The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-11
F OR GEO CHECK
CASHEO At BANK
Stranger Got $22o on Paper Bear
ing Alleged Signature
of A. l.. Hawse.
HAD FORGED LETTER, TOO
Police Called In, but Swindlcr
Had Quickly Dis
appeared.

a forged check for s226. purporting
to be signed by y. l. Hawsc, an IN
vestment broker with offices In the
American National Bank Building, was
passed yesterday morning at IL o'clock
on the American National Bank by AN
unidentified stranger. The latter rep
resented himself to be Leroy Houston.
and to establish his identity present
cd to the puying teller, W. w. billiard,
II forged letter. which appeared to
have been written and signed by Air.
liawte The forgery was one OF the
cieverest which has been perpctrateL
In Richmond in years.
When the CHECK was turned over to
the bookkeeping department yesterday
afternoon it was found that 1t was not
genuine. Mr.. Hawsc had ample funds
10 meet it, However. he was COM
hunicatcd with and quickly dispellcd
amy thought that the paper was signed
by him. He declared that he never
heard of Leroy Houston. and had
drawn no such check. although 1t was
written on "A blank taken from his pri-
vatc chcckbook. bearing his printed
name and address at the right end.
Police Arc Notified.
The police were notified OF the
forgery as soon as the bank officials
were convinced that they had been
swindled. Detective Sergeant Wiley
was detailed on the case. a general
alarm was sent out for Houston. but
no trace Of him was TO be found last
night
The Signature 10 the check was per-
feet, and could not be distinguished
from the genuine when the two were
compared Other writing and fig
ures upon it resembled Mr.. uawsc's
handwriting in every particular.
The letter which Houston presented
purportng 10 be from Mr.. IIuwse was
written upon the latter's business sta
tionery. and Enclosed in one OF his
office envelopes. The handwriting IN
the body Of the letter. Introducing
Houston and asking MIR. billiard TO
cash the check differed entirely from
the usual chirography of Mr.. Hawse,
while the signature like that on the
check. was "A clever imitation.
The check also bore, written on the
bottom margin. the words. In settle
ment of claim per contract"
When Houston presented the letter
and check at the window OF the pay
ing teller Mr.. billiard commented upon
the peculiar appearance OF the hand
writing in the letter, but Houston re-
piled that iIawsc was nervous, due
To "A slight operation . Nils throat
which was performed yesterday morn
ing.
Never Heard OF Houston.
With other checks cashcd during the
days business the forged one was
turned over to the bookkeeping de-
partment. and the fraud was shortly
afterwards discovered.
Who Houston Is cir Hawse is at
AT loss 20 explain. How he could
have gained access to his Office sta
tionery is another mystery.
MIR. billiard, who furnished the ro-
lice with comparatively complete de-
scription OF the man who presented
the forged check, said tina, he would
be able to identify him at first glance
Whether ne will have this privilege IS
a cues, on, for it is believed that
Houston left town immediately after
getting the money at the bank. How
ever, the police have notified other
cities TO look out for him.
The person who procured the blank
check. several OF which were removed
from the book. and the stationery. evi-
IDENTITY knew that Mr I!awsc was TO
be away from his office yesterday
morning.