Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1900 — THIS SCHEME WORKED. [ARTICLE]

THIS SCHEME WORKED.

A Swindler’s Slick Scheme of Working a Bank. A novel fraud by which a Minnesota bank was induced innocently to abet the robbing of a Montana bank has perplexed recently one of the detective agencies. Inquiries made at a St. Paul hotel as to a possible guest who wore a silk hat, a Prince Albert coat and gray mutton-chop .whiskers revealed the nature of the criminal scheme. But the inquiring detective would not repeat names. A few weeks ago, said the detective, the very respectable gentleman with the silk hat bought of a country’ bank not far from this city a draft on New York for $1,600, paying for it in currency. He explained he was going to a small town in Montana and that he did not care to take so large a sum with him in cash. Would the cashier , kindly notify the only bank in that ] Montana town that he had sold the i New York draft to Mr. Ilat, and that' Mr. Hat would cash the draft at the Montana town? Certainly the cashier would write. lie did write. And when the owner of the draft appeared j a few day’s later at the Montana bank i he found not the slightest difficulty in cashing a forged copy of the draft. “You’re Mr. Hat, of Philadelphia. Of course,” said the exchange clerk in Montana. “We received a lettei from the bank that soldy out he draft. Let's see? Tall, gray sidewhiskers, very subdued manner. Oh,yes! that’s j all right. Description, a matter of j form, you know. Your signature? , Exact, of course.” So, with apologies for taking the 1 usual precautions, the clerk, upon comparing the signatures of Mr. Hat, accepted his receipt and gave him, all | in gold, as became a banker of the i mining state, $1,600. As the new cus-1 tomer went out he made a particularly good joke about the Montana weather. The old gentleman with the-sub--dued manner had copied the original draft upon a blank that he had some-; how secured from the Minnesota bank. The lei ter from the bank would naturally have quieted any suspicion in Montana, for the letter gave, as usual, the number of the draft and other details, which were fully corrob- , orated in the forged copy. Inasmuch as the letter proved to the Montana bank that Mr. Hat must possess an original draft for the amount re- ; quired, the bank would never enter- ' tain the thought that a forged copy would be presented by the holder of i that original. Thus the cashing of ' the forgery was easy. At once the gentle defrauder took ; the next train for Minnesota. He i reappeared before the cashier of the Minnesota bank, and smiled through ■ an unctuous apology. I ” “I’m extremely sorry to trouble you again,” said the urbane gentleman. i “But, you see, I've decided not to • make that Montana trip this month. : I have found a little real estate deal i up in St. Paul where I can invest the j money to better advantage, at least I for the present-. Now, will you be I good enough to cancel your draft ■ here” (extending the bona fide origI inal) “and let me have the $1,600.” The Minnesota cashier was as ' agreeable as had been the Montana ' clerk. The agreeable Philadelphian I received his second $1,600. He ; smiled. The cashier smiled. The j Montana clerk kept smiling whenever . he thought of the affable stranger who ! made so pleasant a little joke about . the weather. Everybody continued ■ to smile until the Montana bank drew upon the Minnesota bank for $1,600 i advanced upon a draft. Then there i was but one smiler left—the polished, ' the respectable, the witty Mr. Hat, of Philadelphia.—St. Paul Pioneer I Press. $1.50 for the round trip to Chicago, August 25 to 2V. good returning to August 31. or by payihg a fee of 50 cents, tickets may i be extended to Sept. 30.

W. H. BEAM, Agt.

Warren & Irwin are making loans on farm or city property at a low rate of interest and commission and on mpre liberal terips than can be obtained elsewhere in Jasper County. S. P. Thompson will sell hia lands in Union township, in tracts, and on terms to suit those desiring to farm or raise stock. See or write to S. P. Thompson, Rensselaer, Ind.