Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-10
CROOK WHO TOOK
COIN ON FORGED
DRAFT IS CAUGHT
Clever SwindIer Raised Money
on Names Of Prominent
PeCoS Valley Business Men,;
Apprehended in Omaha,
s,ee,,l eonsssrososses 70 noss,so JOURNAL

,spretal eoRResronosnet TO nosHiso JOURNAL
Artesia. y. NJ, June News was
received here today that the master
crook, who for over a year has been
swindling banks. printers, real estate
dealers and hotels in the north and
east under the names of prominent
Pecos valley men, had been caught
AT Omaha. Neb. after trying TO cash
"A draft on the First National bank of
Artesia made payable to n. NJ Schus-
ter. who Is a vice president of that in
stitution. The lase attempt to obtain
money on these forged drafts was at
Woodsrver. Neb. The bank at that
place evidently became suspicious of
the man with the paper, for the Off
cials wired to the Artesia banks, ask
ing about the draft. The local bank
at once wired back that the paper was
forgery. and cited the Nebraska
lanl, to a page I'm the directory of the
American Bankers association, giving
a personal description of the man, and
a statement of his usual methods in
obtaining money on the bad drafts
He was arrested a short time later In
Omaha.
Whoever this man may be he was
well acquainted with number of Pc
COS valley people, as well as with the
banks of this section and their Off
GERS. In every instance he used the
name of some well known man, and
in most cases he chose an offer of u
bank in the Pecos valley. The start
was made over year ago with we'll
printed drafts on the old State Ma
tional bank, which has since then IL
quidated. Il. w. HouX, an officer Of
the Felix Cattle company, was rep
resented by the forger, who always
presented a card of the Felix Land q
Cattle Co. In those days he usu-
ally went to a hotel, stayed few
days, cashed draft for 500 and de-
parted lis operation extended as
far west As Waco, Tex, north into
Nebraska, and southeast as far as
Georgia.
Used Many Names.
Later he began to assume other
names. He became II. b. Morgan a
former assistant cashier of the state
National bank, and made a deal with
newspaper man for advertising, up
in Nebraska. Again, Under the name
OF Houx, he bought space in an In
diana publication, and again. under
the same name, appointed a Georgia
editors nephew TO represent him I'm
the real estate business. All of these
publishers introduced him to the
bank, and in each case he cashed a
draft for 500.
underN the name of Marvin Living
ston, an official of a Carlsbad bank.
he went into Oklahoma and carried
widow woman, later decamping with
her savings. The grown daughter of
the widow came to New Mexico to
investigate Livingston" Under the
name of Elliott Hendricks he cashed
draft at New orleans hotel. and
When, few days later, the real Hen
tricks registered there he came near
TO arrest because by that time the
dratt was returned dishonored. AS
N NJ, Schuster vice president of the
FIRST National bank Of Artesa, he
worked banks by various schemes. all
over the country and always for a
dralt for 500, drawn as New York
exchange.
There is no doubt that the master
lorger is a person we'll acquainted
with Artesia people. He went into
Joplin, Mo-, and made a contract with
4 bartender, who endorsed his check
Tor 800, to open up one saloon in Ar
tesla, representing, as is the case, that
ms IS dry town. lie called himself
, = Ward, said he was a member of
the town board of Artesia, and would
advance $4,000 to buy q stock of IL
quor The facts are that S. S. Ward
IS really member of the town board.
put he had never been in Joplin in his
ne, and the first intimation he had
mat he was booked to enter the sa-
,Voh business was a letter from the
slung bartender, demanding to know
why he had not sent the money to
ouy the wet goods.
Lhere are many people here who
peileVe that the crook will turn out to
oe some former resident of Artesia,
idlieh upon evil days, and in bad ways.