Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1901 — THE CIRCUIT COURT. [ARTICLE]

THE CIRCUIT COURT.

This is the last week of the November term of the Jasper circuit court and part of the time court was held in both rooms. It has been quite a busy week. The more important cases disposed of are as follows: Thomas Price of Barkley tp., was declared of unsound mind and W. E. Price was appointed his guardian. T. F. Clark, supt., of the poor farm was appointed custodian of the insane man and is to receive 75c. per day for his care at the poor asylum. A. P. Baker, the New York Life Insurance man, charged with obtaining money under false pretenses, was arraigned in court Wednesday morning and plead guilty to the charge and was sentenced to the penitentiary for one to seven years. The notes on which he secured the money are alleged to have been forged, and had he stood trial this fact would have been proven, it is claimed, and he took the easiest way out of the scrape by pleading guilty. Baker's plan is said to have been to use notes of this character as collateral at the banks when he wanted a little money for temporary use. It was a dangerous business and has finally landed him in state’s prison. Among the notes that have thus far turned up that are alleged to have been forged by him is one of $59 on Ed Lakins; $59 on Homer Lakin; $57.95 on Wm. L. Nowels; $37 on Henry Kuloph and also one on Joseph Nagel. Daisy A. DeVooght was granted a divorce from Joseph DeVooght, but is prohibited from marrying again for two years. Mary Oleson was granted a divorce from her husband, John 11. Oleson, on the ground of abondonrnent, and resumes her maiden name of Hamilton. The Fair Oaks state case against Emery White for shooting quail out of season, resulted in disagreement of jury. The appealed case of Thomas Harris of Remington vs. Lewis Harris, was decided against the former.

The case of State vs. Griggs, the Fair Oaks case for disturbing a meeting, the jury failed to agree, and the court discharged Griggs. In the Remington railroad case, the town has asked for a new trial. The case was to come up for argument Thursday, but did not. The two big cases of the term were the Coen (administrator) vs. Halstead, and the Forsythe vs. Rensselaer cases. The former was on trial Wednesday and Thursday, and the jury gave a judgement against defendant for SSOO damages. Frank Steel of Wheatfield tp., was arrested Thursday charged with forging a check on Geo. B. Switzer. The case was set for yesterday. The Forsythe vs. city of Rensselaer was started Thursday and was still on trial yesterday before Judge Lairyof Logansport. John Huff, who is charged with having set fire to his brother’s, Julius Huff’s barn in Jordan tp , a few weeks ago, was arrested last week in Pulaski county and was brought here Monday and landed in jail. His trial was set for yesterday.