The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-03-30
Revealing Forgery Il
(nprt
leicester Bullefin.1

The recent death in our State Pcnltcntlary
of W. w. Ward, the former Sheriff OF vii.
liamSburg county, recalls the circumstances
that led to the discovery of his crime, which
are the most extraordinary ia our criminal
annals. Ea3y
At the Spring term, 1873, OF the Court Of
II. Livingston brought suit against Ward to
recover the sum of five thousand dollars,
money loaned on Wards sealed note. His
Honor Judge f.. }. Maclley presided, ana. by
consent o: counsel, heard tie case without u
tu-y,
The plaintiff proved the execution OF the
note md closed his case. Wards counsel then
produced the receipt Of Livinston dated two
amount due, principal and interest, and a wit
ness testified he had seen tie payment made
IN one hundred dollar bills and four five hun
dred dollar bills, TO Livingston himself on the
day named in the receipt.
The plHintif took the witncSs-Stand and on
examining the receipt ADM that II bore
his true md genuine signature, but solemnly
protested that he had not received one dollar
from Ward and had never entered Wards
house In his life. for any purpose. lie declared
that he was ruined, and that he and his wife
would be made homeless by a 1aise receipt
which he could not explain, but which he
never knowingly signe'l. On cross eXamina.
tiol, Livingston, who was an old man. admit
ted that his memory was very infilm and that
he had on previous OCCASION received a pay
ment OF two hundred dollars from another
debtor of his which he afterwards denied re-
ceiv!ng, but which he recalled to memory
when shown his receipt.
The plaintiff and his counsel at this stage of
the proceedings were in utter despair, for their
cause was apparently lost: Judge Macke%
however, whose subtle brain and practlced
eye nothing can escape, and who follows crime
ccipt should he handed to hiin. He then or
dercd the Sheriff to proceed to the nearest
Drug Store and purchase a drachm Of Muriat-
ic Observation-Disclosures of spongc.- On The
Return Of the officer with the articles named,
the Judge said to the pluin;ifl, Mr.. Livings-
ton, did you ever write q letter to the defend
ant, Ward, demanding payment Of your
money!" The plaintiff answered, eyes, Sir, l
wrote him many letters but never received an
served to counsel, Il perceive that on the face
Of this receipt there are several peculiar brown
spots and the original surface or sizing OF the
ton of the paper where the signature was
written. The body of the receipt Is in the
handwriting of the defendant. In my opin-
ion the defendant has taken Il letter of the
Ratio Acid, and then wrote the receipt above
the signature. ] Will now apply this acid 10
the writing on the back Of the complaint In
this case, and it will be seen that the writing
will instantly disappear and the paper will at
once cXhibit several brown spots. identical
with those on the receipt" The acid was APP
piled to the paper, and rs the writing dlsap-
peared. the brown blots were seen upon its
clearly revealed
Ward at this juncture looked rs horror
stricken as Lady Macbeth when gazing upon
her fair, but murdcrols hand, she exclaimed
as she vainly rubbed it, "Out damned spot!'
The Judge Immediately rendered his decis-
ion IN favor Of the plaintiff, stating that 1t was
cutcd at once for his audacious forgery. On
the next morning Judge Mackey left for
Georgetown, forty mite distant, to holdC Court.
While there he received n letter from Il friend
~, r,,i lac tit, IN ,,Dt f,,r fn NTiltio II, ,rr n Il
he had promised to do, in afew days. for the
porposc of hearing an argument at Chambers,
rs Ward had sworn solemnly to shoot him
down ut sight. The Judges record, however,
line Of duty hecauSeo OF an armed enemy in his
path. He returned to Williamsburg after an
absence of five days and meeting Ward upon
the street demanded whether lie had threat
ened TO take his life. Ward that he
had. but that he had abandoned his purpose.
AT the next term Of the Court Ward was in
dicted and placed on trial for forgery When
the verdict Of guilty was rendered, Ward
ingston, the prosecuting witness, one of the
balls passing though his coat. He was in
stantly dlSarmed and sentenced to q term of
seven years at hard labor In the pcnitentlary;,
Ward was a man of wealth and OF good
standing in his community. He died last
week In the penitentiary, illustrating by his
career the truth of the Sc~rlpture-"The way
Of the transgrCssOr Is hard"
We were agreeably surprised this morning
to see DIR. Lindsay again on our streets.
He has just returned from Augusta, GeOr-
gia, where he has been supplying, for some
weeks past, the pulpit of DR.. Irving, recently
deceased. We have not learned whether DR.
Lindsay, expects to return or not; and al
though. as he Informs US in Our last Issue, our
reference to him rs "ctty pastor was some
what premature, we will say that the church
now vacant will be exceedingly fortunate to
secure his services In that capacity. Our allu-
sion was entirely playful-merely" a Rowland
and strongest men. and, we fiatter ourselves.
O warm, personal friend; and we wish him
abundant success.-Asociute Reformed Pres
6yterian.
FAITH AND WoRKs.-At the Colored Meth
odist Church, one mile from Due West, there
has been a meeting of considerable interest.
Some conversions reported. The meetings
were large, and sometimes protracted until q
late hour In the night. There were speakers
We met with a colored brother mot Preach
cry on his way to the church. and made some
inquiry sabout the meeting. He said that a
good many were under conviction OF sin:
We took the liberty to inquire. "Three years
ago, at Abbeville c. H." he replied. How
were you affected" ~ YVES in great distress
for two or three days; could neither eat nor
sleep" "How were you relleved?" ~ heard
the Master ny: Go thy, way, and sin no
We liked his experience very much but
thought We would test him alittIe further, and
inquired If he could cut some wood for us next
day. He said he would come: Next morning
he was on hands betimcs and cut all day In q
hot sun without being watched. We gave
we'll satisfied that he had been soundly' con.
yertcd,-dJociute Reformed PRESBYTERIAN,