The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-03-01
EXAMINATION FOR FORGERY.


The preliminary hearing Of the case Of The
People VS.. Philip W. Quinlan, on the charge
of forgery, was had before Justices Connolly
and Fischel during the afternoon and evening
Of Thursday, the 9th ult.
At three o'clock in the afternoon the prs-
oner was brought into court by Sheriff HAYES
and Constable Chopper.
Alfred Webster, Esq, appeared for the
people, and E. d. Sweeney, Esq, as counsel
for the defendant.
Joseph Comet was called as witness on the
part of the people, and testified in substance
as follows
am county clerk of the county Of Rock
Island, state Of Illinois; have been such Tor
a number Of years. 1t is my business to keep
the blank books out of which county orders
are issued, and to attend to the issuing of the
same. This is the book the book produced
and out OF which orders are at present issued.
| donot know when it was first used.
At this time the witness was interrupted,
and the counsel for the people offered in evi.
dence three certain county orders. The first
bearing the number 1857; amount Sl9l 90,
payable to William Sandersono or order; allow
ed at the April term, 1850, and dated May
y, 1860; signed Ivy Joseph Comet, clerk and
countersigned by A. l.. Wait, treasurer. The
second bearing the No. 1902 amount $780,
%; payable to Jones, Perdu & Small, or or.
der; allowed at the special April term, 1860,
and dated April 30tb, 1860; signed and coun-
tersgned as the first The third bearing the
No. 1889; amount Sl24,lO payable to NJ.
d. Merrill, or order; allowed at the April
term 1850, and dated May lG, 1850; signed
and countersigned as the others
The orders were shown witness, who pro
ceeded did not sign these orders; neither
did FIJI them up. Witness then showed
the court the book containing the stumps OF
the original orders; and in the book in pres
ent use, showed where leaf had been cut out
on which had been three blank county orders. |
This book, until this matter came to light, |
always kept IN the place enclosed by the small
doors, under the large desk. Any person do
ing business about the Office would have no
trouble in knowing where it was kept. Am
acquainted with defendant he was frequent
" about the Office last winter; | knew moth
ing about defendants pecunary affairs; I'M
derstood he did not make much at the Peak
CroSs-erdmined.-My name to the orders
NAV have been written by my clerks: can t
tell; | never saw defendant commit any i'm
propriety about the Office; never heard my
clerks complain of him; | never left the Office
open, unless my clerks or the judges were in;
my clerks were not so particular; they did
not feel the responsibility which | did.
once cut blank leaf out of an order book,
some ten years ago; never but once; never
knew clerks to do a similar thing; they had
strict orders not to despoil an order. l
have examined the stumps in the order
book, and have not been able to find
but the one order Of Sl9l; | have not exam
ined as to the other two. think these are
not the original orders, they are always can
celed and burned by the financial committee
on settlement
T. J. Robinson, called.-l remember going
into the county clerks Office to see Mr.. Comet,
about year ago, and found defendant alone,
sitting by the stove, with law book in his
had. He said the deputy clerk had gone out
TO supper. ] came away and left him there.
Cross examined. Nothing different drawn
out.
N. A. .Sciler, called. | am a member of
the board of supervisors; have been mem.
Der of the financial committee since April,
1860. | saw these orders at our settlement in
Sent last; remember orders corresponding
TO these, in amount, at our settlement in Sep