Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-15

FORGERY CAsE.-Saturday night Superin-
tendent Richards examined the witnesses in
the case of the United States against J. III.
Phillips, who stands charged with forging a
check Tor So92 1pon the Assistant Treasurer of
the united States at New York. The check
purported 10 be drawn by Major Charles 8.
Jones, paymaster of the army, in this city,
payable TO Frederick Hanson or bearer. The
accused IS quite young, and is very respectfully
connected, and considerable sympathy in his
behalf was manifested by those present
The arrest was made by Assistant Superin-
tendent Reed, who stated that on Friday night
he was sent for by Mr.. A. :. Cox, claim agent,
10 make the arrest of a young man who at
for SSg2.
Agjor G. s. Jones, after examining the check,
testified that the signature was not his, though
II looks very much like il. 1t has the appear
dnce OF being regularly drawn, except that
checks drawn upon New York are drawn to
order and not to bearer The Young man had
b employed in his office. The prisoner
admitted TO witness that he wrote the check
Mr.. Cor testified that on Friday night young
man, very much like the prisoner, presented
the check to him, and requested HIM to cash it.
witness had just made a deposit, and did not
have the money al hand. Examined the check
well; the signature looked bad, but the Young
man said he wanted to send il TO the person il
belonged to that night Witness proposed to give
him portion that night and the balance in the
morning, taking the check as security The
young man thought it would not do, and asked
II the check would pass current at the hotel.
witness told him il was probable; but that he
(witness) would not like to have the checks of
the Department hawked about. Looked at the
check again, saw IT was drawn TO bearer, con-
trary TO an order prohibiting such checks.
Asked the young man If he was Fred'k Han
son. He said mo Asked him how he got it.
He said it was sent by Major Jones, and he
(accused) got II from his mail-box too late TO
collect II, and wanted to send it TO Hanson.
The young man took the check and said he
would think about witness proposition. Wit
ness saw him again with suspicious indi-
yidual, AID next morning meeting that person
asked him where was his friend. He replied,
who. PhillipsF' Witness said ~ :" The man
turned to companion and asked, "Bob,
where's Phillips - The reply was, Il reckon
he has gone TO Wizards" Witness remarked
that he had the money for his check now, and
would like TO see him. Asked the stranger
who Phillips was, and he said he was pay
masters clerk. Asked him how he knew. and
said he saw him go TO the office, and Phillips
said so. Asked him TO show the office. Wit
office, near Willards'. Asked the Paymaster
If he had a clerk named Phillips he said no;
and asked his clerks if they knew such a one:
they said they did not. Witness went to Major
Jones and asked him if he had drawn a check
in favor Of Frederick Hanson for eight or nine
hundred dollars. He said he had not. Subse-
quently met Phillips and he asked If witness
had the money Witness said he had. Phil
lips said he had not the check with him, but
would go and get il. Witness sent for Assis-
tant Superintendent Reed, and pointed Phil
lips out. T. sed followed and arrested hira and
found the check on him.
The evidence closed. and Mr.. Ford, for the
defense, said that as the overt act had not been
committed, the accused could not be con victed
of any offense. He could write a check and
sign any ones name 10 ii and put il in his
pocket, but unless he obtained money upon il
Superintendent Richards said he was not
satisfied upon that point, and in order to con-
suit the authorizes, he would reserve his de-
cision until Tuesday next at o'clock p. m,
and in the meantime would take bail for the
prisoners appearance. Bail was entered for
his appearance in the sum of s. 900.