Evening star., 1946-05-03
Federal Agents Trail
Last Of Check Thieves
After Arrest Of Five

report, preyed on Washington citi-
zens for more than a year, stealing
and cashing Government checks.
Closing in late yesterday, the
agents took four men and woman
into custody. Two were arraigned
Immediately and pleaded guilty.
The others were to be arraigned
today.
Identified by Postal Inspector
Joseph A. Verant as queen" of
the ring was Mrs. Mabel Pritchard,
28-year-old mother of three chill
dren.
She was arraigned yesterday,
pleaded guilty and was held for the
grand jury under 1880 bond.
Also arrested were her husband,
Warner; his two brothers, John Ed
ward Pritchard and Harry Pritch-
ard, and Sam Kinnamont John
Pritchard also was arraigned yes
terday, pleaded guilty and was held
under 81 500. bond. The other men
were to be arraigned today.
No Figures on Amount Stolen.
Neither Secret Service nor the
postal agents know how much the
group collected over a years period
They will not know that until all
the claims are in. Some of the
checks may never be traced, but SOL
diers' wives, pld-age pensioners, per-
sons on relief and others dependent
on Government checks suffered
hardships because the checks they
counted on never reached them
agents said.
Headquarters for the ring, ac-
cording to inspector Verant, was
\ the Warner Pritchard home in the
700 block of Eighth street NE.
There, he said, members of the gang
made their plans, forged indorse-
ments and divided the loot.
Inspector Verant said he was con.
vinced the gang had operated fol
liquor and leisure" Apparently
he added, they never thought abou
what the thefts would mean to theil
victims.
Several Men Working.
Sometimes, he said, seven or eigh
: men worked in the ring. There wer
H times when SO many men had to be
| trailed that the agents had to cal
for reinforcements.
While the gang concentrated II
the Northeast and Southeast sec
tions of the city, he said, sometimes
| it ventured into the Northwest
/ There a man on a motor scoote
rushed from street to street Spottins
| the mail boxes where Government
checks were being delivered.
/ Although complaints had beer
coming in for some time that Gov
ernment checks were not being re.
ceived, the first tangible tip cam,
from woman informer. The Sc.
cret Service and postal agents al.
ready had joined forces. Secre
Service was after the check forgers
The postal agents wanted the mai
thieves.
Movements Were Erratic.
The trail led to, the Northeas
home of Warner Pritchard. Agents
began following every one who en-
tered and left the home. Inspector
\ Verant said their movements were
erratic. Sometimes they rode a
block by streetcar, walked a blocl
and then entered a cab.
| On Wednesday, the agents begar
| to close in. They followed Johr
Pritchard, who lives at 2O2 Fifth
street Sc, with his wife and two
| children
/ Inspector Verant said they saw
him cash check at liquor store
I They followed him to Warner
Pritchard's home and arrested John
a few minutes after he left.
H duplicates Brothers.
Interviewed after his arrest. he
allegedly implicated several brothers
and his sister-in-law. Then the
agents returned to what they con.
sidered the headquarters of the gane
in Warner Prithcard's home. There
| they arrested Mabel Pritchard, hel
| husband and his brother Harry, ane
| Kinnamont.
| Inspector Vsrant said Mabe
| Pritchard's three children, aged 6
| 7 and 9, were at home and were
| left with their grandmother. Tht
| children will be sent to relat tive.
| in Lynchburg, Va.
/ After talking with Mabel Pritch.
| ard and the others, Inspector Veran
| said the gang had worked this way
| Checks removed from mailboxe.