Atlanta Daily World

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD Sunday, April 6, 1958
Georgia "Minister" Held In St. Louis For Checks
ST. LOUIS. - (NNPA) - Detectives have arrested a self-styled minister from Georgia, visiting St. Louis, on charges of passing bogus checks in executive department stores.
Held on a charge of inter-state transportation of bogus checks was Elliott Louis Strickland, 37, who gave his address as 5047 Maple.
Strickland, who had been posing as a "Reverend" was arrested at the Maple Avenue address, Sunday morning, by Detectives Edward Jones, Alphonso Kidd, Clemmie Smith and William Jeter.
According to police, Strickland passed phony checks at Scriggins, Clayton, Kline's Northland, and Saks Chandler's French Room. All of the checks were used to purchase women's clothing.
Strickland readily admitted passing the bad checks and said on two instances he was accompanied by a woman he had met since arriving in St. Louis. known to him only as "Patricia." However, the suspect declared Patricia didn't know the checks he was passing were bad.
All of the checks were drawn on a Jacksonville. Fla. bank. When he was arrested, the suspect had a new General Electric portable transistor radio in his possession. which is being held as possible evidence of another bad check.
Police talked to a woman who identified herself as Lester Berthea. 4810 Delmar. She gave a statement confirming that she was with Strickland on two occasions when the man went into Sonnenfeld's to purchase a dress for $61.15. which he gave her as a gift.
At Saks, the suspect is alleged to have bought a child's coat which he mailed to his daughter in New York, police said, after tendering a check for $48.70.
Still another check for $100 was given to another Saks saleslady for purchase of a dress for $34.75. In this instance, the suspect received $65.25 in change, police said.