The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-12-17

Meet Of orr readers doubtless r
memSer tho circumstances attend
bng tho arrest Of Geo. L. Clarl
former Dept. Treasurer, on chars
sf forgery; but as many do not, W
&ive brief recital Of them: o
Me 18th ofAprll, 1874, while Clar
was acting in The capacity Of Dep
e'y, Peter Welb,s, a member of tn
StrosuasL Lumber Company, @
4snistee, went to Chase for til
parPOso Of rcdoe'nin2 some laid
ewued by the Company, in thi
county, xhich had been sold 10
taxes the previous Fall. Accord
Ing 10 all statements in regard I,
the matter, WeheS accompanies
By Mr.. @. Magnan, arrived a
Chasc, shortly before dark, Satur-
day evening, the 18th. treasure
Bigtec had gore home, (about
saile, or aile aud a halt from Chase
aud Clark was applied to to tran
sact tho business. Goiug over t.
the Treasurer's office and examin-
Ing the law, they found that where
rsdemptIons were 3ot paid on OF
before the first day of each quarter,
n,srest would have to be computed
up to the eud OF the current quar-
ter. EleveS days had elapsed be-
yond the last of March. Wclbcs
wanted Clark to throw utf the
amount Of interest for the last auar.
ter and accept tho principal and in
tsrest up 10 that quarter; but Clark
refused 10 do so. He told Wclbes
that he wonId 60 and see Bigbee
that evening, aud if he (Bigbee)
would accept tho money, all right.
Wslbos wished to start early on the
following morning for home, and
Clark told him he need not cit up
and wait for his return; but that il
Eigtes would accept the money and
Sign the receipt, it would he but q
short job to make the transfer In
the morning. Clark went aid in
terviewed Bigbce, bu, the latter re
fused to accept the money, as he
could not DO 50 according TO law.
On the following morning, accord
Ing to the testimony of Welbes,
Clark presented the certificate prop
erly signed by Bigbeo aud counter
signed 10y Latlrop, as Clerk; and
Wclbes thcn paid him (Clark) 81
200. This transaction occurred in
the sitting room Of the hotel KEEP
by Clark, about Z or 8 O'Clock Sun
day morning. Mrs. Geo. L. Clark,
and John Randall, (tho latter, then
in The employ OF Clark testify tina,
they were in the sit,ing room dur
iag the time, and that Welbes re-
fused to pay the redemption money,
un!ess interest for he current quar-
lee was deducted; and Clark, rolus.
iSg TODD that, Welbes lett for hume
without paying the taxes. Clark's
&grece with their evil
deRce.
On the 18th, CLARK loft home,
evidently for tho purpose Of visiting
relatives in New York, and re.nrn-
ng the following Saturday. As he
did not return, much apprehension
VIVA man tested for lis Whereabouts.
Sonic supposed him to have been
before renching Reed
City. t.'r which place he had sci
PVT on font. A large patty secured
he woods between Rect City aud
Chase, and a messenger sent down
~ Grape and Paris, on the q. r.
Z |. Railway, WIN ascerinincd that
person answering TO Clark's de-
cription had taken the cars at the
after place, bnuud south. At the
ime If the search, Eoihing in re-
ard to the tax money ssems to
ave been made public; but within
few days after, it was noised
bont that Clark had received the
money and had absconded, &c.
Communications sent to the point
y New York where Clark wac sup.
'osed to have gone. ELECTED the in.
,rmation that he had not been
here. Varieus ramors were in cir.
ulation, the chi.fonc of which was
hot Clark had forged The names Of
'igbee and Lail.rop, obtained the
aoney and abscondcd. After sew
raj weeks had elapsed, Clark re-
hrned, aud vas arrested for for
cry. The warrant was issued by
ustico M. 9. King. At the pre-
mInary examination, Justice Phi
stns Siegins, Of Yates, and Justice
;. q. Chapman, Of Cherry Valley
'ere associated with King. The
videnco developed itself ne stated