Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-08-24
S6,G00,00O of Stolen Bonds
and S3,0O0,O00 In Worth
less Notes Traced.
SCHEME is Barred
Names of Many Firms In Middle
West Found On Securities-S500,
900 In Notes Missing.

Chicago, Aug. 23.--Millions of dol
lars of worthless notes, stolen bonds,
fraudulent deeds Of trust and forged
certificates Of deposit have been flung
on the markets of the country. Fed
eral agents declared today after in
vestigatin% operations OF a band
alleged to have been headed by
Charles ". French and John W.
Worthington.
Banks. tond houses, Investment Sc
curity brokers and wealthy business
men from coast to coast were declared
to have beer the victims of dupes of
one of the most gigantic swiadleS ever
unearthcd by Federal agents.
Stolen lorGs worth S6.000,000, near.
~ $3,0O0,000 in worthless notes and
hundreds Of thousands of dollars
worth Of trust deeds and forged Ger
tifcates of deposit have been traced
by Dcpal tTcrt OF Justice agents, II
was declared.
The revelations resulted from =
confession accredited to Alva W.
Harshman, who was declared TO have
been j private secretary to French
and who surrendered today. He was
alleged to have told Of. Il deal negc
tiated by French for the purchase of
a bank III the Middle West that in.
volved the exchange of &SO0G00.
4 Washington Cd. CO man accord
ing to Harshman. was to obtain Ger
tilted check; for !S500,000 there. These
checks, he said, were to be presented
to the bank owners ana when the band
gained control Of the establishment
thy were to cash all certificates of de-
post the bank owned. The money,
he said, would then De forwarded 10
the Washington man. who would de-
post it I,cfore the certified checks on
the original transaction we've cleared
and returned. Many other similar
deals were also described.
In another case. it was asserted,
large amount Of stolen securities were
placed witt! small country bank in
return for q certificate of deposit. The
deposit slip, i; was said, was caSneG,
and the bank left holding the securl>
ties which would be identified and re
claimed vixen It tried to realize on
them.
Among names of the firms alleged
to have been signed to notes used By
the bank Ncre Curtis Printing Com.
pany, Akron. Ohio. 100000; MackcE
Truck Company, Akron, $4,000; Por-
cupine Mountain Lumber Company.
Cleveland, $4,000: Portage Market,
Akron. S2l,CO0; Heninger Plumbing
Supply Company, Akron, S23.OO0;
Schwartzer Wreckine Company. Day.
ton, Ohio. 100000; Midwest Auto.
mobile Sales Company. Dayton, $50.
900; Dayton Financing Company,
Dayton, 100000; Z. w Davis. Canton,
Ohio, $5OO,000; Apple Financing Com
pany, 100000; American Euober
Company. Chicago, $4,000: II. NJ.
Strong Metal Products Company,
Cleveland. $4,000; Cleveland Home
Manufacturing Company, $4,000;
George B. Wickens. Lorraine. Ohio,
SOB. 900, and the Portage Packing
Company. Akron. $3l 900.
In addition about 100000 in notes
Imposed to have been signed ~ the
American Rubber Company have not
been found. The total notes known %
have been issued was put at 81 100000
by Federal officials today.
1t was also revealed that the band
was operating in Kansas City. Ac
cord:ng to Jchn V. Clinnin. acting dis.
trict attorney, all of the notes issued
bv the Land were disposed of by tne
Securities Company of Kansas City.
According 20 the alleged confession.
made By Harshman, the band made
considerable mercy diSposing Of real
estate mortgages.
Another deal said to have been
made in milwaukee, BY the band is be-
ing Investigated by Government
agents. I. was declared to have net.
ted the swindlers S500.000. 1t was said
that A. E. Strezin, who vas arrested
today in Milwaukee, will be question
ed regarding the transaction.
Worthingtcn was arrested some
weeks ago ard is being held in 500.
900 bonds in connection with mail
robberias tota!ing approXimately y Sc,
100000. French, alleged to be MS
right-hanG man, was arrested yeater-
day with several of his associates.
Today c. K Strobel was taken into
custody in Akron. Ohio. and a. +.
Strelzin was arrested in Milwaukee.