Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-31
SHERMAN.
Forger Sent Up Four Years-Trial OF
Fiendish Rapist-Exciting
Court Scenes.

Special TO the Gazette.
SHERMAN, May 3O.-The case of the
State of Texas vs. George Bridges of
Bonham, charged by Indictment with
forging the names of Birge 4 Stewart
and j. G. Beiler to a note for $500 and
attempting to obtain the money there
on at the Merchants and Planters
National bank on the 18th day of May,
was called up this morning. The de-
PENDANT announced through his attor-
ney. Henry Taylor of Bonham, that he
desired to enter plea of guilty. "A
Jury was empaneled and sworn and
two witnesses for the state were intro
duced to prove the forgery. j. u. Bel
Ter was asked by G. B. Randell, county
attorney, it that was his signature
! 10 the note handed him on the stand
and he answered, Yes; this Is my
signature, but | never signed 1t, nor
authorized anyone else TO do 50 for
me-
| G. b. Dorchester, assistant cashier
| of the bank, was next put on Inc
stand, and testified that the note IN
evidence was the same on which the
defendant asked the loan of money ut
the bank on May ID. The defense
then introduced Ed Mcclellan, county
Judge of Fannin county, and NJ. ). Is.
Young of the firm of Halsell d Young
of Bonham, who both testified 10 the
former good character of Bridges,
and said that this was ms
ii,st ofiense within their knowledge
since he had been citizen of Fannin
county. which has been for the past
dix or seven years. They further
stated that the defendant always here
tofore associated with the best citizens
of that community, and had been re-
parded as all upright young man. Mr.
Taylor briefly addressed the jury, ant
r asked their clemency and mercy IL
assessing the punishment demanded
!, bv the statute for the offense charged
h The Jury retired few moments ant
s returned with the verdict, I'VE
: the Jury, find the defendan
+. guilty. and assess his punishment
two Years confinement in the peniten
, tiary.o BY agreement the same jur.
: was sworn to try the second indic'
ment which charges him with passin
: The forged instrument, under INK
!, nlea of guilty by the defendant. me
raiurned n second verdict Tor two year
i'm the penitentiary A.
:; This is one of the saddest cases tina
has been before our court Tor man
: wears. Bridges is young man OF goo
J business capacity, scion OF q good ian
;Iw and heretofore possesse
= MANY friends who WEI
10th willing and able
~ help him on in life in any calling {
= vocation to which his energies nigh
Y have been directed. But In misgui'
= cd moment, while animated by q ras
Z desire to speculate on slender chan'
r. and vet escape detection and disgrac
. he committed the act that VIII biigi
y his Young life and bow the heads OF
proud family in sorrow and shame i
IS his sins. ,,,,...,a g. :.
sault to rape came up at l.,o oeiN
" this afternoon, his counsel, Judge lar
r. having Withdrawn his motion ior
ri continuance and announced reauy j.
o. trial. Mrs. Graham, the widows
= daughter of Mrs. Wells who was
II sauiied, was put on the stand ana IA
at' remarkably clear and collected ma
= ner related all the circumstances
tending the case. Her testimo.
gave evidence that the witness was
"a cultivated lady who mad pam ~
lfa mnyarnlsUtu stDEy W s>Aff
effort OF counsel to confuse her stal
w ments or clear up what at first "
on not understood by them met q prom
answer. During the examination
o. this witness most hideous NO
y. came ringing up from the hall pei.
l ,or The stairs that sent thrill Of hori
~ through the assembled crowd a
IN ca,,sed many of them 70 rush DO,
Ion stairs with the expectation oil ssei
ma some scene OF blood and carnage, Q
- city ON Are to explain the noise. u
" S Saw minutes one OF the attorneys
IN. turned with a smile OF relief on !,
me- me- face and said 1t was only Capt. >
and Woods making one Of his characi
ven ,s,ic speeches TO Justice Bullock on
Examining trial Of A. Il. Peacock
AT assanltiug one hoch "
IS. hioody pitchfork last Saturd
- When Mrs. Graham had left the STA
y he venerable mother, Mrs. Wells, 9
- snebie and almost blind, was led !,
and ,.hsir aud told to tell the story Of
,sar ,snce as it occurred at the time OF