Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-02-28
THE MORTON FORGERIEs.
Full Particulars Of the Crooked Transae :
ffana

Full Particulars of the Crooked Transae
tiOns.
The local sensation of the week ha:
been the discovery that Mr.. w. d
Morton, one OF the most trusted citi
zens of the place, had obtained large
amounts of money on forged securi
ties and was probably seeking 10 es
cape to Mexico.
Mr.. Morton was a young man Of
exemplary habits and fine business
qualities. He was a member OF the
Baptist church, and no one question
ed his integrity. He had many friends
TO whom the recent revelations were q
great shock, and there is universal
regret mingled with the surprise that
he should have gone wrong.
The beginning of Mr. Morton's
crooked transactions dates back as far
az last July At that time he borrowed
from the First National Bank of this
eth about $2,1OO, giving two notes,
with his father-in-law, Mr.. o. E. Tan
day, OF Trenton, KY, as security. The
notes were not met when due, and
Mr.. Morton delayed their payment
from time to time, with fair promises
and plausible excuses. This continued
until the first of January, when the
bank brought suit ON the notes and
Mr.. Morton arranged the matter by
giving another note for $2,l00 with
]. d. Tandy and J. w. Fulcher as Sc
curities. This note fell due on the
18th inst. 1t was not paid, and after
the lapse of few days the bank mott
fed the securities of the fact A letter
was received from them Saturday,
stating that their signatures had been
forged to the note. This was the first
intimation that all was not right
ANOTHER CASE.
Mr.. Morton also discounted a note
alleged to be fraudulent, in the Farm
erIs & Merchants National Bank. 1t
was for 81 $50, dated the 9TH of No
vember, and signed by o. f. Tandy
and III. E. Morton as securities. This
was renewed on the 9th of January by
another note for the same amount
with ]. ID. Tandy and j. W. Fulcher as
securities, which is also said to be a
forgery.
About two weeks ago Mr.. Morton
called at the Grange Warehouse and
asked an advance of $1,4O0 on Mr.. o.
+. Tandy's tobacco crop, representing
himself as the agent of that gentleman.
The request was readily granted, and
the money paid in two checks, one OF
$500 and the other of $500, both made
payable to the order OF o. E. Tandy.
Having been notified that his account
at the Farmers & Merchants Bank
WAS overdrawn, he called there and
exhibiting the $500 check from the
Grange Warehouse, said he would
have to send it to Trenton for Mr..
Tandy's endorsement, or else would
leave it in the bank to balance his ac-
count. At the same time he left in
the bank for collection notes amount
ing to S4,3+05O The notes were all
on responsible parties, and so far as
known are genuine, except one which
constituted the bulk of the amount.
This was kEnote given by o. E. Tandy
to w. d. Morton for $4,1O0, dated Feb.
4th of this year, ard payable one day
after date 1t was made on a printed
form and directly after the words
"for value received" was written "in
cattle" Mr.. Morton credited the 5000
check from the Grange Warehouse on
this note before handing it in and
stated that Mr.. Tandy would pay
81 800 additional on it in few days.
Morton left here Wednesday night |
of last week, buying ticket for Milan,
Tenn. At the depot he got Mr.. Will
cox, the ticket agent, to cash his check |
for $25 on the Farmers d Merchants
Bank, and also gave him the 5000
check from the Grange Warehouse, ON
which he had forged Mr.. Tandy's en-
dorsement, and asked that it be left at |!
the Farmers d Merchants Bank to be |
deposited to his credit.
Since the fact of the forgeries come |
To light it has been discovered that Mr.. |
Morton is heavily indebted to various
merchants in the city He had large |
accounts at jewelry and millinery !
stores, demonstrating the fact that he |
had been living without regard to /
economy.
Mr.. o. L. Tandy having been in
formed by J. d. Tandy and J. w. ]
Fulcher of the iorgeries against them |
came to the city Saturday and pro
nounced the notes given by Morton to
which his name was signed, as fOrger /
les also, including the one last deposit
ed i'm the Farmers & Merchants Ma
tiOnal Bank.
HEARD FROM. /
Steps were Immediately taken to-
al