St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-01-19

him at Sherbrooke, and on expressing
desire to return to this place, no ex-
animation was had in the Dominion,
but Mr.. Hopkins returned to this place
Friday night, and was taken in charge
by Sheriff Preston to await examina-
ton.
The hearing was held in Belden &
lde's office on Monday of this week.
The leading features of the case as
developed were these:
ChaS. Ii. Green testified, was insured
in the Fire Insurance Association of
Philadelphia. Some time in July he suf-
feed loss by fire. The damage was ap-
praised and the claim proved. Bowman
& Hopkins were settling the matter
with me. They had authority to draw
upon the Association to satisfy losses
by fire, and that on the first day of
August, 1876, he met Hopkins at the
depot in st. Johnsbury to treat with
him in regard to the insurance money
upon the burned property, that Hop
kins requested him to place the amount
of the loss which the Fire Association
were to pay upon piece of paper and
he (HOpkins) took from his pocket a
piece of commercial note paper for that
purpose. Hopkins wished him to sign
his name in full upon the same paper,
which he did. Hopkins gave his reason
for wishing him to do this, which was
that he (Hopkins) might not forget the
matter, and be able to fix it up when he
got to his Office on the Plain, which he
promised to do by sending the proved
claim to the Fire Association and get
ting their check in favor of Green.
b. ID. Hopkins testified to meeting
Green at the depot, that he requested
him (Green) to state the amount of his
loss to be paid by the Association OF
Philadelphia, and he would make a
draft upon the company in favor of him
(Green) and Green did so; that he took
blank draft from his pocket made out
the face and requested Green to indorse
which he then and there did, which in
dorsement Green alleges to be forged
He then stated that he took the draft
to the Merchants National Bank of St
Johnsbury, and had it cashed and de-
posted the money in the First National
Bank of st. Johnsbury, to await further
advices from the Association at Phila,
delphia, as there were conditions to be
complied with before the payment OF
losses, which Bowman g. Hopkins had
no authority to act under.
1t further appeared that the ink used
upon the face of the draft and that USED
in making the signature upon the back
which they claim was forged, was the
same, and the same which was at thai
time used in the baggage room at the
depot.
N. p. BOUman testified that no inl
of that shade was used in the office o
Bowman & Hopkins.
VIM. Il. Hdsen. as an expert, testified
that it was his judgment that the sigma
ture upon the draft and the one which
Green made for the purpose of com
parison were made by the same hand.
Geo. May testified in the same way
and further added that the signature oil
the back and the face of the draft were
by different hands in his opinion.
After long and patient examination
and four arguments, the Court bounC
up Mr.. Hopkins in $500 for his ap
pearance at County Court. Justic,
John w. Lewis was the Court, will
Quinton Cook us associate Justice. Tn,
States Attorney was assisted in th,
persecution by his partner, Mr.. Belden
while Mr.. Dickey helped Walter P
Smith in the defense. The result wa
disappointment to some who hearC
the evidence, and who had compared
the signature on the draft with Mr.
Green's admitted signature.
In private conversation Mr.. HOpkin
says he has been constantly anxious t,
| ratnrn bnn,o from, +1n lax, he ho,