The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-12-14
NOW HAVE PHOTO
OF CHECK F0RGER
Local Authorities Secure Valuable
Clue From Police Department
Of st. Joseph,
Missouri.
GIVEN TO GOVERNMENT
United States Detective Has Been on
Trail Of Edward L. Davidson
for Nearly Year
Now.

1t would have been a good thing
II Edward l.. Davidson, the check
forger, who worked Keokuk and Ham
ilton the first part of the month, had
kept out of this city. For the chances
ARE now for his capture are manv
times better than they were formerly.
A government detective has been
on Davidsons trail for nearly year
now, but has been handicapped by the
fact that there was no known photo
graph in existence of the forger.
But now through the efforts of the
keokuk police department the gov.
eminent agent has good photo Of
the man wanted and this will be re-
produced and scattered all over the
country, making it perilous task for
the forger to operate his game ex-
cept with the utmost caution.
The photograph was secured from
the police department Of St. Joseph,
Mo-, in answer to the description of
the forger sent out from this city -
cities over the United States by John
M. Kenney, chief of police, and it has
been declared a likeness by half
dozen Keokuk and Hamilton people
who saw the forger.
In Jail in St. Joseph.
In his reply to Chief Kennev's
card, the st. Joseph chief states that
the man whose photograph was en-
closed had been arrested in st.
Joseph on July % of this year for
passing a worthless check, but had
been released the last part Of Sep
TENDER. Front and side view pictures
were taken at the time of his arrest
and filed in the police archives in ST.
Joseph.
Detective Murdoch from the. United
States department Of justice has been
on the forger's trail since January.
The last reported passing of a forged
check was at Monmouth, ILL.,, on Nov.
20. This check was for $56 Eight
dollars worth Of goods was purchased
Detective Murdoch was three days be-
hind the forger at the time Of the
Monmouth job. The detective was in
Keokuk yesterday securing evidence.
Another thing that points to the
fact that the forger that was held in
ST. Joseph is the man wanted, is that
during the months he was serving his
sentence in the Jail in that city, the
government detective lost complete
trace of him. The government will
not prosecute the man, if he Is
caught, for passing the checks, but for
using the name of the United States
navy and the uniform. without
authority.
Had Stack Of Checks.
Detective Murdocx mad a stack of
checks with him that the forger had
passed. All we're not drawn on the
Union Trust Conpans Of Chicago, but
they were made out in the same way.
The worthless check that was pass
ed at the Cer.tia1 store has been re-
ceived here FROM the Union Trust
company, by the police department.
mo Account is star. ed on it.
Following !; g corrected description
Of the forger that mas been prepared,
now that additional information has
been received from ST Joseph:
Ed. L. Davidson, th1rty-f1ve years
old; smooth face. Light complexion,
blue eyes, .eet or 9; weight ITO
lbs. He claims to be U. 8. recruit
ing officer. He we..rs government
uniform and cap: the coat has five
gold stripes en- 'l,e arm. He some
times wears a soft black hat crushed
in center 'anG Il lorg black overcoat,
which hides the Uniform. He has a
citizens suit IN n gr'" and takes the
government suit off after doing his
work and puts the citizens suit on
and travels that way; he also wears
glasses at times. He uses Union
Trust Co. check Of Chicago, Illinois.
stamped with rubber stamp the words
u. S. Navy, letters c. A. p. D., checks
made payable to Ed L. Davidson,
signed by Captain w. e. Castleman.
U. s. navy.