The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-08-22
MARSHALL WOOD GETS
MUCH WANTED FORGER
Man is Believed to Be One of a Band of
Organized Crooks Operating In
This State

One OF the cleverest torgers who
has operated in this vicinity for sew
eral months was lodged in the city
Jail Wednesday forenoon by Marshal
E. A. Wood. The man who gives
his name as ]. B. Grant first came to
the notice of the officers after he had
cashed check for $3.50 at F. H.
Hutchings place. The man repre-
sented himself as having been an en-
ployee of Clark & McAechren, sub
contractors under Grant, Smith & Co.,
and the check he presented was signed
by C. c. Clark drawn on the Scandi-
navian-American Bank Of Seattle.
After cashing the check Grant is
said to have asked Mr.. Hutchings
where there was good place to trade
as he wanted to buy some clothing.
Mr.. Hutchings directed him to the
Leavenworth Mercantile Co., but told
him to look around as there was sew
eral sales going on and he might be
able to save little money.
After leaving Mr.. Hutchings Grant
next made a call on E. P. Sharman
where he bought a bill of goods
amounting to about $40 and presented
a check for S42.50. Mr.. Sharman
was suspicious of the check, and told
his customer he would have to make
an investigation before he cashed the
check.
This was not to the fellows liking,
however, and he took the check back,
saying he would return later. Mr..
Sharman, by this time, began to think
that the check was forgery and
watched the man after he had left the
store. The Leavenworth Mercantile
Co. was his next stopping place and
he again bought a bill Of goods, pre-
senting the same check for payment.
Mr.. Sharman Immediately notified Mr..
Sampson, Of the Mercantile Co., of his
dealings with the man and between
them they formed plan to make him
show his hand. When the check was
brought to Mr.. Sampson for his o. K.
he told the owner that he could not
take the paper until he knew more
about it and offered to telegraph the
bank or the firm who was supposed to
have issued the check. AS before,
Grant became highly indignant and
walked out of the store. By this time
both the merchants were sure that the
check was a forgery and turned the
case over to Marshal Wood, who To-
Gated the man and placed him under
arrest few minutes later.
In the meantime Mr.. Hutchings
heard that man suspected Of forgery
had been placed under arrest, and
thinking that it might be the same
man he cashed the check for, came
down to look the fellow over, and to
his surprise found that it was the same
fellow to whom he had handed over
S27.50.
Grant during all this time protested
his innocence and offered to take the
check back saying that he would just
as soon have it, as it was good as gold.
This was perfectly agreeable to Mr..
Hutchines after he had heard Of the
mans actions, and the money was
returned to him.
A wire sent to Guthrie McDougall
representatives at Cascade Tunnel
brought back the information that
there was no such firm as Clark and
McAechren doing business at that
place and that the checks were un-
doubtedly forgeries, as all their bank
ing business was done in Portland.
There was. no longer any doubt as
to the mans intentions and Sheriff
Kenyon was notified in Wenatchee to
come and take charge Of the criminal.
Imagine Mr.. Kenyon's surprise on his
arrival in this city to find that the same
man was wanted in his city for the
cashing of over $500 worth of bogus
checks, the day before. He returned
to.the county seat on No. 4 the same
day with his prisoner where he will be
held until the next term Of court.
Grant faces a prison sentence OF from