Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-02-05

"H. N. c."
FORMER MANCHESTER MAN IS OBJ
JECT OF FORGER
Judge A. S. Blair, who is spending
the winter at Long Beach, California,
sent usanaccoun pr toa
sent us an account of piece Of forg-
cry, which came near being perpe-
| trated on G. P. Cunningham, at one
time owning and operating a farm
south of Manchester. The amount
which the forger attempted to ex-
tract from Put" Cunningham was
only TO rthe trifling sum of $11,5O0
The following account is given in
one of the Long Beach papers:
A man who gave his name as ]. J.
Brown, but who is said to be none
other than Henry ("Hank.) Myers,
known in police circles thruout the
country, was arrested Saturday at
Third street and Locust avenue by
Detectives Mitchell and Cervantes,
who had been watching him for some
time.
He is charged with having used
the mails in an attempt to defraud
and story became known after his
arrest of how bank saved $11,500
thru Inadvertently failing to follow
directions and written to Long Beach
instead of Santa Ana.
The Home National Bank of Dell
of
P. Cunningham, tourist from that
city, were used by Brown in his
scheme.
About the first of January, it is
said, Brown met Mr. Cunningham
on the Pike, and proceeded to Gull
tivate the tourists acquaintance;
that the tourist finally became con-
fidential and told his new-found
friend that he was one of the solid
citizens of Dell Rapids, and credit
at the bank, sold his wheat for
1920 a bushel, and was of high
standing financially in the South
Dakota community. 1t is said that
during an afternoon spent on the
sands and motion picture show,
the conversation was so turned that
Mr.. Cunningham showed Brown how
he signed his name.
It is said that Brown then Sc
cured stationary from neighbor-
ing hotel and wrote on it letter,
purporting to be from Mr.. Cunning
ham, to the Dell Rapids Bank, in
closing a note for $11,500, asking |
that the bank officials cash it right |
away, as he proposed purchasing an
orange ranch in Southern Califor-
MIA.
The letter and the mote were re-
ceived in due course Of time by the
South Dakota bank, it is said, but
a reply was written, advising that
Mr.. Cunningham make three notes
instead of the large one. Blank |
HSsfSs were ENCLOSED for him to sign,
and it Vas Slated tbM With this AT
rangement there, would, i s n.9, tro15
BILE in getting the money Tor him
In the original letter, Brown, It
Is said, had advised that the answers
should be sent to Santa Ana, but the
bank officials, it seems, forgot this
bank officials. it seems. forgot this
instruction and sent the reply to
Mr.. Cunniasham's address, at Long
Beach. When M gro; GlIY II inf Eot
s sses I'LL 'ARP Pfp as HPss
drawn no notes, nor had he planned
to invest In an orange grove. While
he was considering the situation
he received telegram from the hank
to the effect that it had succeeded in
placing the original note and that he
should draw upon the bank for $11.-
500 thru a named Long Beach bank.
BY this time 1t is said, Mr.. Cunning
ham reviewed his list Of Acquaintance
es in Long Beach, and took steps to
have Brown placed in custody. Later
q complaint was drawn by Assistant
United Staes District Attorney Moody,
and the transfer of Brown to the coun-
ty Jail followed.
Hank" Myers, according to the de-
tectives, is said to be wanted in Ruf-
falo, NJ Y, for bunco activities and
in San Diago on grand larceny war
rant. He has been arrested many
times, it is said.
Brown" as he has been referred
to here chiefly since his arrest. was
taken to Los Angeles by U. s. Dep
uty Marshal Cavanaugh and is now in
TIE county Jail,