Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 173, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1915 — WILLIAM BRANDENBERG AGAIN IN THE TOILS [ARTICLE]

WILLIAM BRANDENBERG AGAIN IN THE TOILS

jVfan Sent to Reformatory Four Years Ago For Forgery Commits Same Crime at Attica.

William Brandenberg, alias William H. Smith, was arrested by Deputy Sheriffs Rice Porter and L. A. Harmon Thursday noon at a farm northeast of Zadoc, where he was working with Henry Hendrickson’s thrashing gang. The officers were accompanied to the scene of Brandenberg’s arrest by Moe Nathan, of Attica, who had cashed a check for S2B in Nathan’s clothing store at Attica. The check was drawn in favor of Willipm H. Smith and signed “Lars Anderson.” It was one of four forged checks cashed at Attica the same day and all bearing the forged signature of Anderson. One of the checks was for $6 and was cashed at Pete Redman’s restaurant, one was for sl2 and was cashed at Hugh Sheridan’s saloon and the third was for $8.50 and was cashed by Jacob Shankayles. The checks totaled $54.50.

Brandenberg is said to be the man who committed the forgeries and to have cashed the checks. He is the same Brandenberg who was sent to the reformatory from this county some five years ago for having passed a forged check at Wheatfield. He served three years of his indeterminate term and says that he was discharged. Although the forgeries were committed over a month ago Brandenberg had escaped arrest until Thursday. He had been working on a farm near Attica and on the 17th of June went to Lewis Nathan’s clothing store and selected a suit of clothes priced at $13.50. He paid Moe Nathan, the clerk, 50 cents to put the suit away for 'him until the next day and then went in to get it. He had a check for S2B and got the suit of clothes and sls in cash. The other forgeries were committed the same day. Brandenberg is supposed to have come to this county at once qnd at the time of his arrest was working for Hendricks, who needed his services and who offered to pay the sum of the checks if Brandenberg could be released, and the deputy officers brought a check to town with them to cover the total of the forgeries but the officers of a county can not serve as a collection agency and the- check was returned to the man who had offered to make good the check swindles.

The manner in which Nathan learned of the whereabouts of Brandenberg is interesting. An Attica newspaper had told of the forgeries and described the man who had committed them. One of the papers reached a subscriber at Kniman who thought certain that the description fit Brandenberg and who went to Attica to inform Nathan of his suspicions. Nathan came to Rensselaer Wednesday and without either a warrant or the aid of Rensselaer officers went to Kniman to try to compel Brandenberg to make the checks good. He could not locate his man at Kniman and the justice of the peace to whom he applied told him that lie could not issue a warrant for the man’s arrest. He then came to Rensselaer and procured a warrant and accompanied Deputies Porter and Harmon on a search for the alleged forger. Brandenberg was so certain that the plan to make good the checks would release him that he came to town feeling that he would soon be released, but when Mr. Nathan called the prosecutor at Attica he was informed that Brandenberg would have to answer the charge of forgery even though he reimbursed those who had lost by cashing the checks. Sheriff Reuben Beamer, of Fountain county, came today to get Brandenberg and take him back tb Attica to answer the charge of forgery and he will doubtless get a long sentence. He is a big man and capable of hard work hut it is said he is not mentally very well balanced.