The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-24
ALLEGED CROOKEDNESS.
l.. B. Leonard, the Real Estate
Agent, in Trouble.

The Enquirer of this morning contains
an item to the effect that Mr. L. B. Leon
ard, the real estate agent, is in trouble, the
charge against him being nothing
less than forgery The case, according to
that paper is this:
For several years past Mr.. Leonard has
been employed by Mrs Mary S. Dudley to
collect the rents of her extensive property
in the Western part of the city, she herself
living with her son-in-law, Major Breckin-
| ridge, U. s. A., at Fort Foote, near Wash
ington City.
About month ago Leonard's agency was
taken from him by Mrs. Dudley, and few
days ago she was in receipt of a letter from
Mr.. John Wilson, Secretary of the Times
Company, asking when she would be ready
to cancel mortgage note of 81, 200 held by
him. Mrs. Dudley not having been in the
city for years, and not having signed any
note of the kind corresponded with her at
torney and asked for an explanation.
The attorney at once proceeded to the
County Recorders Office where he found
the mortgage, duly executed, and as pur-
porting to be signed by Mrs Dudley.
There were also four other mortgages on
Mrs Dudley's property, signed by the same
hand. The Enquirer item winds up as
follows:
These mortgages were all acknowledged
before Mr.. Aldrich, Notary Public, who is
now dead were all signed by female hand,
and some of them were witnessed by Leon
ard. Though signed with Mrs. Dudley's
name, there was no attempt made to coun-
terfeit her signature, as comparison with
it showed.
Leonard was summoned before Mrs. Dud-
ley's attorney and charged with the crime
of forgery. He admitted his guilt at once,
and, throwing himself upon his knees
begged for mercy, promising to make good
every dollar of the amount if given little
time. Mrs. Dudley's brother, DR.. Scott, of
Lexington, learned of the matter, wrote at
once to the attorney to collect all the evil
dence in the case. He will be
at once take steps to have Leonard arrest
ed. The note for So, 100 was sold to Ger
man widow who had about that amount of
money, all she had in the world, which she
wished to invest where it would yield her
good interest. Leonard paid her the inter
est regularly, and, though the note arrived
at maturity some time ago, the lady did not
press him for payment in consequence.
1t is said that Leonard had
female friend who personated
Mrs Dudley, and signed her name for him.
1t is also alleged that most of the money
obtained by those forgeres went to main
tain rapid women. And it is further as
serted that at the Recorders office last
night evidence of thousands of dollars more
forgeres had been found against Mr.. Leon
ard. His predicament is not an enviable
one, by any means"
A STAR reporter visited Mr.. Leonards
office, No 6S West Third street, but was
told there that Mr.. Leonard was lying seri-
ously i'll at his home in Avondale This
and other sickness in the family had pre-
vented him from coming to his place of
business.
The employees of Mr.. Leonard and the
gentlemen who have desk-rooms in the
office knew nothing of tine affair until
this morning, when they read the article in
the ENQUIRER.