Evening star., 1923-03-03
POLICE NAB TWO AS
MAIL BOX F0RGERS
Men Charged With Opera
tions Between $4,000
and $4,000.
ON TRAIL FOR MONTHS
Clever Swindles Perpetrated With
Aid Of Confederate at
Offices of Victims.

The climax of we'll laid set Of plans
by the police to apprehend expert
forgery experts, who have netted be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 by operations
during the past eight months in Wash
ington. is believed by Inspector Grant.
chief Of detectives, to have been reach
ed yesterday In the arrest Of William
HI. Morris. twenty-six. Of 627 Pennsyl-
vania avenue, and Luther Ray. thirty
one, Of Virginia Highlands. Va, on
charges Of forgery.
Tried to Cash 1925 Check.
Morris was arrested outside the
Washington Loan and Trust Company
yesterday. after attempting to pass a
check for 1925. An attache Of the bank
Following a quizzing Of Morris. at po-
lice headquarters, Ray was arrested on
a forgery charge as his accomplice.
Behind the arrests Is a dramatic
story OF adventure: Police. post office
inspectors and bank officials have been
cooperating for months to put stop
to what was apparently an unceasing
drain on resources OF banks due to the
operations OF clever band of forgers.
The stunts pulled by the forgery mas
Mail Boxes Rihed.
For instance, reports came to the
detective bureau that mail boxes In
apartment houses in certain sections
were being rified around the first of
every month. when bank statements
would be In the mail with Cancelled
checks and balance statements.
AT the same time banks began re-
porting losses due to forged checks.
The result was a conference dur
ing the middle OF January between
officials of the detective bureau, rep
resentatives Of banks and post Office
inspectors. Specific instructions re-
garding the modus operandi OF the
criminal were issued to the banks.
They were requested to be on the
lookout for attempts at passing
forged checks under certain circum-
stances.
LulI for Five Weeks.
There came a lull for about five
weeks Then the check passing
started again. A report came from
the North Capitol Savings Bank that
man had presented a check for
$3.50 for payment and had asked for
the balance and bank book Of a
certain client of the bank.
When the teller started quiZzing
the man asking for the balance and
bank book he was told that If he did
not credit the inquisitor to call up a
certain number and ask the depositor
The teller called up. He got an an
swer. Everything was o. X. and the
check went through.
Number Telephone Booth.
Later 1t was discovered that the
telephone number was a telephone
| booth and the man on the other end
| of the wire was a confederate. Nor
ris was identified by officials of the
| North Capitol Bank as the man pre-.
senting the check for $3.50
| Morris has admitted virtually moth
| ing so far as forging checks goes
Police are holding him for further in
vestigating. Ray also has told moth.
| ing regarding the alleged operations
On the person of Morris wher
ter from George w. Young, an attor-
ney. Questioned about II, he replied
he had just found it. Later, however
| according to Inspector Grant, he de.
clared that he might find use" fol-
; the signature in the future.
Thirty-Five Try Identification.
Last night the squad room of police
headquarters was filled with thirty
| five representatives of local hank
to attempt identification of motifs
Today detectives are turning in al
check cases and the data obtained or
| them to Inspector Grant in connec.
| ton with this case.
One of the principal features Of the
! method by which attempts were made
to pass forged checks at local
! banks was that of having the de.
positor, whose signature has been
/ forged out of the office at the time
i. when the bank would make inquiries
In one instance check was pre-
sented for collection when the pros
pectiye victim, an attorney, had called
out to interview a confederate of the
operator regarding a case. In this
manner, deception at the outset was
not uncovered and in case the bank
, was too suspicious the presenter OF
, the check would simply ask for Its
return and announce that he would
, call later with particular Identified
ton.
Gas Bill Presented.
In the case OF yesterday. in which
the complainant is James w. Cltft
Of 1461 Harvard street the mail box
of Mr.. Cliff at the apartment house at
that address had been robbed OF q
gas bill. With this gas bill. it Is re-
.ported by the police. the man attempt
ing to pass the check tried to identity
himself as Cliff. according to the de-
tectiveS.
According to the police, Ray was
on guard outside the bank wher
Morris was inside yesterday. When
bank attaches were quizzing Morris
ter detectives had concluded their
questioning at police headquarters
The detective bureau, the bank ano
nostal inspectors have been work
ing on the case. Detectives Thomp.
son, Embrey. Kelly, Scrivener
O'Rrien. Livingston, Keck and kfng
were assigned to the Investigation