Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1905 — ARRESTED FOR FORGERY. [ARTICLE]

ARRESTED FOR FORGERY.

Nlneteen-Year-Old flonon Lad Forges John Eger's Name to Bank Checks. J. R. Wickum, a young lad from Monon was brought here Friday evening by W. C. Sutton and Dan Fairchild of Demotte and lodged in jail, charged with forgery. Young Wickum has been working in a livery stable at Monon, where his mother resides, but was about Rensselaer a few days last week, Friday morning he left town on the milk train and later landed at Demotte. There he made some purchase at a store and passed a $lO check on the Ist National bank of Rensselaer with John Eger’s name signed thereto. Later he went to Sutton & Fairchild’s store and bought a pair of slioes, presenting a check for sl2 made out to J. C. Witham and endorsed on the back by the name of the payee. Here he also was given the difference in cash. Mr. Sutton soon became suspicious that all was not right and set out to find the young man, locating *him at Troxell’s hotel. He was brought to Rensselaer and Saturday morning was given a freliminary hearing before Squire rwin and bound over to the circuitcourt in bonds of SSOO. Failing to give bond he was returned to jail, ==- —= He had told Sutton <fc Fairchild that he had worked for Mr. Eger for several months and that the j check was for balance of pay for his services, but he had not worked here at all and the latter testified that he had never seen him before. The forgery was a bungling job. A casual examination of the check would convince anyone that it was not right. -Young Wickum’s-elder brother is said to have lately completed a term in prison for cattle stealing, and it is very likely that this lad will be given a safe refuge to repent over the way of the transgressor for a year or two at at least.