The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-06-26
Unknown Man Sends Boy
to Brown National to
Cash Bad Check.
GEITTMAN SUSPICIOUS
Boy Innocently Seeks to Carry
Out Errand but Banker
Detects Swindle.

A new bank. the Brown National,
was chosen Thursday afternoon by
check forger as place where there
would be easy picking, but he met a
wary sentinel on the job in the person
of E. J. Geittman, cashier.
The ruse that was tried was new
one, the check forger using an inno-
cent boy as his stool pigeon. To-day
the police are bordering the problem
of who it could be that would use
the stationery of the Mantkus MOTOR
Sales company, checks Of the. Prince
ton, Wis, First National bank, and a
strange boy In attempting to carry
out a plan for annexing six hundred
dollars without earning it. So far the
police are unaware Of who the conf
dence man is, and no arrest has
been made.
Asks Boy to Do Favor.
Clarence Wieske, lad from the
country, was the one selected by the
stranger for his purpose. Wieske, WHIT,
is fourteen years old, had come into
town to visit his brother, Edward
Wieske, who lives at 4S2 Edward
street. Wieske when approached by
the stranger, saw only young man
of pleasant appearance who asked him
to "do him a favor"
az want you to do something for
me, sonny" said the stranger. Just
take this envelope over to the Brown
bank. I'll show you where it is, and
come back to me with what they give
you. I'll be waiting"
Ao-AoA opHynlnua 70
the boy and the boy did as he was
told, learning that he would be PAID
for his trouble.
Clarence handed the envelope to Mr..
Geittman at the bank, and waited.
The cashier read the contents, looked
at the boy and waited also. On the
corner of Elizabeth and Charles streets
where he had met the boy and sent him
upon his errand, the stranger waited.
Wants Just six Hundred.
This is what Mr.. Geittman read
when he opened the envelope:
paying teller, Brown National bank.
Dear Sir. Please let me have ten and
twenty dollar bills for the enclosed
check and please put the same in a
sealed envelope so the boy won't
lose any anu ODlA6c' AOuAo NANASi
C. ]. Mantkus."
The letter was written on stationery
of the Mantkus Motor Sales company.
1t was characteristic of Mr.. Mantkus
to send boy to the bank for small
sums of money when needed at his
office, but there were other features Of
the affair that aroused the suspicion
of Mr.. Geittman.
Check of a Defunct Bank.
The check which was enclosed was
dated June 16, 1928, was drawn upon
the First National bank of Princeton,
Wis, and read that the amount cf
$6o8 900 was for deposit and "first pay
ment on a Jewett touring car"
It CHANGED that Mr.. Geittman knew
that the Princeton bank on which the
check was drawn, had closed its doors
about week ago. He was sure that
the check was no good, and ques-
toned the boy.
The boys truthful and guileless
answers showed the hand of the man
who had sent him. The lads informa-
tion about the man who had stopped
him confirmed the bankers first quick
suspicion. A hasty telephone CONVEX
sation with the Mantkus Motor sales
completed the story. 1t was fraud
and that was all.
The next step was to connect with
the police.
Young Man Is Gone.
In the meantime, however, valuable
time had been lost. When the boy
did not return, the man waiting on
the corner apparently took alarm and
waited no longer. When the police
arrived on the scene, there was no one
about, waiting for boy who would
deliver $500 in a sealed envelope.
The police are convinced that the
check forger was some one who was
familiar with the business of the
Mantkus Motor Sales company, and
knew Of Mr.. Mantkus' custom of send
ing boys on errands to the bank.