Mr. Barnes was wondering whether he would soon have a case which would
require special mental effort in its solution. "Something that will make
me think," was the way he phrased it to himself. The same idea had
occupied him for some time. Not that he had been idle, but his "cases"
had all been of such a nature that with a little supervision it had been
safe to intrust them entirely to his subordinates. Nothing had occurred
to compel his personal investigation. On this morning, however, fate had
something peculiarly attractive for him. His office-boy announced a
visitor, who, when shown into the detective's sanctum, introduced
himself thus:
"I am Stephen West, cashier of the Fulton National Bank. Is this Mr.
Barnes?"
"Yes, sir," replied the detective. "Is your business important?"
"It is very important to me," said Mr. West. "I am interested to the
extent of forty thousand dollars."
"Forty thousand dollars! Forgery?" Receiving an assenting nod, Mr.
Barnes arose and closed the door of the office after instructing the boy
to prevent his being disturbed. Returning to his seat, he said: "Now
then, Mr. West, tell me the story. All of it, as far as you know it.
Omit no detail, however unimportant it may seem to you."
"Very good. My bank has been swindled out of forty thousand dollars in
the most mysterious manner. We have received four checks, each for ten
thousand dollars. These were signed with the name John Wood, one of our
best customers. In making up his monthly balance these checks were sent
to his house in the usual order of business. To-day Mr. Wood came to the
bank, and declared them to be forgeries."
"Were these checks paid by you personally?"
"Oh, no. We received them through the Clearing-House. They had been
deposited at the Harlem National Bank, and reached us in the routine
way. They were taken on four different days."
"Who was the depositor at the Harlem Bank?"
"There is a mystery there. His name is Carl Grasse. Inquiry at the
Harlem Bank shows that he has been a depositor for about a year. He had
a seemingly flourishing business, a beer-garden and concert place.
Recently he sold out and returned to his home in Germany. Before doing
so he drew out his deposits and closed his account."
"How is it that you did not yourself detect the forgeries? I supposed
you bank people were so expert nowadays that the cashing of a worthless
check would be impossible."
"Here are the forged checks, and here is one cashed by us since the
accounting, which is genuine. Compare them, and perhaps you will admit
that anyone might have been deceived."
Mr. Barnes examined the checks very closely, using a lens to assist his
eyes. Presently he laid them down without comment, and said:
"What do you wish me to do, Mr. West?"
"To me it seems like a hopeless task, but at least I should like to have
the forger arrested. I will gladly pay five hundred dollars as a
reward."
Mr. Barnes took up the checks again, examined them most carefully with
the lens, and once more laid them down. He strummed on his desk a moment
and then said suddenly:
"Mr. West, suppose that I not only arrest the guilty man, but recover
the forty thousand dollars?"
"You don't mean to say----" began Mr. West, rather astonished.
"I said 'suppose,'" interrupted Mr. Barnes.
"Why, in that case," said Mr. West, "I would gladly give a thousand
more."
"The terms suit me," said the detective. "I'll do my best. Leave these
checks with me, and I'll report to you as promptly as possible. One
moment," as Mr. West was about to depart; "I will make a memorandum of
something you must do yourself." He wrote a few lines on a sheet of
paper and handed it to Mr. West, saying, "Let me have those to-day, if
possible."
One week later Mr. West received the following note:
"STEPHEN WEST, Esq.:--
"Dear Sir--I have completed my investigation of your case.
Please call at my office at four o'clock. If convenient, you
may as well bring with you a check for fifteen hundred
dollars, made payable to
"JOHN BARNES."
"Great heavens!" ejaculated the cashier upon reading the above, "he
tells me to bring fifteen hundred dollars. That means he has recovered
the money. Thank God!" He dropped into his chair, overcome at the sudden
release from the suspense of the previous week, and a few tears trickled
down his cheek as he thought of his wife and little one who would not
now be obliged to give up their pretty little home to make good his
loss.
Promptly at four he was ushered into the presence of Mr. Barnes.
Impatient to have his hopes confirmed, he exclaimed at once:
"Am I right? You have succeeded?"
"Most thoroughly," said the detective. "I have discovered the thief, and
have him in prison. I also have his written confession."
"But the forty thousand dollars?"
"All safe and sound. Your bank does not lose a dollar--except the
reward." Mr. Barnes added the last after a pause and with a twinkle of
his eye.
"Oh, Mr. Barnes, that is a trifle compared to what I expected. But tell
me, how was this trick played on us? Who did it?"
"Suppose I give you a detailed account of my work in solving the riddle?
I am just in the humor for telling it, and besides you will be more
appreciative."
"That is just what I should most desire."
