The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-11-15
CONFIDENCE GAME
NETS BIG SUM
SMOOTH STRANGER TAKES or
FICiAL CHECKS or CITY AMI
GETS BIG SUN OF MONEY IN
OTHER CITIES. NOT YET AR
RESTED.

| i
/ OTHER CITIES. NOT YET AR
RESTED.
Having flashed five checks aggregat-
ing $1,O70 in four cities on the official
Drank checks OF the City of Laurens,
man signing his name on some of them
as f. 10. Pearson and on others as paul
Scott has SO far eluded arrest and at
ieast 1our banks in South Carolina,
North Carolina and Virginia arc ap
pafcntly out Of approximately $1,000
unless the smooth gentleman is locat-
ed.
The first intimation of the forgery
came about the middI. If last week
when The Enterprise National Bank,
OF this city, received a long distance
telephone message from bank in
winston Salem, N, c., asking if the
mayor OF Laurens had issued a check
for 1920 to r. 70. Pearson, pretending
TO be a consulting engineer G.. II.
Roper, cashier Of theybank, Immediate
ly sought the city clerks office and
found out that no such check had been
issued He at once wired the Winston
Sfalem bank that the check was a
fogery and then called up over the
telephone to tell the bank to have the
man arrested. The person talking
from the Winston Salem end said that
they had the man under surveillance,
but wanted to be sure Of their ground
ROPER assured them positively that the
check was a forgery, but before the
North Carolina bank had taken action
the suspect had made his departure.
Later intimations of the successful
plan worked by the check-fasher were
received when checks commenced to
arrive at the Enterprise National Bank
from four other banks, a second one
at Winston Salem, and one each at
Greenville, S. c., Charlotte, N. c., and
charlottesville, Va, In each case ex-
cept one the check was for $3.50, the
exception being from another Winston
Salem bank for 500. All of these ar
rived at the bank In the regular man
ner and bore evidences of having been
cashcd at sight.
While local police officers are not
certain as to how and when the smooth
stranger got in possession of the blank
checks. they think that he got them
when he was in Laurens Saturday
actors gave show at the Opera
House. 1t is not thought that he was
member Of the troupe, but that he
was an actor and was visiting friends
in the company. In the dressing room
Of the theatre were being kept surplus
city supplies, including stationery Of
the city clerk and treasurer. Finding
here blank chcck-book, he tore out
six Of them and placed them in his
pocket. On leaving here, he evidently
for the. first time, taking down $3.50.
This check bore the endorsement Of 3
prominent electrical contractor Of
Greenville, which was also doubtless
ly forged 1t, like the others that have
arrived since, were returned unpaid
by the local bank.
All Of the checks had the name OF
Mayor Dial forged to them. The
stranger evidently neglected to get the
name Of Clerk Stanley Crews for the
name &C. O. MasseQ" was signed as
clerk and treasurer. All OF them
were designated as checks payable for
Services as Consulting Engineer" in
the department of Streets.
Chiof Crews is giving assistance to
the out-of-town banks in attempting to
catch the forgcr, but up until yester-
day no word Of any arrest had been re-
ceived here.