Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-22
WOMAN TRAPPED
IN BIC SWINDLE

Chicago, Aug. 22.-Letters OF self
confessed woman criminal to the lead
er OF her band yesterday gave the clew
TO the size and extent of one of the
most effective money order swindle
gangs that the country has ever
known, according TO General James E.
Stuart, chief postoffice inspector. The
story OF the operations of the band
came TO light with the arrest of Mrs.
Edna Phillips, zoos La Sale avenue.
According to General Stuart, the
woman is one of band of 10 who
have, f. the asst two years, forged
and negotiated nearly $4,000 worth of
bogus postal money orders. The op-
erations OF the gang have extended
from coast to coast. Thomas J. Shar-
um, alias Little JEFF" Davis, now un-
der arrest at Crown Point Ind, on
charge OF forgery and attempt to de-
fraud the federal government, is said
10 be the leader of the gang and the
man 10 whom Mrs. Phillips wrote the
letters which finally brought about her
arrest.
Another woman and seven men, still
at large, form the rest of the gang. but
the federal officers declare that their
names and present locations are
/ known.
/ The plan of operation perfected by
| the gang was successful by reason of
its simplicity. Small outlying postal
stations were robbed by the male
members of the gang, blank money or
rers and federal franked stationary
/ being stolen. The men filled in the
blanks for amounts never less than $50
nor more than Sle0-ahd- turned thsIn
over 10 the women confederates to
cash. In some eases the stub end of
the order would be filed in and for
warded 10 the postmaster of a small
town. The order would then be pre-
sented and cashed by one of the wom-
On. Another method of cashing the
. worthless paper was based on the Gre
/ dulity of hotel men and business men.
After the postal pay stations had been
closed for the night the woman would
offer TO pay her hotel bill with one OF
the orders.
Mrs. Phillips makes her headquar-
ters I'm Chicago. but for about five
months sne has been in the east. She
wrote on an average of twice a week
! 10 Sharum, who maintained headquar-
ters at Indiana Harbor. These letters,
the federal operatives say, show that
she had strong affection for Sharum
Two months ago the latter was ar
rested in Indiana Harbor while trying
10 pass a worthless order purported 10
be signed by an official of the Gary
steel works.
Among the letters from Mrs. Phil
lips to Sharum's address was one in
which she said she was anxious about
him and was returning to Chicago tC
find out what was the matter
She arrived last Saturday, went tC
her La Stlle avenue quarters, and was
Immediately taken into custody BY
Deputy United States Marshals A. f
Germer and A. b. Otto. To them she
is said TO have confessed ner part il
the operations of the gang, bat stead
tastly refused to reveal the names o.
the other eight members.
She was arraigned before United
States Commissioner Mark A. Foott
yesterday afternoon and remanded tC
the county Jail until Friday morning
Mrs. Phillips appeared before Com
missioner Foote yesterday gowned il
purple broadcloth tailored suit, Will
suede shoes and picture hat trimmed
with purple willow plumes.