Agents Decline to Talk About Affable Swindler

Indiana(?), 1909
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AGENTS DECLINE TO TALK ABOUT A SWINDLE

Most of Them Hit Hard by Affable Stranger Who Was Fraud.

Although it is known that agents of local express companies were hit hard by an affable stranger about a week ago who presented some forged money orders, they are not bragging much about it and are about as communicative as their superior officers have bade them be. The affable stranger came noiselessly and went without much racket and in his going he lugged off a bunch of golden coin and a few bills that he procured with nothing more than a few forged documents and a bold front.

He was smooth and business like. He walked into the office and presented his orders and didn't seem so awfully particular about getting the money and didn't want to give anybody much trouble about it and seemed hurt when there was any hint that his paper were not all right.

All of the orders he had were duly signed, sealed and presented all the appearances of having been issued in good faith from the office of the Northern Express company at Butte, Mont. He had some letters from banking establishments and other concerns out there and an English passport that worked with a little cockney helped filch money from the local offices.

He tried them all and in only one was he turned down and in a couple of days he reaped a harvest of about $250, as each was for $50. A couple of days ago the orders began to come back with the notation that they forgeries. The Adams company has had no return on one that it accepted and the agent would say nothing. No report was made to the police and the companies are evidently using their own secret service operatives in an effort to land the man with the forged orders.

For the reason that they want to keep the matter quiet and that the officials of the company have enjoined the agents here to say nothing, it is difficult to get any of the details.

--Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, September 8, 1909, page 8.