money, but seems to have bad
luck making getaway"
Hope to Recover Money.
The police hope Mowery will have
his usual bad luck" in making the
getaway this time. II he is arrested
within reasonably short time the
police believe they will recover most
of tho money obtained from the real
49, - LA -
stances practically the entire amount
was found concealed in two belts
which Mowery wore around his waist.
Mowery, or whatever his name, is re-
garded as one of the most successful
operators of worthless paper for big
amounts who-have worked in this coun-
try in years. His operations are well
planned and the manner in which he
obtained the money indicates that he is
aman Of more than usual accomplish
ments in the line in which he special
ICES. His operations in Denver and
Seattle were similar to the one here.
with the exception that he selected a
real estate firm instead Of a bank as his
victim: The detectives in the employ Of
been so hot on his trail that the police
believe he changed his method of oper-
alton to avoid having them take a hand
Al the case tRlS Cllne.
Identify the Picture.
Shortly after Boss & Phelps reported
their loss to the police, clerks in the
local rogues' gallery picked out pic
tures. Of Mowery from the publications
Of the Rapkers' Association. The realty
men, however. were rot able to identify
the pictures, which were old ones. The
Denver police were requested to send q
photograph of the man, and when it
reached headquarters this morning and
was shown to the men who had had
q. dealings with the swindler. they imme-
diately identified 1t.
According to the records of the Bank
ers' Association, Mowery, who is about
nfty-seyen years old. was formerly a
family Is said to reside there at the
present time. So far as the records
show, his first irregular transaction
%ith drafts was in Denver two years.
ceeded in making friends among a num-
per or prominent business men, repre-
senting that he contemplated going in
the real estate business.
Sentenced to Prison.
He deposited drafts in four banks in
Denver. From three of them he OBJ
tanned total Of $4,000. Officers of the
fourth bank had their suspicfons
aroused. and refused to honor the draft,
He was arrested while attempting to
leave Denver dressed In ecclesiastical
sarb. Arraigned in court. he pleaded
guilty and was sentenced to from five
to seven years In Canon City. OF the
$4,000. $14,s9S was found in belts which
he wore.
Following his arrest in Seattle, he was
returned to Canon City with the under
standing that he was to be returned
to Washington State after completing
his term in Colorado. This spring, how.
ever, he was paroled
AS soon as Mowery's picture was iden.
tined as that of the man wanted here
the police Immediately made prepara.
lions to send out circulars requesting
MS arrest. These circulars will be
printed at once and probably 10000 will
Do sent out.