Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1913 — FORGED CHECK ON WALTER V. PORTER [ARTICLE]

FORGED CHECK ON WALTER V. PORTER

Man Said to Be Reuben Blockmore Gashed Pergsd Ohaek afc F. A. Morrow & Sons’ Store. F. A. Morrow & Sons, who conduct a grocery store on Van Rensselaer street, cashed a check for a stranger Monday evening and learned ?4 hours later that it was forged. The check was for $lO and was made payable to Daniel Kippener and bore the name of Walter Porter as payee. Monday evening a man entered the Morrow store and asked if they could cash a cfiieck for $lO. He was answered affirmatively and when Mr. Morrow looked in the money drawer he Tound that there/was hot quite enough money on hand to cash it W. E. Harris, the creamery man, happened to be in the store and Mr. Morrow asked him if he had $lO with him and he replied that he had and Mr. Morrow borrowed the money to cash the check. The following morning some one called the Morrow store and asked if the' check had been cashed and when informed that it had been, asked that it be held until later iq the day, stating that it was Mr. Porter talking and that he would come in later in the day and take it up. No one came, however, and in the evening Mr. Morrow called Mr. Porter, who was at his farm southwest of town, and asked about the check. Mr. Porter at once realized that some one had forged his name. He came to town this Wednesday morning and went to the Morrow store and found that the signature on the che<}k was so nearly like his own writing that he could scarcely tell the difference except that he always uses his middle initial, signing all checks Walter V. Porter, but the initial was- omitted frote this check. He know of no person by the name of Daniel Kippinger and asked for a description of the man. Morrow gave a description so that Mr. Porter tyas able to learn that the man was not Daniel Kippener but Reuben Blackmore, who for some time had been stopping at Barnes’ restaurant and working part of the time for the telephone company. He had worked last year for Tom Porter, near Remington. Mr. Porter learned that Blackmore had been drinking Tuesday morning and that he and George Kaufman, from south of town, had gone to Lafayette on the 2 o’clock train Tuesday afternoon. He hunted up Sheriff Hoover, swore out a warrant for Blackmore and the sheriff went to Lafayette on the 11 o’clock train this morning and it is quite pYobable will find Blackmore there. It is stated that Blackmore comes from a good family at Springfield. 111., 'but had some trouble there and is at this time a fugitive from justice. He is almost certain to get a trip over the road if captured.