Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-07-23
POLISHED STRANGER is ARRESTED WHEN
HEATTEMPTS TO PASS BAD CHECK upon
JEWELER R0DERTS--MAN REFUSES TO TALK
Believed To Have Been Same Fellow Who Operated In Sails
bury, Md.-PoCe Inclined To Think Man Is Slick Crook
And Wire For Further Information.

Declining to make known his idens
tity, place of residence or permit
anything to escape him that would
led to ascertaining his people or
previous vocation, polished and
we'll dressed stranger is today rest
ing in the county Jail while local
authorities get line on an alleged
slick check flasher picked up hero
yesterday. The capture was effect
ed through Jeweler L. A. Roberts
and came about in fashion to be
expected when n man is consist
ent reader of newspapers, partic.
ularly the odd home paper"
Friday Mr.. Roberts received g.
copy of the Wicomico, Md, News.
published at Salisbury, Md. and
read with interest an article relating
TO the operations Of check flasher
In that community. The article
was still fresh in his mind yester.
oay afternoon when we'll dress
cd, intelligent looking stranger OF
about SO years OF age called at the
Roberts jewelry store, North Queen
street, and purchased set Of cuff
links. 1t 80 happened that ths
stranger did not have all the puis
chase price. $3.50, in cash and he
rendered Mr., Roberts u Gathers
check for S14,50 in payment
Mr.. Roberts informed the strang.
er he was sorry but he could not
cash check unless the man ten.
dering 1t could be identified and the
fn1 lAf III a u}a l., A,
mark that he would return later,
Mr. Roberts was convinced that the
prospective buyer filed the descrip-
ton of the man wanted at Sails,
bury, and he Immediately took tho
paper containing the description to-
Chief Of Police Licklider and a.
search was instituted for the
stranger He was seen walking
along Queen street and Chief Lick.
lider invited him to the police rta.l
ton and asked for the check. The
man turned over two, the otter ona
fer $3.50. They were ostensihly
made out fcc an auditing and COLI
lection agency and were payable to
| IL. G. Raynor, on the Southwark Ma
tional Bank, Of Philadelphia. &
Raynor was calm and collected
and appeared to be at ease until
several local banking men had ex.
amined the checks, coming to the
conclusion that they were forgeries.
and when Cashier Rutledge Of the
Citizens National Bank, offered to
send a night letter to the bank at
Philadelphia, the man threw up his
lands, saying he well knew what
the answer would be, admitting tho
checks were forgeries. The stamp
on the checks was rather crude.
They were both dated July Is and
were many numbers apart. Instead
OF the serial number being printed
or the checks, as is customary. II
had been placed there with a rubber
stamp.
The man claims to have been n
travelling salesman at one time, but
is now out Of work, and adopted
this method Of securing funds. 1t II
believed that after operating at
Salisbury, where he passed a mum.
Der of checks presumably from the
Newspaper Features Syndicate of
Albany, N. Y, and payable to ]. r.
Rebman, he Jumped to Philadelphia
or Baltimore and unloaded his loot
at some pawnbrokers ard then se-
lected Martinsburg as the point
where he would begin western
tour.
1t is possible tha5 the man is
shrewd crook and it may develop
that the IDCn1 pClipa hnva 1andad a
big one"