St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1915-02-20
HINT FOR COUNTERFEITER END
IN NEW ORLEANS<AIT
Postal Inspectors Say ". II. Fanning
COnfesscs Wholesale Money
Order Frauds.

story attic room at s3s North Ram
part street early Wednesday, four
postoffice inspectors arrested VIM. T.
Tanning, charged with wholesaie
counterfeiting Of postal more. cr-
ders, for whom Federal authorities
all over the United States have bcei.
looking.
Entering the house suddenly the
inspectors caught their quarry as he
was preparing to go to bed. and,
though he at first denied his identity
and told a smooth story, he finally
confessed. according to the inspect
ors, that he is the man wanted.
The extent Of Fanning's alleged
operations are not known here, but
it is alleged that he floated bogus
money orders in Philadelphia, Pitts
burg, Baltimore, Chicago and possib-
ly other cities. 1t is said that he
began operations about the first of
last December, setting up his plant,
consisting of a printing press and
type, in a rooming house in Balti-
more.
For days Postofice Inspectors S.
w. Purdum, of New Orleans, Charles
G. Kinzel, of Austin. Texas, James
B. Robertson, Of Washington, and j.
M. Sandoz, with headquarters in New
Orleans, have been drawing the net
about Tanning.
Orders were sent out from the
postofice department several weeks
ago to look out for him in New Or
leans, following a tracing of his OPP
erations in various cities.
Tanning Said To
Have Confessed.
After Fanning's tale about having
come to New Orleans to attend the
races and see the carnival had failed
to work with the inspectors, he was
taken to Inspector Purdum's Office in
the Federal building and grilled.
Here it is alleged he made a COM
plete confession.
Wednesday morning he was ar
arraigned before United States Com
missioner Browne and was held un-
der bond OF $4,000 to await removal
When seen by reporters after his
Tanning declined to
talk.
flaming says that formerly he
was a sailor on Hamburg-American
Line ships out Of New York. He
says he Is 80 years old and unmarri-
ed. What money he is alleged to
have made out of the bogus money
orders, of which he admitted, it is
alleged, appears to have parted from
him. His shoes were dilapidated
and. his clothing was well worn.
While none of the bogus money
orders which he is charged with man
ufacturing by wholesale have vet ap-
peared in New Orleans, some Of
those which he is alleged to have
fOated elsewhere are excellent imi-
tations of the genuine postal money
orders of the new series. Some of
the bogus money orders that were
fioated call for amounts as high as
$3.50.
It is alleged that in some instances
flaming bought watches and jewelry
with bogus money orders, drawn for
amounts in excess of the price, re-
ceiving the difference in change.
In order to have the orders cashed,
It is said, he managed to secure the
of letter carriers and forg-
ed them to the orders as endorsers.
The carriers being known at the
postoffice, he had little trouble in get
ling the money, it is alleged.
Z Tuesday, Tanning, who has been
Swallowed by the inspectors since
shortly after he arrived here, about
Two weeks ago. led Inspectors Pur-
1um and Kinzel merry chase
through the Carnival crowds.