The smooth scheme of a sheepherder was nipped in the bud early this Wednesday morning by Sheriff Boyd of Redding. A man by the name of B. C. Hoyt was arrested there on a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses or perhaps the charge may be made one of forgery, says the Red Bluff Cause.
About a week ago, July 20, 1904, Mrs. B. Guyre of this place received a telegram from Bieber asking that a certain sum of money be sent there for W. C. Lanham.
As Mr. Lanham has charge of Mrs. Guyre's sheep, which are summering near Bieber the money was forwarded to him there and was received there by B. C. Hoyt, who has sent the telegram with Mr. Lanham's name attached to it. Mr. Lanham, it appears was out with the sheep at that time and knew nothing of the transaction.
No thought was given the matter and no suspicion attached to it until Tuesday, when another telegram came to Mrs. Guyre from Redding making a request for money and it was signed W. C. Lanham as before. The telegram said he had come to Redding for treatment of an injured foot.
Mrs. Guyre's suspicion became aroused at this as Mr. Lanham had not been accustomed to call on her for money in that way. She sent for Sheriff Boyd, who had just returned from San Francisco and a trap was laid to catch the wily individual who was sending the false telegrams.
In order that Hoyt might be on hand when the Sheriff arrived in Redding, it was decided to call him up by telephone and inform him that the money would be sent according to his request. Sheriff Boyd took the early morning train for Redding and when he got there he soon found Hoyt, who was patiently waiting for the arrival of the money from Red Bluff. Hoyt was taken into custody and the two were at the depot in time to catch the southbound train. The arrived here on the 11:45 train.
On their way down, Hoyt admitted having received the money sent to Bieber under the name of Lanham. He will have to stand trial here on the charge.