Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 180, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1914 — ATTORNEY F. M. ROSS IN HAMMOND ESCAPADE [ARTICLE]

ATTORNEY F. M. ROSS IN HAMMOND ESCAPADE

Alleged to Have Issued Bad Checks and Secured New Overland Auto By Fraud. Hammond Times. Lewis and Spencer, the garage men, East Chicago, are out a brand new Overland, ear, certain banks are overstocked with worthless checks. The Maryland Casualty Co. is somewhat concerned over the forfeiture of one of their bonds, and Joe Meade !s relieved’ of an undesirable partner through the disap pearance of Attorney Frank M. Ross, formerly of Kentland but recently in business with Attorney Meade in the Oalumet building. About ten days ago Mr. Ross ap pered at the garage and negotiated the purchase of one of the new cars that the firm had in stock. He wanted the ear that day but did not have his Checkbook with him and promised to leave a check for SSOO at the East Chicago bank the next morning, inasmuch as Lewis and Spencer were just leaving town for a few days. He was given possession of the car but failed to produce the SSOO the next morning as 'he promised. He drove the car about town for a day or two, then informed Mr. Meade that he was going to make a trip to South Bend. He has not since been seen in the city. ; When the garage men returned then soon dfo evened the situation and at once took steps to locate the man who had gone to South Bend. They were un-succesSlul and the matter is now in the 'hands of the detectives of the Motorists Security Alliance. ' Inasmuch as he had come to East Chicago under -such gilt edged recfirst loath to believe that Ross was playing a double game. He discovered the true situation, however, a couple of weeks ago and called Ross to account tor, hi« conduct, then and there annulling their parter than the had supposed. to speaking of the affair Mr. Meade said that he felt very keenly the disgrace that Roas had Drought upon the firm name and very pnch regretted that he had ever had apythtng to do with the man. Ho said that before taking him in to the office he had investigated his character as thoroughly as one man could possibly investigate another and that Ross had a ten year record before coming to East Chicago that was apparently spotless; that he was the son-in-law of Judge Darroch, of Kentland, and that Kentland as a whole held* him in high esteem. It was about the middle of June proewumgs aguiiwv iuin» Jjxr• ivi'tstm. “ 'X’cwjfv vu. ■<* vux vi iivu* this was simply a wrong lead to throw detectives off the track Is thus far an unanswered question.