The Scheme of the Smooth Swindler

Plymouth Tribune, September 10, 1908

This article is an excerpt from the Plymouth Tribune of 1908. The reporter’s name is not listed, but it is interesting to note that he makes no attempt at the “assumption of innocence” guaranteed by law. We occasionally share news articles from long ago for several reasons. Mostly for amusement purposes, although the victims here were certainly not amused. Reporting style has evolved so much, it is interesting to get a feel for the speech and writing of that time. Every article we publish is ultimately, we hope, a conversation starter about who we are, where we live and the forebears who built our county. Enjoy!

“Worthless checks amounting to almost fifty dollars were passed upon merchants in this city Saturday night. They were drawn upon the name of C. L. Welch and made payable to George Moore. Five businessmen were successfully fleeced out of amounts running from $6.75 to $9.50. The news of the fraud was kept quiet until Wednesday evening when it leaked out. Suspicion was fastened on one George Thomas who worked for Charles Welch on the Clough farm one mile and a half west of this city, until a few months ago when Mr. Welch dispensed with his services. Thomas then disappeared and a couple of weeks later $50 in money was stolen from the pockets of Welch while the latter slept and of this robbery Welch has since suspected Thomas.

The fraudulent checks were passed here Saturday evening from 8:00 until 9:00 p. m. The stranger entered the different stores, made small purchases, and in payment produced a check payable to the order of George Moore, the sums from $6.75 to $9.50 and received the balance in cash. In the presence of the merchant the stranger endorsed the check. The checks are upon the Plymouth State bank. Upon later comparison it is seen that the handwriting of the endorsing name is identical with that on the face of the check. The merchants who cashed the forged checks were C. M. Slayter and Lester Mcgowan, grocerymen, M. A. Pesch, butcher, M. Ryan, clothier and Oscar Woodbury, butcher. At all of these places C. L. Welch was well known through business dealings and his financial standing being good, accounted for the fact that the checks were unquestioned. At three places however, he attempted and failed to work the fraud. These were Charles Shadel, druggist, F. W. Bosworth, dry goods merchant and J. E. Marshall's bazaar. The former told the forger that he would cash no stranger's check. Mr. Bosworth, when asked to accept the Welch check, started to call up Oliver G. Soice, cashier of the State Bank, over the telephone at his home to inquire as to the worth of the check. While Mr. Bosworth was in the act of telephoning, the stranger slipped away. No suspicion of the fraud was given until Monday, and of course the confidence man had made his escape. His description is as follows: Given name---george Moore. Birth---american. Age---23 to 25. Weight---140. Height---5 feet 8 or 9. Color Hair---light brown. Crime--forgery. Eyes---grey or blue. Complexion---light. Build---straight. Hands were soft and smooth showing lack of hard labor, was rather well dressed, AND WRITES WELL WITH LEFT HAND.

The above description was furnished by M. A. Pesch and was said by Charles Welch to exactly correspond with the George Thomas who worked for him a few months ago. The last time Welch heard of Thomas was about two months ago when he was said to be employed at a lumber mill at Nappanee.

Having no further work for Thomas on the farm, Welch dismissed him from his service. About two weeks later Welch arose one morning and found his trousers missing. A search later revealed them lying in the yard directly opposite the bedroom window. Fifty dollars in paper and silver money that had been in the pockets was gone. A rake lying nearby showed that the thief had opened the bedroom window and fished the trousers from the chair on which they were hung by that means. Welch suspected that Thomas had committed the theft because of his familiarity with residence. The officers here are making a thorough search for the forger who is thought by some to be one of a clever band that has been operating in other cities in this vicinity.”