"Very well," began Mr. Barnes. "We will go back to the moment when,
after scrutinizing the checks, I asked what you would give for the
recovery of the money. I asked that because a suspicion had entered my
mind, and I knew that if it should prove to be correct, the arrest of
the criminal and the recovery of the money would be simultaneous. I will
not explain now why that should be a necessary sequence, as you will see
that I was right. But I will tell you what made me entertain the
suspicion. In the first place, as you know, of course, John Wood uses a
private special check. The forgeries were upon blanks which had been
stolen from his check-book. Thus the thief seemingly had access to it.
Next, as is commonly done nowadays, the amount of the check was not only
written, but also punched out, with the additional precaution of
punching a dollar mark before and after the figures. It would seem
therefore almost impossible that any alterations had been made after the
check was originally drawn. Such things have been done, the holes being
filled up with paper pulp, and new ones punched afterwards. But in this
case nothing of the sort had been attempted, nor indeed was any such
procedure necessary, for the checks were not raised from genuine ones,
but had been declared by Wood to be forgeries outright. That is, he
denied the signatures."
"Certainly. They were declared to be spurious."
"Exactly. Now that was all that I knew when you were here last except
that the signatures seemed to be very similar. It was possible that they
were tracings. The plain deduction from this was that the forger was
some one in John Wood's establishment; some one who could have access to
the checkbook, to the punch, and also have a chance to copy the
signature, if it was copied."
"All that is quite clear, but how to proceed?"
"I instructed you to send me a list of all the checks which had been
paid out on John Wood's account, giving their dates, numbers, and
amounts. I also asked you to procure for me from the Harlem National
Bank a similar list of checks paid on order of Carl Grasse. These two
lists you sent to me, and they have been very useful. As soon as you
left me, and whilst awaiting your lists, I tried some experiments with
the forged checks. First I argued that if the signatures were traced,
having been made, as it were, from a model, it would follow necessarily
that they would exactly coincide if superimposed the one upon the other.
Now whilst a man from habit will write his name very similarly a
thousand times, I doubt if in a million times he would, or could,
exactly reproduce his signature. The test of placing one over the other
and examining with transmitted light satisfied me that they were not
tracings. I compared each check with each of the others, and with the
genuine one which you also left with me. No two were exact counterparts
of one another. Still this did not completely prove that they were not
tracings, for an artistic criminal might have gone so far as to trace
each check from a different model, thus avoiding identity whilst
preserving similarity."
"Mr. Barnes," said Mr. West, admiringly, "you delight me with your care
in reasoning out your point."
"Mr. West, in speculating upon circumstantial evidence the most thorough
care must be used, if one would avoid arresting the innocent. Nothing,
to my mind, is stronger proof against a criminal than a complete chain
of circumstantial evidence, but again, nothing is so misleading if at
any stage a mistake, an omission, or a misconstruction be allowed to
occur. In this case, then, as I was starting out to prove what was
merely a suspicion, I determined to be most careful, for indeed I
dislike following up suspicion at any time. A suspicion is a
prejudgment, and may prove a hindrance to correct reasoning. Not
entirely satisfied, therefore, I took the next step. A tracing can be
made in either of two ways: with a lead-pencil, or with a stylus of
glass or agate. The former leaves a deposit of the lead, whilst the
latter makes an indentation upon the paper. In the first case the forger
will attempt to remove the lead with an erasing rubber, but will not
succeed thoroughly, because some of it will be covered by the ink, and
because of the danger of injuring the surface of the paper. In the
latter instance, if he be a very thoughtful man, he might undertake to
remove the indentation by rubbing the opposite side with the end of his
knife or with an ivory paper-cutter. In either case a careful scrutiny
with a strong glass would show the burnishing upon the reverse side. I
could find nothing of the sort. Taking one of the checks I applied a
solution to remove the ink. A thorough examination disclosed that there
was no sign either of the graphite, or of the indentation from the
stylus. In fact, I became satisfied that the signatures had not been
traced."
"But what did that prove? They might have been imitations made by a
clever penman."
"They might have been, but I doubted it; and since you ask, I will give
my reasons. In the first place, the signatures were accepted at your
bank not once, but four times. It would be a remarkably clever man to
deceive experts so well. However, I did not abandon this possibility
until further developments showed conclusively to my mind that it would
be a waste of time to follow up that line of research. Had it been
necessary to do so, I should have discovered who in the place had the
opportunity to do the work, and by examining their past I should have
received a hint as to which of these was most likely to be my man. For
any man who could have the ability to commit such a clever forgery must
have acquired it as a sequence of special skill and aptitude with his
pen of which his friends would be cognizant. Once I looked up such a
man, and found that as a boy he had forged his parents' names to excuses
for absences from school. Later he turned to higher things. In this
instance I was satisfied that the only person having the access to
materials, the knowledge of the financial condition of the concern, and
the ability to write the checks, was Mr. John Wood himself."
