Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1910 — FORMER RENSSELAER BOY IN TOILS AT LAFAYETTE. [ARTICLE]

FORMER RENSSELAER BOY IN TOILS AT LAFAYETTE.

Ben Thomas Attempts to Pass Forged Checks, Is Arrested, Convicted nnd Sent to Reformatory. Ben Thomas, son of Morris Thomas, deceased, a former resident of Rensselaer, was taken to the reformatory at Jeffersonville Tuesday, having been sentenced at Lafayette within an hour from the time he was arrested for trying to pass forged Checks. Ben is a brother of Jake Thomas, who was well known here by the nickname of “Butch” applied to him when he worked in a butcher chop here when a boy. -Jake became a good citizen, taught school and engaged in the insurance business at_Brook. His brother, Ben, however, was a reckless and indolent chap and his ending up in the penitentiary is no surprise to those here who knew his tendencies. Of his arrest and conviction the Lafayette Journal says: Within an hour after' he had attempted to pass a. forged check on John J. Ryan, the coal dealer at Thirteenth and Union streets, Benjamin Thomas was sentenced to the Indiana reformatory at Jeffersonville Tuesday afternooni by Judge DeHart in the circuit court. - <

A few minutes before 2 o’clock a message was received at police headquarters requesting that an officer be sent at once to the Ryan coal office. Captain Kluth and Officer Eversole started' at once for the scene of trouble. The first conveyance they encountered was the automobile belonging to Fisher & Jones and, with Floyd Jones as chauffeur, the officers made a flying trip-up Main street. Everybody saw they were in a hurry and gave them the right of way. When the officers reached the coal yard, the man who had caused the trouble had left. The last seen of him was when he was going down an alley toward the Wabash yards. Officer Eversole left the machine and started around the block, while Captain. Kluth drove on to the Union street crossing. When he reached the grossing, he saw the man he was after near the coal chutes. He ordered him to halt and the man obeyed. He was placed in the machine and was taken to police headquarters. About 1:45 o’clock a yourig man called at Mr. Ryan’s office - * and ordered a half ton of coal sent to 514 North street. He tendered a check for sls on the National Fowler bank. It was signed by Frank Kennel. Mr. Ryan said he did not havd enough money to cash the check. He excused himself and went across the street to a telephone. It was then that the message was. sent to police headquarters. He detained the man as long as he could, but he left the office before the officers arrived.

At headquarters the man gave his name as Benjamin Thomas. He said that he was a railroad fireman and had been employed on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois at Danville. An affidavit was at once made by Prosecutor Klmmel and was signed by Captain Kluth. Thomas was taken before Judge DeHart and entered a plea of guilty to the charge of forgery. He gave his age as twenty years, although he appeared to be much older, and was given a sentence of from two to fourteen years. The penalty did not seem to cause him much concern. Thomas tried to cash the check at the Wabash restaurant before he went to - the coal office. It was the only check he had and he said he secured It at the National Fowler bank. He had known Frank Kennel for some time and the check was filled out in Kennel’s place of business. Thomas borrowing a pen from Mr. Kennel to do the writing. Thomas lived at Rensselaer for some time and was employed here as a bell .boy at the Hines hotel, now the St. Nicholas, - at one time. He has been working at different places and spent somp time in the Chicago jail. Mr. -Kennel has been acquainted with him for about seven years. Lafayette has been flooded with bad checks within the last year and -tbeF prompt arrest and punishment of Thomas may put a stop to it. The promptness of Mr. Ryan in notifying the authorities was instrumental in bringing Thomas to Justice.