The Mankato free press., 1912-10-11
SMOOTH F0RGER MADE
away WITH MAzUMA
From Mondays Daily.

| Two AlD0rC Lea UuSlucSS HOUSES
were beaten by an accomplished
forger who made good his escape
out of that city with $47.50 in cash
and leaving bills unpaid to the
amount of So. The two places swind-
| led were Bassett & Davies livery,
which is the loser to the extent of
$3.50 in cash and Sc in livery bill,
and the Albert Hotel which lost $40
| in cash and So in hotel bill. In
both cases a check on the Mankato
State bank for the amount of $3.50
was presented for cashing, but the
hotel refused to cash it, finally how.
ever, giving him $40 on it.
The Albert Lea Tribune says:
| The man who gave his name as H.
E. Crawford of Mankato, represent
ed himself as special agent for the
National Insurance company. He ar
rived in the city Tuesday, October
1st, and engaged room at the
Hotel Albert Wednesday he hired
] a rig from the Bassett & Davies liy-
cry, stating that he was going out to
! solicit insurance. He had the rig
out for two days and upon return
ing Thursday evening told one of
the proprietors that he expected to
| have several men down to assist
him the next morning.
Was An Entertaining TaIker.
He then asked him to accompany
him to the postoffice and this the
proprietor did as the young man was
a very entertaining talker and good
company. When they reached the
postoffice Crawford received a let
ter with check for $3.50 enclosed.
He requested the livery man to cash
this check as he knew no one else in
town well enough to ask them. His
request was granted and he has not
been seen since they said goodbye.
1t is thought that he mailed the let
ter to himself.
Shortly after getting the check
cashed by the liveryJnan he went to
the hotel and asked Mr.. Jorgenson
to cash check for the same amount.
In fact the two checks were identi-
cal as far as form goes. Both were
written on the State bank of Man
kato, for the sum of $3.50, signed
with the name ]. d. Mathews and
stated that they were for services for
the National Insurance company: Mr..
JOrgenson refused to cash the check
stating that he did not make it
practice to cash strangers checks.
The young fellow looked so innocent,
however, that he finally let him
have $40 on it saying that he would
have the check sent through the
following morning and would give
him the rest at that time. Crawford
left the hotel and was not seen
again. 1t is thought that he took
the Illinois Central out of the city
for Chicago about midnight Thursday
but this is only conjecture as yet.
1t is feared that no trace will be
discovered of the criminal as so
much time has elapsed that he could
get to a large city and be lost as
far as local. authorities are con-
cerned
At the livery barn he had bill of
/ SIS for having the team out for two
days and at the hotel his bill was for
three nights lodging, SO.
| No One Showed Up.
When Friday morning came and.
neither Crawford nor any of his as
sistants, he had spoken of, showed
up, the proprietor of the livery be-
gan to worry and finally called up
! the hotel and found that he had
not been there the night before. This
discovery was made about noon but
it was not until evening that the two
parties became satisfied that they
had been swindled. HE was such
nice, innocent looking fellow"
said Mr.. Jorgenson, that l never
thought that he was beating me.
Then, too, the check was so poor
that it did not look like forgery.
have notified all the hotels within
radius of a hundred miles and
taken other precautions and if he
tries to take in any other places in
this vicinity he is liable to get taken
in"
! The sheriff has been notified and
the case as far as the locals are con-
cerned is in his hands. His descrip-
tion has been sent to all the sur
rounding towns and authorities. He
was described as follows: Heighth,
5 feet, 8 inches, smooth shaven, dark
complexion, neat appearing with a
blue suit, innocent eyes, color not
definite, dark hair. The endorse
ment on the back of the check was
| N. E. Crawford and he was also reg
istered by that name at the hotel,
but this is thought to be of little
value since name is so easily
changed