"John Wood!" exclaimed the cashier. "Impossible! Why, that would mean
that----"
"Nothing is impossible, Mr. West. I know what you would say. That it
involved his having an accomplice in this Carl Grasse? Well, that is
what I suspected, and that is why I asked for an additional reward for
the recovery of the funds. If I could prove that John Wood made the
checks himself, they ceased to be forgeries in one sense, and the bank
could rightfully charge the amounts against his account. But let me tell
you why I abandoned your theory that an expert penman was at work.
Observe that though you would have honored a check for forty thousand
dollars drawn by John Wood, yet the forgeries were four in number. That
showed that the man was not afraid of arousing your suspicion. The only
man who could feel absolutely sure upon that point was John Wood. But
there is another pretty point. These checks being spurious, and yet
being numbered, could arouse your suspicion in two ways. If the numbers
upon them greatly varied from those upon genuine checks coming in at the
same time, the fraud would have been detected quickly. On the other
hand, he could not give you correct numbers without being either in
collusion with his bookkeeper or else duplicating the numbering of other
checks. That the latter course was pursued, exempted the bookkeeper. All
the numbers on the forged checks were duplicates of those on genuine
ones."
"But, Mr. Barnes, that did not arouse our suspicion, because----"
"Just so," interrupted Mr. Barnes, "but let me tell you why, as the
_why_ is a very significant link in our chain. Your list of this man's
checks helped me there. About a year ago Carl Grasse appeared upon the
scene in Harlem, buying out a beer-garden, and starting an account in
the Harlem National Bank. Now observe that prior to that time, from the
first check sent to you by Wood, the strictest regularity as to
numbering obtained. There is not a break or a skip anywhere. But in
February, the month after Carl Grasse moved to Harlem, there is a
duplication in Wood's checks. Two have the same numbering, but both are
for trifling amounts, sixteen dollars in one instance and forty in the
other. You possibly passed it over. Next month, I find two duplications,
and from then on this apparent mistake happens no less than ten times."
"Mr. Barnes, the bookkeepers did notice this, and we spoke to Mr. Wood,
but he said it was simply a clerical error of his own due to haste in
business hours."
"Exactly, but he was paving the way for his big coup. He was disarming
you of suspicion. This one fact satisfied me that I was on the right
track, but your list gave me even better corroboration. On February 1st
I find that Wood cashed a check payable to himself for ten thousand and
fifty-nine dollars. On February 2d, Carl Grasse opened an account with
the Harlem Bank, depositing ten thousand dollars, paying in the amount,
in cash. This might seem but a coincidence, but by looking over the
books of the beer-garden, which is still in existence, Grasse having
sold it out, I find that on February 2d, Grasse paid his employees just
fifty-nine dollars. The difference, you see, between Wood's draft and
Grasse's deposit."
"It certainly seems to connect the two, when we remember that the final
forgeries were checks signed by Wood in favor of Grasse."
"Precisely, but follow this a little further. For several months there
is nothing to connect the two so far as their banking goes, but note
that during this lapse Grasse does not draw a single check in favor of
himself, nor does he deposit any checks from others. His transactions
with his customers are strictly cash, and his checks are all to dealers,
who supply him with his stock. None of these are for large amounts, and
his balance does not exceed twelve thousand dollars at any time. On
October 1st he deposited five thousand dollars in cash. On the day
before that, Wood drew that amount out of your bank. On the 12th, this
is repeated by both, and on the 14th, Grasse cashes a check for twelve
thousand dollars, taking cash. This goes through successfully, and the
Harlem Bank is made to see that Grasse commands large amounts and uses
large amounts. This is repeated in varying amounts in November, and
again in December, the bank by this time being quite ready to pay out
money to Grasse. On January 2d, Wood has his check account balanced. On
the 3d, Grasse deposits Wood's check for ten thousand dollars. This goes
through the Clearing-House, and is accepted by your bank. The Harlem
Bank is therefore satisfied of its authenticity. On the 5th, Grasse
deposits check number two, and at the same time cashes a check for ten
thousand dollars. The second spurious check goes through all right, and
on the 10th and 15th, the transactions are repeated. On the 20th, Grasse
explains to the Harlem Bank that he has sold his business, and is going
home to Germany. He closes his account, taking out his money, and
disappears from the scene. You are forty thousand dollars out by a
clever swindle, with nothing to prove your suspicions save a few
coincidences in the banking records of the two men."
"But assuredly, Mr. Barnes, enough evidence upon which to arrest Mr.
Wood?"
"To arrest him, yes. But to convict him? That is another affair. Without
conviction you do not recover your money. No, my work was by no means
finished. I first sought to follow Grasse. I did not have far to go. At
the Hamburg-American line I found him booked, but investigation showed
that he never sailed. The ticket which he bought has never been taken
up."
