Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1908 — A MUCH-WANTED FORGER. [ARTICLE]

A MUCH-WANTED FORGER.

|€ity Marshall Parks is in recmpt of a circular letter from Illinois authorities offering rewards, for the arrest of one John I. Beck, alias John L. Butler, alias John H. Kline, wanted for forgery. Lake oounty, 111., offers SSOO, the governor of Illinois S2OO, and Bother counties offer other rewards. Newspapers are requested to pubish his method of swindling that no more people may be losers through his forgeries, which is as follows: A short time alter arriving in the County, he will look up farms that are for sale, usually somf distance from the county seat. He tells the farmer that he is a widower and is buying the farm for his son, or some other relative with whom he intends to live. He asks him if there is a notary public near there who can acknowledge the papers that are necessary to be drawn. Learns there is a notary at the village near the farm. He then asks the farmer if be has an abetract of his farm and gets, if possible, the loan of it, saying that he wants his lawyer to look it over. He then persuades the farmer and his wife to go with him to the notary at the village and induoes them to give him either a power of attorney to sell the land for them or to sign an agreement to sell the land to hi m upon the payment of a certain price, usually a very good one. This power of attorney or contract is then acknowledged by the farmer and his wife, before the notary, who signs his name to the acknowledgement, and places his seal thereon. , After getting this seal, he either makes or has made an exact duplicate thereof. Then hejjgoesto the County Seat and calls upon some real estate mas

or lawyer and tell him that he is about to buy thia particular farm, in some instances even taking the farmer with him to verify these statement to the lawyer. He then asks the lawyer or real estate man to look over the abstract, or if the farmer should have none, then to make one, and to carefully examine the reoord and see if the title is perfect. This is done and everything found all right. He .then asks the lawyer or real estate man to draw up a proper deed for the farm, and to give the deed to him to take to the farmer to be exeouted, or, if thia is refused, directs the lawyer to mail the deed to the farmer, requesting him to go with hia wife before this particular notary public, to have the deed executed and acknowledged. He then says, as he is paying cash for the farm, that his ready money will be consumed, and that there are many improvements he would like to make on the place, in the way of buildings, fences, etc., besides purchasing farm machinery and live stock, asks the lawyer or real estate man to obtain for him a loan on this land, which is finally arranged for. He, Mr. Butler, alias Hoover, then takes the deed, which has been drawn up, if it is delivered to him, or failing in this, intercepts the farmer’s mail, by getting the deed out of post office or rural route mail box. Having obtained the deed, he then goes to his hotel or stopping place. There he very cleverly forges the name of the farmer and his wife to the deed; also the name of the particular notary to the acknowledgment, aud then places the notary’s seal to the acknowledgment on the deed.

After a suitable time, he again calls on the lawyer or real estate man and shows him the deed, the identical deed which the lawyer mailed to the farmer, all properly signed, sealed and acknowledged. He again explains that he has paid the full purchase price for the land, and would now like to secure the loan asked for on the place as soon as possible, so that he can return home and move his family on the farm. Thereupon the lawyer or real estate man sends for the party who intends to loan the money. This party, on his arrival, together with the lawyer or his own lawyer, agent or banker, looks over the deed carefully and finding it, to all appearances regular, the signatures and notary seal genuine, makes the loan, takes a note for the amount asked for, and also a mortgage on the farm, to secure the payment of the principal of the note and interest. The deed and mortgage are now recorded, then the money in cash is paid over and this slick imposter and forger skips the town. Description—Age about 58 years; height, 5 feet 8£ inches; weights, about 190 pounds; complexion dark (ruddy); eyes brown; hair dark, mixed gray; prominent cheek bones; broad forehead; rather heavy dark eyebrows; smooth face, (may grow short beard and moustaohe); heavy built; rather broad shoulders; somewhat stooped; crease at base of nose; large flat feet; legs unusually thin for body; generally wears blaok or dark clothes; fair dresser; rather slow smooth talker, but unassuming in bis ways, seeking to represent himself as a farmer with means.