The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-02-07
Phony Checks Slipped
Over By Clever Gent
From Mondays Daily.


Two bad checks were intercepted
this morning by Cashier Mat Nickel
son at the First National bank. The
checks purposed to have been signed
by L. Y. Smith of the Mankato Muir
sery company and were alleged to
have been made out by John Quitting
a landscape gardener who recently
came here from Faribault. The sig
nature on the checks, is said by Mr.
Nicholson to be nothing at all like
Mr.. Smiths autograph. The checks
were cashed Saturday afternoon and
Saturday evening Mr.. Quitting left
town for Minneapolis it is suspected.
One of the checks for $25 was cash
ed by John Persons proprietor Of the
Ocean Wave saloon on South Front
street and the other was cashed n
the "Wear-u-Well' shoe store, owned
by the firm of Rosen and Straus.
1t is said that Mr. Outings method
of gaining the confidence of the
people he is alleged to have worked
was unique. He visited the shoe
stores several times before and at
one time purchased a pair of shoes,
which he paid for with check
signed by Mr.. Smith of the Nursery
company. He had also cashed SIM
liar checks in the Ocean Wave sa.
loon.
Left Money on Deposit.
1t is alleged that Quitting came in
with the checks after banking hours
Saturday afternoon and asked to get
the money. The check which he
left at the shoe store was for $50,
$40 of which he left on deposit for
the purchase of suit of clothes.
He had spoken about buying the
suit some days before but claimed
that he was so busy that he did not
have time to come down and get
measured. On Saturday he came in
and after being measured produced
the checF and said that as it was
dark AMI he could not see well by
electric fight; he would come in
and pick out the material for the
clothes Monday morning He allow
ed Mr.. Rosen to keep $40 deposit
on the suit. In cashing the paper
Mr.. Rosen stepped into the Ocean
Wave saloon, which is only a few
doors away, and Mr.. Persons gave
him the money. A little later Mr..
Quitting came into the Ocean Wave
and proffered another check for $25.
AS he had done the same thing be-
fore Mr.. Persons did not hesitate to
cash it.
Warrants Will Be Gotten Out
1t is understood that warrants will
be gotten out at once for the arrest
of John Quitting, charging him with
forgery, l.. u. Smith and George Ros-
EN- have made complaints.
John Quitting is small man, about
five feet six inches tall and does not
weigh over one hundred and forty
pounds. He has a rather florid COM
plexion, deep set piercing black eyes
and is slightly bald. He talks with
a strong German accent.
A few weeks ago Quitting was
held here for skipping" board
bill at hotel in Faribault He was
arrested on the complaint made by
the hotelkeeper and was taken into
custody by the sheriff of Rice county
after staying in the civ lookup oves
night. The sheriff took him back to
Faribault where it is understood that
Quitting settled up and the matter
was dropped. He claimed at the
time that it was mistake and that
the hotel man was over suspicious.
He left Faribaul' on a business trip
and did not return as soon as he was
expected and warrant was gotten
out for his arrest. He claimed that
he had money coming from the nur.
'sery company for which he was work,
ing and that this was more than
enough to pay the board bill
Third Check Showed Up.
Another check turned up this
afternoon made out to John Quitting
with the forged signature of l.. u.
Smith. 1t called for s25 ard was
c?saed at the Boston Store, owned
by Rudbtrg e Hanson Brothers. 1t
appears that Quitting entered the
Boston Store Saturday afternoon
and after buying about So worth of
goods offered the cheek III payment.
1t was CSshed without any hesla.
ton. This check was numbered
1868. and the other two We're mum.
be-cd 1852 and 1872 respectively. 1t
is thought that the two m.ssi.g
checks numbered 1870 and 1871, be.
tween the numbers 1269-72 will turn
up YET as Saturday evening DuttiEg
was seen to have size in a rcd
leather Kill fold. He vas apparent.
~ haI'lg the time of his life Sat.
uIday Light, going around to The
saloons, buying extra dry cham
Il I. RI, hi
every lar. He complained hilari-
Cusly that he had all kinds nf mon.
ey hut that he could not find any
place in this town to spend 4 He
told an ~ quaintance that he was
going to Minneapolis on the 80
train SlrGay morning and that ircm
tEoIe he was going to Winnlneg,
Claimed Roya Birth.
lie has teen seen several times
since he came here in the Saul
paugh bar, wheer he told the bar
tender that he was of royal birth
and that he was real y Count IN
N,rt:'rech CO Germany. HE &C
tons Cisproved this statement an5
he was ordered out D. the saloon.
| Chief of Police J. w. Donahue
unearthed enough evidence To-Day 10
porve cor Clusively tia. Quitting S
Character was not III the best. LII
Nj room G, the Con.Ine tciai House
.,ere were found three letters, one
from the Farmers See! and Nurs.
cry "onl:Ev of Fari5auit for WHOM
Dating vas working ct rne .imo
WIN he was held here for 'skir
ping" the Faribault board bill, an
| Otfc. Written by Dut.;f,J in anSyeI