Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 224, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1911 — SMOOTH SWINDLER GOT FROM LANDLORD. [ARTICLE]

SMOOTH SWINDLER GOT FROM LANDLORD.

Otto Burtts Given as Name of Bad Check Professional Who Visited Rensselaer Tuesday Night Probably one of the smoothest swindlers in the country visited Rensselaer Tuesday night, stopping at the Makeever house. Wednesday he remained at the hotel for dinner and took the 1:55 train. He was a man of genteel appearance and claimed to be working for the Fairchild Publishing House of Chicago. He produced a check ostensibly from his employers. Attached to the check was a record which presumed to show bis expense account. It was nicely printed in three colors and the check was made out against the account in the Fourth National Bank of Chicago. Clarence Fate, the landlord, hesitated a moment about cashing the cheek and the man promptly pulled from his pocket several letters of endorsemenL This dispelled all doubt and Mr. Fate cashed the check. The man explained that he had been to the First National Bank here to have E- L. Hollingsworth cash the check, but Mr. Hollingsworth was out. . Mr. Fate took the check to the bank with his afternoon deposits and this Friday morning. the local bhnk was informed that there Was no stach bank in Chicago as the Fourth National and that l the check was doubtless fraudulent. Mr. Fate called the Fairchild Publishing Co. by long distance phone and was informed that Burtis had been working his game from Idaho to Chicago... : - ; - . Tkere is no clew on which to work. Burtis is a smooth swindler and will doubtless be slick enough to keep out of the way of i