The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-17
The Forgeries Generally for Small Sums, but
Aggregating Consderable-Some In-
dianapolis Banks Involved.
A Pair Of WideIy-Known New York
Burglars Kill Each Other,
To the Great Delight of the Police-Vil-
famous Attempt to Wreck a Train
A Long List of Offenses.
HEAVY FORGERIES.


Arrest of b. j. and f. ID. Wheelock-Some
Indianapolis Banks Involved.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CLEVELAND, Oct. 16.-B. j. Wheelock and
E. D. Wheelock, father and son, were ar
rested here, yesterday, upon two indictments
of numerous counts each, charging them
with forging and uttering and publishing
forged bills of exchange. E. D. Wheelock is
assistant cashier in the Office of the assist
ant treasurer of the Lake Shore road
with his residence in Callamer, while B. ].
Wheelock is engaged in the manufacture of
chairs in the establishment of what is known
as the Cleveland Chair Company, doing busi-
moss at Nos. /, 3 and Columbus street.
The. Wheelocks were arrested about
3 o'clock. yesterday, and bail
was fixed by Judge Mckinney at
81, 900 in each case, Some difficulty was ex-
perienced in getting men to go on the bond,
but about 6 o'clock they succeeded in secur-
ing signatures and consequently they we're
not locked up The first indictment is to
the effect that the grand jury found that B. J.
Wheelock and E. d. Wheelock had in their
possession on the Both of May, a bill OF ex-
change on Newman & Ward, of Allegheny
City, and unlawfully and feloneously did
falsely make, and forge and counterfeit
on the bill of exchange, the acceptance
thereof, with intent thereby to defraud.
The third count is like the first except that
the bill was dated April II, and called for
$34471, and the next count is for uttering
and publishing the same; count four is on a
bill payable four months after date for
$394.71, and following it is one for $286 &C.
dated May 16, and payable four
months afterward. This is followed by a
count for uttering and publishing the
SAINTS and similar bills for $312.3 "a. The next
count is for bill payable to the order of
themselves and w. ]. Pelton, East Saginaw,
and was accepted by the First National
Bank, and the next count is for uttering
and publishing the same. This is followed
by a count for a bill dated June H.
for $361.33 to A. J. Martin, indianapolis. ac-
cepted and payable at the Merchants Nation
al Bank, and the usual count for uttering
and publishing. The next two are similar
with the amounts at $341 49, The second in
dictment contains eight counts on
similar charges The first is upon
bill made payable four months
fromits date, May %, for $35063, accepted
by e. RI Grossman, at the Meridian National
Bank, indianapolis, followed by the count
for uttering and publishing it, and another
appears accepted by F. B. Jackson at Pal
mich & Co.'s bank, Pittsburg Another count
in the indictment is on a promissory note,
dated Rochester, May Is, for 1871, payable at
the office of the Cleveland Chair Company,
and signed by NJ NJ. Mason, and the last
count of the indictment is upon bill of
exchange payable to their order, and c. P
Harrison, Pittsburg, and accepted by the
Peoples National Bank, with the count for
uttering and publishing the same. 1t seems
the charges in the counts are true; that the
Cleveland Chair Company, by its president
C. F, Wheelock, has been presenting a large
amount of their paper at the bank for dis
count with forged names of acceptance writ
ten across them; that when the bills became
payable, another bill would be presented,
also with false signature, and the money
obtained to pay the first bill of exchange.
In writing the signatures of acceptance on
the bills which, it is claimed are forgeries in
the cases mentioned, the first offense was
committed, and IN presenting the paper
with the forged signature the second
offense of uttering and publishing was
committed. So much paper of this kind
was presented at the bank for discount that
suspicion was aroused, and the bank shut
down on the business. This threw the parties
to the wall, and it was then discovered that
the signatures of acceptance had been
forged, and action was taken against them.