The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-23
Holiday Swindler, Who Used
Travellers Checks, Ar
rested at Altoona.
"DOUBLE, WAS ON TRIAL
Celebrated Case Of Mistaken
Identity Recalled by Cap
ture of Canadian.

from Puget Sound to tie island Of
Manhattan, did his Christmas shop
pins on Fifth avenue, and when he
was through Jewellers, clothers and
merchants found themselves minus
several valuable articles and the pos
SCISSORS of a lot OF worthless 5000
travellers checks on the Canadian
Bank of Commerce.
One of the most reputable brokers
In Toronto was arrested. brought here
and indicted as BILLY Chris tmas." and
after spending $4,000 and losing his
health to boot it took him about ten
months to show the police and courts
that he was really not n notorious
{orger, but ore of the men who are
making Canada, Alexander Il. Ma
cauley.
To-day the real "Billy Christmas"
"a behind the bars, and the police
aren't going to let him get away In
hurry. He was captured Saturday
night in Altoona, Pa, after escaping
from Pittsburg.
Fine, Big Canadian Ranchman.
;, A big, six foot Canadian in heavy
fur coat, ranch hat, who flashed
sparkling diamond rings and stickpin.
strolled into the big department store
Of Levin & Neiman in Pittsburg Sat-
irday afternoon. bought a cloak for
woman and presented a 5000 trav-
oilers check. The clerk ran up and
got s1O3 change and left the check
with a cashier. v
'By golly," exclaimed the cashier,
that's a brother Of the bogus check
in the Pnkerton advertisement, and
here it says: This Billy Christmas
visits the best jewelry. department or
other stores in large cities, usually on
Saturday afternoons, and poses as a
Canadian mining man." He cleared
the stairs in one Jump and was beside
the customer.
"Hey. you, give me back that s103
and my coat" he cried, your checks
no good-here's your picture and
picture OF your bum check" and he
showed the police warning. With no
protest the other walked out. and then
the cashier remembered It would be a
good idea to have him arrested. He
called the nearest detective agency
and in a few minutes all the trains out
Of Pittsburg were covered.
At 1920 BILLY Christmas" having
decided the Smoky City a poor shop
ping town. hoped an outgoing train
and after him c. c. Davis, licensed de-
tective, climbed aboard. They both
got off at Altoona, where Davis ac-
cused him of being Billy Keough,
otherwise known as Lawrence Farrell,
A. Travers, H. II. Travers. B. L. Me-
Leod. G. Dundas. E. w. Howard. G.
n. Meigham. Harry Newman, Z. Dun
ham. r. w. Mayburn and ]. A. Paget
all in one, and put him under arrest.
Bad Year for "BiIIy Christmas"
This was a bad year for Eilly's an
nual 100000 shopping trip. Superin-
tendent Thornhill of the New York
Ptnkerton bureau flooded the country
with circulars which described just
what clerks and cashiers we're to ex-
pect when one William Keough,
Travers, Mcleod, &c, would visit
them.
"Billy Christmas" is a sort of trade
name used by the police in referring
10 the swindler's custom OF operating
extensively only in Christmas holidays.
He will be recalled by his other aliases
10y merchants in Chicago who lost
about S25 200, and in Providence. Bos-
ton and other large cities. He hit
New York and cities in the East for
about $4,000.
His tactics were perfectly familiar
TO the shopkeepers and jewelry dealers.
since trade papers published his photo
graph together with a resume OF his
activities. At least five years ago he
purchased from the Canadian Bank OF
Commerce of Toronto three checks
each for 5000, rather elaborate az
fairs with the numerals printed in
each corner and With much detail of
engraving. He retained one for future
operation and made n plate which pro-
duced a whole bookful of Canadian
Bank of Commerce checks for 5000
with the numbers running in proper
rotation and everything apparently
legitimate. 1t happens that the bank
doesn't issue any more checks OF that
denomination, but anyway. he walked
into the jewelry establishment OF
Theodore B. Starr. Inc, IN this city, on
December %. 1917, selected a pair OF
cash to settle the bill Of $3.50.
Found New York Easy.
When he was shown to the cashier
he planked down an imposing check
book and offered at the same time q
dozen or more cards Of identification
and they let him take the links. Al
the Gorham Company. repeating the
methods. he bought a suitcase for
s125 and received 375 change. He
went across the street to the optica,
thop of Paul A. Meyrowitz. selected q
fine camera costing SIS and went out
with 1t and more change. Then he
soaked Lord a Taylor for $3.50 change
and $40 worth Of furnishings.
On the same day Alexander P
Macauley. his wife and son and daugh.
ter. registered in the Planters Hotel ir
st. Louis, en- route to Texas. They
stayed around st. Louis for a coupl.
Of weeks and one day Macauley sud
denly found himself under arrest in 6
department store and positively iden
tined as ''Billy Christmas" The thinl
seemed Joke at first. He was 81
the soul of honor" as his business as
sociates described him, and he hat
gained an enviable reputation in tn,
dominion as a mine owner and pro
inoter. He hired Judge Thomas L
Harvey of st. Louis, but the polio,
photographed him, the picture wa
El1A1 hA..