The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-06-28

spelling and penmansbip OF Mr.. Chesthrm
were plainly apparent, excited the SUPP.
cions Of the officers, and on the night OF
Wednesday last, Mr.. Il. NJ. Macy. secretary
of the association, went 10 Austin,
showing the altered death proofs"
to the clerk, Brown, who gave him The In
formation stated above, and the next point
was then to find Cheatham and Mr.. Macy
did this at San Marcos. Affidavits charg-
ing him with forgery were sent TO Mr..
Macy from Longview, the arrest was made
and the prisoner was brought here this
morning. He stated TO the officers Of the
association that he bought the policy, pay
ing 81, 200 for it. and that he never saw the
death proof until Cheatham gave ii to him:
that Cbestham had gone to Mexico, Your
correspondent saw Mr.. Cheatham at the
Office Of Sheriff Killingsworth and asked
him II be had anything 10 say. He re-
piled that he wanted to hear from Mrs.
. WIGHT first, but would tell how he came in
possession . Of the policy. c, He
ham gave it to him, here he was called by
his counsel and after consultation re-
fused to make any further statement. His
defence is a general denial OF the charge.
The charge is forgery and on these five
charges the bond is fixed at $40 900. Mr..
Macy made some hurried inquiries at Man
chaca but he could not find that any body,
much less anyone with such an unusual
name, had died suddenly over there in the
last few months, nor did Doctor Thompson,
professedly the attending physician live
there.
Mr.. Brown, the clerk of Travis county
says he does not know any of the proiessed
subscribing witnesses except "Cbestham
or Cheatham, by introduction, Dor has he
any knowledge Of any such persons living
in the county.
Cheatham is very well connected in
Gainesville, and the whole affair is sad
piece of business. Even n his denial is
true, he has acted 30 as to expose himself TO
the gravest suspicious.
About 4:30 this afternoon, Cheatham,
while under arrest at the courthouse, in
an upstairs room, complained OF heat,
and with permission of guard W. ID. Rsy,
nolds, went into the. main courtroom, and
taking mirror in bis hand, cut his throat.
The cash under his left ear is about three
inches long. He then set the mirror against
the wall and walked into one of the jLIy
rooms, laid down on the floor and soon
bled TO death.
About O'Clock Reynolds, who had been
lying on bed, arose to look after his pris.
oner, found the body and gave the alarm;
knife was an ordinary pocket knife, still
in his hand, in pool OF blood coveringa
large part of the floor. From similarity in
managing the case it is suspected Cheat
ham successfully perpetrated fraud on tho
Mutual Self-Endowment, getting SC, 900 on
the pretended death OF Thomas Bird,
though this may be an error. He had
Sc, 600 on his life payable to his wife, and as
suicide does not invalidate the claim the
money will be paid. Justice Corns held an
inquest and verdict was rendered in &C.
cordance with the facts detailed.
An enthusiastic meeting was held to-day
at Davis hall to consider measures for build
ing connection with the Bremond or PaIa-
more nsrrow-gauge system. A committee,
consisting OF Messrs. Boring, Crutchey,
Morrison, Brown, Terry and Allison, TO i'm
vestigate with the company as to what the
cost of inducing the road to this point may
be, learned the Bremond road is projected
northward to connection with the Texas
& st. Louis, and we think Longview The
best meeting point, or the best line Tor
branch from the Texas & st. Louis, starting
from Gilmer, about eighteen miles away.