Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-06-13
Council Bluffs
THANKS COURT FOR SENTENCE
Owens Pleads Guilty to Forgery
and Gets Ten Years in the
Penitentisry.
TRIES TO GET MONEY ON CHECK

Alfred Crosby owens, who asserts that
We IL lieutenant commander IN tho
United states navy, graduate or An
napolis. owner Of an English title, close
personal friend OF the lord bishop OF
the Episcopal church at Aberdeen scot
land. was given sentence Of ten years
IN the Fort Madison penitentiary yoster-
day upon his plea Of guilty TO the charge
of forgery.
Crosby is a puzzle to ali who have come
in contact with him. THAT ne h "a man
OF more than ordinary ability and rctine-
nent Is evident and that hc is "a ohilltul
swindler has been proven. Some Of those
who have studied him clio .ly believe he
is the victim of obsession. His career In
Council Bluffs was short,
At 10 o'clock last Sunday morning
owens called up Secretary Hadley OF the
Young Mems Christian association on the
telephone and announced that no was
Rev. Mr. Buxton, rector of St Paufs
church. and that he wished TO acduaint
Secretary Hadley with the fact that Mr.
Zimmerman. a greatly beloved nephew.
had Just arrived in town for a brief visit
| at the reetory and that the young man
wished TO Immediately connect himself
with the association. also stating that he
desired to take out membership for the
purpose OF securing a room In the build
ing which he would occupy while visiting
| his uncle.
On Hand with Check.
The voice at the other end of the wire
asked Mr.. Hadley TO show the worthy
| Soung man every courtesy possible The
voice sounded like that OF Rev. Mr. Bux-
ton and. although at that moment Sec
rotary Hadley realized that the rector
should be in his pulpit conducting the
| regular morning services. no suspicion
| was aroused.
4 In due time the young man appeared
at the association building and informed
Secretary Hadley that he was the
nephew. He showed great familiarity
with the work Of the Young Mems Chris.
tian association and appeared to have q
very pleasing personality. He tole Sec
rotary Hadley that he had SIS check
with which TO pay the membership and
a weeks room rent and asked to be giver
the change. He was assured that II wal
unnecessary: that the check need not b
oashed on Sunday and he could keep q
until Monday. This appeared Satisfao-
tory.
News to the Clergyman.
About the time church services werN
over Secretary Hadley called UP Rev
Mr.. Buxton to congratulate him on the
visit of his nephew. 1t was all news L
, the clergyman, who has no such nephew
/ Police officers were called in and thu
| young man was taken TO the station. Oh
! the way he attempted to swallow tn
{ check. but 1t was choked out OF hi
E mouth, and became the evidence upol
y which the charge OF forgery was based.
= Paraphernalla for elaborate schemes o
e getting money were found In Owens
possession. including letters written Of
stationery OF the lord bishop OF Scotland
several on stationery of Washington an
Philadelphia clubs which he admitted ha
{ been printed for him in Chicago. Whei
his guilt became incontrovertlbly eviden
he admitted his purpose to defraud. blu
still stuck TO all of the remainder of hi
, stories. He begged as a special favor L
be sent to the penitentiary as the las
hope of getting chance to break tn
drink habit, which he said, was the caus
OF his misfortunes He thanked tn
court for imposing the long sentence, tn
only one possible upon his plea of guilty