Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-11
CHRISTMAS CHECK
THEETS ARE Barred
Savings Club Vouchers Are
Stolen From Mail Boxes.
Others Are Forged.

POllCe Investigations lHJO WIiolCSoAS
thefts from mail boxes and counter
feiting of Christmas savings club
checks, it was learned today, have re-
suited in locating the printing estao-
lishment at which were printed some
Of the forged checks that passed
through the clearing house.
Detectives Ira E. Keck and Bernard
w. Thompson. comprising the bad
check squad, learned that two unidenti-
fed men we're implicated in the affair.
The printer, when finally located by
the detectives. was said to have told OF
tbjnp the work for the two men, neither
of whom gave a name or address The
two men have not yet been traced.
According to the detectives, the bad
checks. all purported to have been is
sued by a branch of the Riggs National
Bank. were not true copies OF the gen.
uine checks.
Holly Decoration Differs.
They contain a holly decoration dill
ferent from that Of the genuine Christ
mas savings club checks, the detectives
stated, and also had an error in the
name Of the cashier. 1t was explained
nv them that the checks were printed
in blank. the names of the bene1ciarleS
and amounts represented as coming
to them, being written OH type
writer.
Police believe that thousands of dol
lars have been obtained by persons
who robbed mail boxes and those pass
ing the counterfeit checks. While the
notice have not received a large num-
Der of such complaints, both local and
Federal Investigators have learned IN
directly that many mail-boX thefts nave
been perpetuated since BANKS mailed
out checks to persons who made de-
posits under the club plan.
Many of the counterfeit or forged ana
stolen checks are said TO have gone
through the clearing house and been
returned. the losses falling upon the
merchants who cashed them.
In the Christmas rush in some OF
the stores, 1t is stated, these spurious
checks were accepted in payment for
goods or merely cashed and their WORTH
lessness did not develop until they were
returned to the bank. Some OF the
checks purported to bear the name OF
the cashier at the Fourteenth street
and Park road branch of Riggs Bank,
J. A. Keene, but his initials on one OF
the checks turned over to the detec-
tives appeared as A. r. Keene, lnol-
eating, police say, that the Swlndlers
were not we'll acquainted with the iden-
tity Of bank employees.
Descriptions Are Obtained.
DESCRIPTIONS of the men who had the
spurious checks printed have been oo-
tanned by the detectives, and police
of other cities have been asked to lend
a helping hand in efforts to effect their
capture Police believe publicity given
to the work of the two alleged swindlerS
probably will result in terminating
their operations here, realizing, how
ever. that some unsuspecting person
may yet be swindled by them.
Post ONCE inspectors are taking a
hand in the investigation OF the thefts
of checks from apartment house mail
boxes. Police say hundreds OF these
checks probably have been stolen, al
thouRh reports OF their having been
taken have not yet been received in
great numbers 1t is explained That
persons robbed Of their checks are able
to obtain their money by making afnda-
Wits that signatures on those passea
were forgeries, and such persons may
not all care to bother making reports.
Detectives KecE and Thompson
learned that mail boxes in a number OF
apartments housed in the northwest
section were robbed of checks sent out
by the bank last week, practically every
apartment house in one block OF Euclid
street having been tempered with or
robbed In one instance, 1t is stated,
each member of one family was robbed.
Public Is Warned. -
In the face Of theft and forgeries of
Christmas Savings Club checks, Elliot
H. Thomson of the Washington Loan
e. Trust Co., chairman of the advertis-
ing committee of the District Of Column
bia Bankers Association, today warned
the public, and especially merchants. to
use the utmost precaution in cashing
such checks.
Mr.. Thomson said the banks are call
ing the attention Of merchants to the
fact that these Christmas Savings Club
checks are not payable to bearer, but to
the order Of q specified person. Conse-
quently, he pointed out, the merchant
assumes risk in cashing them. unless
he knows the person presenting the
check Is the payee or the last indorser.
Merchants or others who deposit these
checks, he said, thereby guarantee all
previous Endorsements.
Mr. Thomson explained that each
bank has its own individual Christmas
Savings Club check, and persons ac-
cepting them ought to scrutinize them
closely to make sure they are genuine.
In view of the many theftS reported
from mail boxes, members of Christ
mas Savings Clubs who have not yet
received their checks were warned by
Mr.. Thomson to notify their banks at
once. for their own protection.