Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-05
He HAS ALIASES
Martin Believed to Be Swind-
Ter of National Note.
IDENTIFIED BY P1NKERToNs.
Modus Operandi Elsewhere Through
out Country Practically the Same
as Worked in Dallas.

If the suspicious of the Pinkerton
detective agency are confirmed, Sher-
iff Grant made an exceptionally fine
capture when he apprehended and
jailed l.. G. Martin, who attempted
to defraud the Dallas City Bank out
of large sum of money. Martin is
believed to be the same individual
charged with swindling two Michigan
banks out of $500, and who has per-
petrated several other similar crimes,
in each instance his modus operandi
being practically the same as here.
If the standardization is correct,
Martin has many aliases, having given
the name of James E. Cox in Michi-
gan, that Of E. L. Thompson in Ken
lucky, and so on down the iine of a
long list of crimes.
The Pinkertons at Portland have
established a partial Identification of
Martin with E. L. Thompson, a forger
and swindler of National note, who
dropped out of sight after his release
from the Eddyville, KY; penitentiary,
where he served eighteen months for
a forgery. Prior to 1906 when he was
lodged in the Kentucky penitentiary,
he is. alleged to have successfully
turned twenty swindling games by
which he gained total of more than
Comparison of pictures,
handwritings and Identification con-
meet him almost certainly in their
opinion with Cox, who passed bad
draft for $4,000 on a st. Paul bank,
the draft being drawn against the
Hanover National Bank of New York
City, the same bank which was to be
the victim of Martin IS alleged swind-
ling at Dallas. H. T. Horsnell, real
estate man of st. Paul, identified Cox
at bank, and Cox deposited the draft
for $4,000, getting $500 in cash and a
cashiers check for the remainder OF
the sum. Horsnell IS Identification
was the result Of quick friendship.
Cox is also wanted for forgery of a
draft for $25OO in Reed City, where
woman companion, who gave the
name of Lena Miller, drew the money
on his signature. Lena Miller may
be the woman who gave the name of
Mrs. George Lewis when she came to
Dallas last week and saw Martin in
Jail. She gave name different from
that under which Martin was arrested
IN asking for him, but said he was in
trouble about bad checks. She was
to his cell, and asked him if
le needed any money. He told her,
Sheriff Grant reported, that she had
better keep her money in her pocket
md leave town quickly. She disap-
oeared and soon after Martin made
IN unsuccessful attempt to break
all at Dallas by burrowing through
he brick wall. He probably had
'lans laid at that time for his es-
ape.
If Martin, Cox and Thompson are
he same man, he is forger who has
merchants in the East and
Middle West for the past ten wears.
las served but one short term on re- |
ord, and has used in all some seventy
'hases. His methods in most cases |
ire similar to the methods at Dallas.
he pretended purchase of property,
leposlt of draft on a distant bank,
md drawing of money against the
raft. Where he succeeded in draw
ng the money he disappeared. In
)allas Cashier Craven, with his usual
'reeaution, refused to pay over the
ash demanded until he was satisfied
hat the drafts deposited would be
onored. Martin then proceeded TO
''alem and was arrested by Sheriff
irant, who had preceded him to the
apital, as he undertook to cash a
$500 check on the Dallas institution
t the Ladd & Bush bank.