New-York tribune., 1922-08-10
Clerk Thwarts
er'sScheme
To Get $4,000
Questions Boy With Cerii-
fled Check at Clarke
Bros. Bank and Finds He
Is Dupe for Stranger
r. Cair's Name Used
Same Man Believed 10
Have Made Two Sim
liar Attempts Recently

A forgcr, more or less familiar with
the business Of Robert Gair, head Of
the Robert Gair Company. manufac-
turers Of paper boxes, lithogrnphers
and printers. with several plants in
Manhattan and Brooklyn. came near
getting $4,000 worth Of Liberty bonds
on a forged certified check yesterday
and is said TO have made two other
similar attempts recently, one Of which
proved successful.
II he had sent an older messenger
than Alexander Joscphs 20 Clarke Bros,
bankers. az l54 Nassau Street, for the
bonds they probably would have been
turned over 20 him without question.
Alexander is only thirteen years old,
however. and after putting n few quos-
tions 20 him the clerk 20 whom he had
handed the certified check bearing the
name Of Robert Gair called 10 the po-
lice ard had him arrested. lie was
paroled in his parents custody.
Got Check Book for Stranger
Alexander lives at 20 Willow Place,
Brooklyn. The man who sent him on
the crrand is a stranger 70 him. He
first met Alexander Tuesday and sent
him 70 the Office Of the Title Guarantee
and Trust Company on Montague
Street, Brooklyn, TO get cheek book
for "Mr. Gair.T Alexander got the
check book without difficulty and gave
Il 20 his temporary employer.
Yesterday the stranger sought Alex
andcr again. This time he gave him a
check for $50, 900 on the Title Guaran-
tee and Trust Company, signed with
the name OF Mr.. Gair and note SINH
larly signed in which he asked 10 have
the check crtihcd.
In the meantime. he had telephoned
TO Clarke Brothers. where Mr. Gair
also has an account, saying he was
sending IAN Office boy" with q certified
check for $4,000 and wanted that
amount in Liberty bonds.
The Title Guarantee and Trust Com
pany certified the check for Alexander
without question. An official OF the
company said the imitation OF Nr.
Gair's signature was perfect and the
clerk had no reason 20 suspect for
gerry. Alexander took the check to the
man who had sent him on the crrnnd
and the latter took him 10 Manhattan.
Youth Aroused Suspicion
lie sent Alexander into Clarke Bros.
with lIaAfNNA4NAh ~ NNJ VIZ - |'t'
had sent him for the bonds and TO
bring the package they would give him
10 him at 81. Paul's Chapel. Had not
Alcxandcr's youth aroused the suspi-
cion Of the teller at Clarke Bros. the
strangor would have been IN posses
sion OF the Liberty bonds in Eve min
utes.
As Il was The teller put a few ques-
tions 10 Alexander. and on learning ne
was 10 meet "Mr Gair" just across
Broadway at 81. Pau's, decided 10 in
vestigatc further before turning over
the bonds. Re telephoned 70 Mr. Gair's
Office and was told that the manufac-
turer knew nothing az all about off-
ti6cd check for $4,000 and. had not
sent FOR Liberty bonds in that amount.
Detectives accompanied Alexander 70
his rendezvous with "Mr. Gair,' but
the latter was not 10 be found when
they arrived. Frank Bailey. vice-prcsi-
dent cf the Title Guarantee and Trust
Company. said that he had heard that
another boy had been used in similar
fashion in an unsuccessful attempt 10
get $50 900 in Liberty bonds from an,
other Manhattan bank recently, and
fhat an attempt exactly similar. on
smaller scale. had proved successful
when made on a less we'll known bank
Of this city.