The Millionaire Forger in a Hospital Bed
A notorious mail robber and master forger is caught in Tacoma after a nationwide manhunt, but the city isn't letting him go just yet.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Albert E. Bell, described by Denver authorities as a 'millionaire class' forger and mail robber, has been arrested in Tacoma at St. Anthony's Hospital. Bell, who has used aliases including J.H. Hamilton and George Murray, is allegedly responsible for stealing drafts worth up to $1,000,000. Tacoma Police Chief Faekler is refusing to hand Bell over to federal postal authorities for at least two days, hoping to leverage the American Bankers' Association reward for his capture. Bell had previously escaped federal custody in Philadelphia by simply walking away from a train with his valise. He was finally tracked down after Postoffice Inspector Glenn B. Latimer spotted his wife visiting him at the hospital.
“Bell is the most noted forger and mail robber with whom the authorities have had to deal.”
St. Anthony's Hospital was a landmark of early Tacoma's medical history, serving the community long before the modern era of consolidated health systems. The story highlights the intense, often high-stakes jurisdictional dance between local police departments and federal agencies that persists in the handling of major criminals today.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.