National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-01-07
THE TYLER FORGERIES.
Attorney Wells Withdraws the Grim
inaI Charges.
Rcviow of the Case-The On-Tnid Story
of Young Man Led into Crooked
Paths-His own Reputation and
His Fathers Fortune Ruined
-Nollo Prosequlos En-
tored In Five Cases.
settlement OF a Long-PondIng Case.

tored In Five Cases
Settlement OF a Long Pending Case.
Yesterday during temporary respite in a
trinl in the Criminal court, District ttorncy
Wells called the attention of the court to tho
tivo indictments for forgery pending against
William Tyler. He said that n little more
than foui years ago, young man exceedingly
well connected, who was born in this District,
and the son Of a highly eminent and respected
ph ysiCan, suddenly became prominent in
business circles, shining with unusual splcndor
for II short time aud then abruptly disap-
pearcd All sorts Of rumors wcro for . time
in circulation. 1t was said he had failed, that
he had attempted TO commit suicide, that he
had fed. He had indeed failed in business
(buyiug and selling real estate on cOmmissiOn)
in which one might be unsuccessful but could
legitimately incur no great loss, and the COM
munity was greatly shocked by the discovery
that this hitherto irreproaChablo young man
had been guilty Of a series of the most reckless,
bold, but clumsy forging, involving his best
Friends, but particularly his father in irrc-
tricvablc financial ruin. The amount of for
gcries of the fathers namo he did not know,
tbut it was moro than enough to strip the
Father Of the aCCumulatioms of his entire life,
leaving him at nearly seventy years Of age to
depend for the further support of himself and
Tyler paid out, rs he was Informed, upon this
sons obligations the whole ofhis considerable
fortune.
The sons life was for long timo in great
peril, but somewhat improved, bo was brought
TO trial in cause No. 1916, on the 26th of De-
lcember, 1876, Mr.. Justice Macarthur prcsid-
ing. The trial was long aud painful
one, the single issue being the soundncss of
the prisoners mind at the time tho fOrgeres
were committed. When the trial WIS nearly
Icompleted, aud while the closing argument
ITas being made tho prisoner WAS attacked
with II spnsm of coughing that brought on u
dangerous hemorrhage Of the lungs, not only
greatly imporiling his life but which made it
necessary to remove him to the marshall 5
office, where he had to remain all night and
part of the next day before he could b. safely
removed.
Tho jury failing to agree after being out
for moro than u day, they were discharged, and
from that tme for more than two years the
prisoners ne has been in nlmUs. constant peril,
Band his mertal condition has been so impaired
that at no time since tho last hearing could he
have again been put upon his trial.
7 During the last year ho had been furnished
swith II very carefully prepared history of the
eoung mans condition, symptoms and prog
fess, made, it was true, hyi,is father, but none
he less reliable for chat reason, for the caudor
NJ impartiality g4' that venerable man were
so .ticcable tho trial as to elicit the strong
comm pdation of the presiding judge-and ms
now g. yes the greatest weight to his statement.
There l. 81 also been placed in his hands SINH
lar, thous briefor, statement by two other
medical inc which leaves little, If any, doubt
tllat the prissaSs- Stne time ho co0nhicted
tho several criminal acts Of such an unsound
mind as rendered him irresponsible for what
he did in that behalf.
Besides tho matters already mentioned, the
persons who, next to Dr. Tyler, were the
gros est pecunary sufferers have expressed in
writing their consent that tho several Crmi.
nal charges referred to be dismissed, all OF
which papers he held in his hand and desired
to have filed in the causes. In view of the
facts aud circumstances of this most painful
case he deemed it his duty before retiring
from office, to ask His Honor to direct that a
ioNe prOseqni be entered in the five cases re.
| fcued to- and regretted that they could not at
the same time repair the consequences of this
unfortunate young mans act. The peounary
losses incurred by tho gentlemen who took the
forged papers, though great, are slight us com.
pared with the suffering which tho hand OF
God inhicts upon William Tyler, but oven that
falls below tho severity of tho sorrow and
anguish with which the gray.haired father is
smtten-an anguish that none but suffering z
father of high-mudod and honorable instincts
can fully appreciate, and whose duration is
bounded only by the last moment OF the final
day of his mortal life.
The cases were us follows Tho first indict-
ment was found March 81, 1876 for forging
tho name of his father, Grafton Tyler, to "a
note dated November 10. 1875, for sixty days.
for $500, which was ershed by tho Citizons'
National Bank.
The second indictment was found on tho
same day as the first, and was for forging the
Endorsement of his father to Il note for II, 900
for ninety days dated October ., 1915, and
which was accepted by James III. Savillo.
The third was presented by the Grand Jury
April 10, 1876, for forging the Endorsement OF
william IL, Dougal to note for $1,000, signed
by A. @. Staats, for three years, and dated May
H. 1875, with intent to detTaud Jacob A. Shin.
doll.
Tho fourth was found April 10, 1876 and
was for forging the Endorsement Of his father
to note drawn by himself for 5000 for sixty
days, and dated September II, 1875, with in
tent TO defraud Jacob \, Shiudell, who dis
counted It.,
The fifth and last indictment was found
April 10, 1876, and was for forging the name
OF Joshua A. Ritchio to note for $1,000
dated September %, 1878, and payable six
months after date which was also discounted
by Jacob A. Shindell
lie was placed on trial on the fourth indict.
mout on December 26 1876, before Justice
Macarthur, Messrs. MerdcS aud Mattiugly
appearing as his counsel, aud tho jury failed
to agroo and wero discharged on December 20
1t was Immediately after tho jury retired tC
make up their verdict that ho was attacked
with hemorrhage of the lungs and for Il long
time afterward death was expected to Occur
q any hour.
H,,.g =, Al. - y,y,.x ,,,r .YArpy,,