The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-21
Iowa Bankers Association Sends Out
Bulletins Which VIII Put
People on Their
Guard.
CHECK ARTISTS ACTIVE
Scarcely Day Passes But Some Re.
port Is Made Of Merchant Got.
ting Raw Deal by These
People.

| The Iowa Bankers association sends
out warning against forgers. It's
letter in part is as follows:
| Your merchant customers should
be constantly warned against cashing
checks for strangers. Scarcely a
/ day passes but that we notice that
some merchant has been defrauded
by means of bogus checks. but we do
not take up any case In our protec-
tive department unless one Of our
member banks has been defrauded.
Every week we receive several no
tees from banks that have parted
with some of their good money on re-
quest of some expert fOrger who
seems to be able to satisfy the pay
ing tellers as to his identity.
The day this circular was written,
the secretary received notices from
three different member banks who
were defrauded out OF amounts aggre-
eating $500. One case was sixty
days old, but had just been discover.
ed; another about a week old ano
the third happened the day the bank
notified us.
Our detectives have captured a
number of forgers and two bank
burglars this fall, but there are a
lot Of them still running around
loose. We wish especially to warn
our members against the following
H. 3. Calhoun, alias S. S. Void, so
years old, feet 6 inches tall, 40
pounds. light hair turning gray. part.
/ ly bald. Claims to be dealing In
New Mexico irrigated land. Has
woman with him, described as bru-
nette. thirty-five years old. rather tall
and good looking. Is now drawing
drafts of the State National Bank Of
Artesia, New Mexico, on the Nation
al Park Bank of New York City Has
cashed over 100 bogus drafts for $50
each bearing the name OF the Nation
al Bank of Carlsbad, New Mexico, on
the Seaboard National Bank of New
York City; travelling from one end OF
this country to the other He is op.
Grating in Iowa this week Watch
closely for him.
Emery salyards. alias Southern,
Stokes, Bemis and a dozen other
names. Age 30, height feet z
inches, hair light brown, bald but
wears a wig, blue eyes, weight 16S
pounds. Arrested in 1912 by our de-
tectives for. forgery. later turned over
to the Tacoma, Wash, authorities
and convicted there Of $4,000 forgery;
esscaped from Walla Walla peniten
tiary three months ago. Since that
time we have known Of his opera
tons In Minnesota, Texas and Ala
bama--some checks as high as $3.50;
is one Of the smoothest fcrgers
known. Served time in four peni-
tentfaries; native OF Iowa and NAV
return.
M. E. Whitehead, So years old
smooth face; dark brown hair:
crippled nose short, heavy set.
weight $50 pounds; claims to be a
cattle buyer. The last draft he
cashed was drawn On Louis Becker
Co., South St. Paul, MINI. Operat-
ed in several Iowa towns, then went
to Chicago. but now back In Iowa.
Otto Anderson, alias Gustav MI
son, Carl Svensen. Frank Hesner etc.
% years old, 100 pounds. 5 feet 6
inches tall. smooth face, decided
Swedish accent; generally carries
grips: issues small bogus checks.
Operated at Strawberry Point. Ensie-
wood. Manchester and other places.
Ballantyne and Reynolds claiming
to own Deerfield Creamery Co., If
Charles City. Dangerous forgers; op-
Grating at Red Oak, Iowa. then
jumped to Ohio and Pennsylvania
May return.
J. S. Billings, ~ years old feet.
inches tall, smooth face, $50 pounds,
is painter and decorator, has been
conductor, So far has always use,l
his own name. Issues checks on
banks. Has operated in
half dozen towns in northwestern
Iowa and Minnesota.
Watch for them, arrest them and
wire this office. Always be on your
guard.
With the approval Of President Ed
wards, bulletins containing warnings.
etc, will be sent regularly until
further notice Respectfully.