The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-05-18
General Sessions.


TUESDAY, May l7.-WM SHALzR, Esa. Acting Dis
trict Attorney
At the opening of the Court William NJ. Price Esq.,
counsel Of Isaac Bradshaw withdrew his plea Of not guilty
the charge grand larceny and entered plea Of guilty
which was received and he remanded for sentence
The prisoner charged with picking the pocket of Ira
C. Johnson OF Ohio Saturday last While IN front ofthe
post office, of pocket book containing $1,000 but was
caught III the act by some bystandors.
Trial for Ertensire Forgeries.George Johnston, Jr,
formerly of the firm of Kirk Johnston who was arrested
IN December last charged with committing oIgeres upon
various banks in the city in the OF John Johnston.
one of the firm of Boorman Johnston, endorser to
the amount of about $40 800 placed upon his trial.
The notes were made payable TO the order of John John
s;on and signed and endorsed by Kirk Johnston, with
the forged endorsement John Johnston gene
rally discounted at reduction Of from $500 $500 the
amount of the face. The time these notes put in
circulation extended from 1888 TO the winter OF 1884,
when the iorgeries discovered. Johnston was i'm
pleaded with Kirk in the present Indictment whch Is
of the forged notes for g 900 discounted by The But CHI
efs and Drovers' Bank but Kirk having escaped
Immediately after the discovery OF the orgeries thus
saved his bacon from trial The prisoner was defended
by Nessrs Maxwell Price and Sergeant and the prosccu
ton was conducted by o. NJ Lowndes, Esq ind the act
ing District Attorney.
Butchers and Drovers Benkthe note presented being
the forgery charged in the indictment was offered at
mftituton, discounted end paced TO the credit of Kirk
and Johnston. This note is in the handwriting of pri
soner Kirk the partner OF Johnston supposed to be in
Texas Heappcarcd to be the acting in the business
oil me hrm the enclosures containing the notes offered
were generally in the handwriting of prisoner The pr
one here admitted the signature of the note presented to
Johnston.l
JOHN JOHNSTON, OF the firm OF BOorman * Johnston.
sworn nm acquainted with prisoners have never en-
dorsed notes for discount the Butchers and Dro
yer Sers Bank for HIM received letter from him last fall
Cross-eramined ~ MAYwELL-I have endorsed other
notes and voluntarily agreed from the of
the firm Of Kirk and Johnson TO endorse notes for the
OF 5000 which continued 10 from 1895 to $780, had
the most perfect confidence in him until the time Of the
discoveries of these iorgeries the discovered
the iorgerics had been Committed Immediately to
store Of Kirk Johnston, and there Kirk He disep
peared the same day; Johnston remained in the city,
| N
him much of a business man; relied principally
sometimes brought to by Kirk md sometimes by John
ston lhave reason to believe that the prisoner has lived
in very economical manner; think he is rather simple
ana might be led away by another person of more depth
in very economical manner. think he is rather simple
and might be led away by another person of depth
Direct examination resumedby LowNDsI I'm in no mnn-
ner related to prisoner endorsed the
of the friendship had for the father and uncle of prison
err In the fall of 1910 endorsed note for the firm OF
XIX Johnston for 5oooon condition that $500 houldbs
paid on each renewal The Of $500 has been Maid
on 1t never examined into their business in any man
ner made the hazard Of this sum merely TO advance
interests OF prisoner cannot believe that Johnston was
SO ignorant that if the cash capital of the concern
was Increased $4,000 he would not have known
It, Several notes here shown witness on tho
same bank for various sums the endorsement of which
he pronounced forgery, [the object which was
to show that all these in the handwriting Of
the prisoner, and therefore he must have had knowl
edge Of the forgery;l before being asked by Maxwell
witness stated that he did think the forged en-
dorsements of his name were written in the hand writing
OF Johnston.
GEORGE w. PniSeLE sworn-Was a clerk with Kirk r.
Johnston from November 1885 10 1870; then left for short
time returned again and remained with them until Joas
sion was arrested Johnston kept and ledger
the firm.
Several of the forged notes were here presented to
witness who stated that the handwriting Of the BODY of
the note and the endorsement OF Kirk Johnston was in
the handwriting Of the prisoner
The books were kept by double entry, and the cash
book was kept by myself as well rs both OF the hrm
CossELIu. lIsrrR, President OF the Bank New York,
called upon the stand and ssvern of the rpl no,s
shown him which discounted nj tina, nstn,on and
and which he said were placed to the credit Kirk &
Johnston.
Jams 0aIArrs, Prcsidcn. of the National Bunk was
sworn, when the acting District Attorney applied 20 the
court to allow the forged notes. which other ndict-
e had been found to be shown TO witness in order to
show the seenter in the which objected TO bv
the counsel for defence and the court decided tina, the
notes could not be unless the prosecution would
ABANDON the charge OF forgery, as would false
issue before the jury.
Groner w. rnrscLr again called and upon num-
Der OF checks signed by Kirk and Johnston having been
presented to him, he stated that with very exceptions
hey were drawn in the handwriting of the prisoner,
johnston Kirk oitcn requested johnson draw notes
and stated that he had to go to Greenwich street to get
them endorsed
The prosecution here and the defence then called
anumber of witnesses to the previous honesty and
character for integrity of the prisoner also his lack Of
business habits and mbcclty of character generally
Among other witnesses sworn David - Kennedy.
with whom prisoner was engaged for some Tune lie
stated that he considered him incapable OF keeping
the letter book Of his firm, and therefore discharged HIM
possible. All these witnesses on cross eNami-
nation testified that they thought would be impossible
for the Of $4,000 10 be added to the capital of the
firm of Kirk & Johnston without the prisoner knowing
H. These witnesses stated that they thought Kirk TO be-
.hrcwd smart fellow and capable OF leading johnson
bv the nose into good or evil
The court took a recess from 3o'clocs till 5, when the
cause summed up by Nessrs. Maxwell and Price for
defence and D. VI. Lownde Esl and the acting District
Attorney for prosecution Judge Lynch charged the
poincdly against the prisoner the evidence GER
any indicated and the jury after absence OF half
hour returned verdict Of guilty of the second clause OF
the Indictment which charges him with uterng is-
suing the notes only" The penalty however is the same
brought in guilty Of hitting the forgery although
the court may exercise eny passing ssntence under
The peculiar circumstances attending the result