Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 301, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1916 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 [ADVERTISEMENT]

IMPORTANT CASE DECIDED IN COURT Gary Man Fined SIOO For Issuing Check With No Funds In Bank To Meet Payment, NEW LAW STRICT ON THIS POINT Those Who Make a Practice of Issuing Checks With Advanced Date Must “Look a Little Out.” Crown Point Star. A case of more than ordinary interest to bankers and merchants was tried in the circuit court here last Thursday, it being the case of the State vs Jos. Grieger, a Gary con* tractor, in which the defendant was being tried for a charge of having issued a check to a Schererville man in payment of a bill without having sufficient funds in the bank to pay the check in full on its presentation. The evidence disclosed that the check was issued on the 12th of September and dated September 15th and is what ’s known as a past dated, check. The theory of the defense was that there could be no conviction for issuing a past dated check. Judge McMahan ruled otherwise, and instructed the jury that under the law as it now stands, it is a criminal offense for anyone to issue a check in payment of any debt or obligation where the drawer of such check has not sufficient funds or credit with the bank to pay the check in full on its presentation and the fact that the check is dated on a day later than its delivery makes no difference. This prosecution was based on an act of tfhe legislature passed in 1911 W'hich reads as follows: “Who in the payment of any obligation, shall make, draw, utter or deliver any cheeky or order for payment of mony upon any bank, knowing at the time of such making, drawing, uttering or delivering that the maker or drawer has not sufficient funds in or credit with such bank for the payment of such chock or order in full upon its presentation, shall be fined not less than SIOO nor more than $5,000, to which may be added imprisonment in the state prison, not less than one year nor more than five years.” Before this act was passed one could go to a store and buy a bill of goods and give his check dated a few days later, take; the goods home with him, and there being no money in the bank to meet the check upon presentation to the bank on which it was drawn, it would be returned to Mr. Merchant unpaid and he would be out the amount of the bill. According to the ruling of the court in the Greiger case, it is up to the man who issues a check to see that he has sufficient funds in the bank to take up his checks, otherwise he is liable to a fine of from SIOO to $5,000, and imprisonment in the state penitentiary from one to fourteen years. Greiger was found guilty and fined SIOO and costs. This is the second conviction in the circuit court within the last few months. It is said that there are a number of men from Gary and vicinity who make it a business to go out in- the country sections of Lake county and buy produce from country stores and give future dated checks in payment, when they have no funds in the banks. It seems that nothing sliort of the state’s prison will stop the practice. It is said ' that several merchants in Crown Point have .been tfhe victims of these sharks and they have already placed their cases in the hands of the prosecuting attorney and several more arrests are likely to follow very soon. D. DeYoung and wife, of Newland, received a telegram today announcing the very serious illness f the if daughter at Racine, Wis. They left for her bedside on the afternoon train. Ben Smith went to Rockville, Ind., today and will return with his nephew, Floyd Smith, who has been in the sanitarium at that place.. Floyd has received n<r benefit from the treatment there.

■ * • I « CORNER CAFE’S Christinas Spscials $ Heinon Oysters Bulk 45c quart 25c pint :/ n 4 «-• Meals and Hot Lunches) Served at all Hours d ?■ 1