The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-10-23
MASTER FORCERS'
TRICKS EXPOSED
The Perfect Forgery Always
Has a Weak Spot That Leads
to Penman'S Downfall.
NATIONWIDE DRAGNET OUT
Bankers Working Together to Catch
Crooks Who Cause Losses of $780,
600. 900 With Bad Checks Yearly.

A bogus check scheme that was Sc
original, sound and business-like thai
it became known in detective circles
as "the one perfect forgery" but final
ly, like all Of them, led to its own in
ventor being trapped, is described by
Reuben A. Lewis, Jr., in the American
Bankers Association Journal. The
article, which says forgeries cost the
banks and business concerns at least
$3.50, 900 900 a year, deals with the
ways of forgers and the relentless war
fare being conducted against them by
the bankers.
Crime does not pay" Mr.. Lewis
says. "Soon the law reaches out and
seizes the misguided operator who
thinks he can get away with it. For
one of the peculiar things about tie
forger is that, while he may devise a
clever scheme that brings a rich re-
turn on its initial trial, he continues
to work it until caught.
fortunately, there appears to be a
weak spot in the best laid scheme.
And Just as soon as this weak spot is
uncovered, it is broadcast to all the
banks in the land. So the banks, in
formed as to the method Of approach
that the forger will make, and the lit
tie peculiarities of the job, are on the
alert to nab him when he makes his
next temperance.
The King of Forgers
1.-THE master forger' is William
Hamilton Harkins. probably the most
dangerous operator known to the
banking world. Several times in the
tolls of the law, Harkins has managed
to escape. The daring king of the
forgers made a confession that he had
defrauded banks of more than $780,
900 during the years Of his career.
His scheme follows a certain set
pattern. The key to Harkins' plan
is obtaining a blank check from the
checkbook of a well known firm. Re-
Harkins sauntered into the Of
flee of a granite dealer. He ordered a
monument and rendered a check for a
substantial part of the memorial. He
requested the proprietor Of the store
to permit him to dash off a letter to
his folks at home. Selling a pro-
moment, Harkins spotted his
checkbook, noted the exact balance,
peared.
Reproducing the proprietor's sigma
ture, Harkins drew up a sizeable
check. On the reverse side he in
scribed his alias as the payee and
then added after %. K the facsimile
of the depositor's signature. This
acted as an Identification Endorsement,
when he presented the check at the
bank it was readily cashed.
The Weak Spot
"The weak spot in Harkins' scheme
Is the Identification Endorsement. If
The teller, before cashing any check
bearing this alleged Endorsement, tele-
to the depositor and checked
Up on its issuance, the scheme would
nave short shrift."
Banks throughout the country have
put on. guard against Harkins
his plan and it is believed he can
lot operate long without again falling
nto the net. The scheme that was
pronounced unbeatable was devised
a forger known as F. Mayer and
around the certified check
raud, Mr.. Lewis says, continuing:
"F. Mayer would open accounts
With four or five banks in a sizeable
ity. The largest account ran around
5000. By kiting checks back and
prfh hafuraan fhn onunra1 har1ro he
7ould establish his identity with the
ellers and become known as a man
ccustomed to deal in large figures.
after conducting these preliminar-
IS for a few weeks, Mayer would go
D the bank where he had his largest
ccount and ask that a certified check
e issued to him for substantially all
the money remaining to his credit.
rom the genuine check, he would
lake four or five duplicates.
@In turn, Mayer would visit the 9TH
: banks, where he had established
mall accounts. Inasmuch as he had
ashed checks for some time, Mayer
.enerally had little trouble In getting
lie banks to honor the certified
If a teller took the p~recaution
calling the issuing bank on the tele-
none to inquire if it had made out
lch a certified check, he would gain
The Forger Caught
"But even the perfect forgery
.heme cannot be worked with i'm
unity. Mayer succeeded in defraud-
6 Kansas City banks out OF s27, 900
i'd made his escape. A few months
ter he was walking down the streets
Los Angeles when a teller who had
one of the bogus checks in
e middle western city recognized
m. Mayer took to his heels with
former teller in hot pursuit, and
e criminal lost"
The losses sustained through for.
'ries by banks may be mainly at
ibuted to the failure of the tellers to
serve the rules against cashing
ecks for strangers or allowing de-
sitors to draw on unsolicited items.
-