The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-06-06
Extensive Forgery Case.-Several Yer.
mont Banks Heavy Losers.

tnelr memory green, lor tncy ulcu loi
our country. AJAX.
Extensive Forgery Case.--Several Ner-
mont Banks Heavy Losers.
THE FoRGER ARRESTED AND LODGED IN RuT-
LAND JAIL.
Mr.. II. G. Copeland, Cashier Of the
First National Bank Of Brandon, made
discoveries on Wednesday, May 31st,
which implicated James Il. Sawyer, OF
Whiting in series of forgeries
of paper discounted at that bank.
Sawyer, it seems, has been in the hab.
it for several years past of borrowing
considerable money Of the First National
Bank Of Brandon, offering notes purport.
ing to be signed by two or three parties
in each case, well known to the directors
Of the bank, and these notes were invari-
ably discounted for him. The notes
when due were paid in full or in part, or
renewed when they came due, and every
thing went smoothly for the forger until
last Wednesday, May 31st, when Cashier
Copeland, thinking Mr., Sawyer was using
considerable money, made some inquiries
OF Mr.. A. +. Ellsworth, one of the parties
whose name was frequently signed on
notes. about the responsibility of Sawyer
Mr.. Ellsworth replied he knew nothing
about it. The bank officer thought this
strange and remarked so to Mr.. Ellsworth,
and told him that he should think that
he would know about the means of man
who he was pledgipg his credit for. This
brought the matter to a focus suddenly
Mr.. Ellsworth was shown the notes, and
denied all the signatures. Writs were
Immediately made, and n. S. Spraguc,
Jr., Esq, President of the Bank,
with Officer Buttles proceeded to Whit
ing and arrested Sawyer, and he was
brought to Brandon and held in custody
for two nights and day, during which
time Mr. Copeland got confession re-
luctantly made, showing that the transac.
tions were not confined to his bank alone
but had been extended to several other
banks.
Sawyer was brought before Hon. Ezra
June, for examination on complaint Of
the First National Bank of Brandon and
was put under bonds of $4,000, for tria
at the next county court, in default o.
which he was committed Friday to the
Rutland Jail by officer Buttles Of Bran
, don.
The other banks who are losers, vii
probably make complaints against hin
and his bail be increased in amount
The losses so far as discovered vii
amount to the various banks on paper
forged by Mr.. Sawyer, as follows.
First National Bank Of Brandon, $4,000
, Brandon National Bank, 2.10(
J First National Bank OF Orwell, 1.G0(
National Bank Of Middlebury, 1.50C
! Vergennes National Bank, SOC
Cashier Copeland showed the Heralc
. reporter large package Of forged notes
which have been paid by Sawyer, by re
peated renewals, Or money borrowed o
one bank on forged paper to pay another
which the prisoner unwillingly gave up
amounting it was stated to over $4,000
The names forged were A. +. Els
worth, Philo Jewett A. d. Hayward
Abijah Stcarns, Isaac Stearns and Aler
Ketchum. All Of these parties bein!
considered responsible, all the bank
readily discounted their purported paper
Sawyer is a blacksmith and wheel
| wright by trade, and keeps hotel a
, Whiting we learn, and has wife
and five children, with little or no means
He does not give any satisfactory accoun
Of what he has done with most Of tn,
money he has received. 1t is thought h,
must have an accomplice, has lost b,
gambling, or has secreted the money.
Startling Suicide.
George G. Hathaway of Rutland com
, mittcd suicide at New York on Wcdnes
day and some Of the circumstance ar,
detailed by the n. Y. Times as follows
"One Of the most singular and startling
Of recent suicides was committed some
r time between the hours of 10 o'clock a
m, and 5 O'Clock P. M, on Wednesday
in one of the most elegant suits of apart
ments in the Grand Central Hotel. TIL,
victim was a gentleman who on arriving
: at the hotel on the previous evening, re
gistercd his name as j. +. Hays, Mass
, Upon his request for good accommodations
he was assigned to No. 422, which is oil
) the third floor, Broadway front, anC
| consists of a parlor, bathroom and bed
, room.
/ lie was found next morning in thu
bath having shot himself near the heart
and had apparently been some hour
r dead.
, Upon examining the effects of deceased
5 letter, covering ten pages Of note-paper
; was found, which was in an envelope, di
! rected to a gentleman living in MANSFIELD
| Place, and also indorsed "Telegraph t.
t my brother and to Mr.. Stimson, Super
: intendent Marble Works, Rutland, Vt.
=. Inside the letter was directed, 40 m,
5 friends and from its contents the dc
S ceased appeared to be George G. Hatha
: way, a resident of Rutland, VT, and al
y agent Of IL marble works establishment a
s that place. The greater portion Of tn
= letter was devoted to touching expires
G sion Of the religious sentiments Of de
ceased, and the cause Of his self destruc
Y ton was only vaguely limited in his dec
laration that he found he had contracte
Q expensive habits, and that he had tried i
e vain to live within his means. 1t appear
4 ed from statements ola friend of dccease
!, that he was about thirty-fve years ofagC
r. Of most correct habits and brilliant pros
: poets, his father being very wealthy an
}. his own means having been considere
d ample. He was widowcr, his wife hay
d ing died some time since,and in his lette
d he expressed desire to be buried wit
; her and his child. Among his paper
: were policies of life insurance in tn
II New York Life for $4,000. in the Glob
e for $500, and ia the Travellers for SO