"Then the accomplice is still in this country?"
"No; the accomplice is not in this country," said Mr. Barnes, dryly.
"Don't get ahead of the story. At this stage of the game I made some
singular discoveries. I found, for example, that Carl Grasse slept over
his saloon, but that he frequently would be absent all night. I also
learned that when he did sleep there, he would leave about nine o'clock
in the morning for that mysterious realm, 'down-town.' When he slept
elsewhere, he usually reached the saloon at eight, and still went
'down-town' at nine. It was his general custom to get back about five in
the afternoon. Extending my researches in the direction of John Wood, I
learned that he was customarily at his office at ten o'clock, seldom
leaving before four. Moreover, at his apartment the janitor told me that
he frequently slept elsewhere, and that when he passed the night at that
place, he would leave about seven in the morning. Do you follow me?"
"Do you mean that John Wood and Carl Grasse are one and the same
person?"
"That idea entered my mind about this time. Up at the saloon I found
some other small evidences that this was a probability. You see, a man
may disguise his personal appearance, but it is difficult for him to
change his habits with his clothing. For example, I found that Mr. Wood
always uses Carter's writing fluid, and Mr. Grasse had the same
predilection, as the empty bottles attest. Moreover, the bottles are of
the same size in both places. Next I observe that both men used the same
make of stub pens. Again note that though Carl Grasse is a German name
and the man was keeping a beer saloon, he was never seen to drink beer
himself. John Wood has the same antipathy to malt. But most singular is
the fact that this man, who so carefully laid his plans, should have
actually bought a check-punching stamp of the same make and style of
figures as that used in the Wood establishment."
"Perhaps he did that so that he could make the spurious checks up-town
instead of down-town, where he might be discovered."
"More than likely, but he should have taken it away with him. There is
always some little detail of this kind that even the most skilful
overlooks. He probably thought that the similarity of the instruments
would never be detected, or made to count against him. It is nothing in
itself, but as a link in a chain it mends a break. There was one fact,
however, at wide variance with the theory of the identity of the two
men. Wood is of ordinary build, with black hair and smooth-shaven face.
Grasse is described as very stout, with red hair and whiskers. Of
course, following the theory of impersonation, if Wood transformed
himself into a stout man, totally different clothing would be needed
for the two parts which he played. I found that Wood always dressed in
the finest broadcloth, whilst Grasse wore conspicuous plaids. Supposing
that he wore a red wig and false whiskers, I determined to find the man
from whom he had procured them. I guessed that he would avoid any
well-known place, and I began my hunt in the costumers' shops on Third
Avenue. I went to several without obtaining any clue, when at last
fortune favored me. I found a place where, upon their books, in last
January was a record of 'red wig and whiskers' for the same customer.
Moreover, they had furnished this person with a 'make-up' for a fat
German, giving him the necessary 'pads,' as they are called, a suit of
underwear wadded so as to increase the proportion of the body. Can you
guess what I did next?"
"I think not."
"It was an inspiration. I ordered a similar outfit for myself, including
the plaid suit. This morning they were delivered to me, and, dressed in
them, I induced the costumer to go with me to Wood's place. As soon as I
was shown into his presence, I began to talk in a most excited, angry
tone. I said 'Mr. Wood, I come for satisfaction. I am Carl Grasse, the
man you have been personating up-town. I am the man whose name you
forged to the back of your own checks. And this is the costumer who sold
you the disguise. Am I not right?' This last speech I addressed to the
costumer, who, to my intense satisfaction, said, 'Yes, that is the
gentleman; but I did not know he was going to impersonate anybody.'"
"What happened then?" asked the cashier.
"Well," said Mr. Barnes, "I had better luck than I had expected, though,
in line with my hopes. You see, my sudden appearance before him, my
words, and my rapid speech, all tended to confuse him. He suddenly heard
himself accused of forging the name of 'Carl Grasse,' and for the moment
thought only of defending himself from that charge. He was utterly taken
back, and stammered out, 'I did not forge anybody's name. The checks had
my own signature, and the endorsement--that was "Carl Grasse." There is
no such person.' Then suddenly seeing that he was making a mistake and
incriminating himself, he exclaimed, 'Who the devil are you?'
"'I am a detective,' I answered, quickly seizing his arms and putting on
a pair of manacles, 'and I arrest you for swindling the Fulton Bank,
whether your offense be forgery or not.' That settled him. He wilted and
began to cry for mercy. He even offered me money to let him escape. I
delivered him to the Central Office officials, and since then the
Inspector has obtained a voluntary confession from him. Are you
satisfied, Mr. West?"
"I am more than satisfied. I am amazed. Mr. Barnes, you are a genius."
"Not at all, Mr. West, I am a detective."