The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-24
WORTHLESS PAPER BY MILLIONS IS
 FLUNG ON MARKET
Banks, Bond Houses, Secur- ity Brokers and Business Men DupeS of Gigantic
 SWindIing Scheme
By Associated Press

By Associated Press
 Chicago, August 23.-Millions of dollars of worthless notes, stolen bonds, fraudulent deeds of trust and forged certificates of deposits have been flung on the markets of the country, federal agents declared to- day after Investigating operations of band alleged to have been headed by Charles w. French and John w. Warrington.
 Banks, bond houses, investment
 security brokers and wealthy
 business men from coast to coast
 were declared to have been the
 victim or dupes Of one of the
 most gigantic swindics ever un-
 earthed by federal agents.
 Six million dollars worth of
 stolen bonds. nearly $3,0O0.OOO in
 worthless notes and hundreds of
 thousands of dollars worth of
 trust deeds and forged certin-
 cates of deposit have been traced
 by department of justice agents,
 1t was said.
 The relations resulted from com fession accredited to Ava W. Harsh man, declared to have been a private secretary to French, who surrender ed today He was alleged to have told of a deal negotiated by French for the purchase of a bank in the middle west that involved the exchange of $500. 900.
 A Washington, D. C., man, accord Ing to Harshman, was to obtain cer- ,ified checks for S5O0,O0o there. These checks, he said, were to be pre- sented to the bank owners and when the band gained control of the estab- lishment, they were to cash all cer- tificates of deposit the bank owned.
 Small Bynk Victimized
 The money, he said, would then be forwarded to the Washington man, who would deposit 1t before the cer- tified checks on the original transac- ton were cleared and returned. Many other similar deals were de- scribed. In another case, it was as- serted, large amount of stolen se- curities was placed with small coun- try bank in return for certificate or deposit. The deposit slip, it was said, was cashed and the bank left hold ing the securities which would be identified and reclaimed when 1t tried to realize on them.
 Among names of the firms alleged to have been signed to notes used by the bank were Curtis Printing com pany. Akron, Ohio s9,000; Mackey A 1f~ . cupine Mountain Lumber company Cleveland, s10,000; Portage market Akron, s21.Oo0; Heninger Plumbing Supply company, Akron s25,0Oo; Schwartzer Wrecking company, Day ton, ohio, $1O0. 900; Midwest Automo- bile Sales company, Dayton, Ohio, $50. 900: Dayton Financing company, Dayton, Ohio, $300,000; American Rub Der company, Chicago. $S5,000; H. M. Strong Metal Products company Cleveland s6,0oo; Cleveland Home Manufacturing, s15,000; George B. Wickens, Lorraine, Ohio, $103,000, ana the Portage Packing company. Akron. Ohio, 31,o0o.
 Half Million Missing
 In addition about $50o,o00 in notes supposed to have been signed by the American Rubber company have not | to have been issued was put at $l,eo2'- 900 by federal officials today.
 It was revealed also that the band anoperating in Kansas City. Accord ind o John ". Clinnin, acting dis- tricy attorney, all of the notes is- sued by the band were disposed of py the Securities company of Kansas City.
 According to the alleged confession made by Harshman, the band made considerable money disposing Of real estate mortgages. Another deal said to have been made in Milwaukee py the band is being investigated by gov ernment agents. It was declared to have netted the swindlers S500,O0c. It was said that A. E. Strelzen, who was arrested today in Milwaukee, Will be questioned regarding this transac- ton.
 Worthing was arrested some weehs ago. and is being held on sloo,ooo bonds In connection with mail TOD berries totalling approximately $6,ooo,- 900. French, alleged to be his right hand man. was arrested yesterday with several of his associates. Today c. K. Strobel was taken into custody in Akron and A. E. Stricken was arrcsted in Milwaukee.
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