The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-20
The Amount Of Fraudulent Warrants in Sight
Aggregates Between 100000 and $780,
OO0-Center Township Warrants.


MORGAN COUNTY.
Trustee Shipley Indicted and Placed Under
Arrest for Issuing Fraudulent Warrants.
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.
MARTINsvrLLE, Sept I9-There is much ex-
element here to-day, consequent upon the dis
covery that one, certainly, and perhaps another,
or even two more, township trustees of this
county are implicated in the township bond
frauds. Yesterday Walter Stanton, of Coffin &
Stanton. the firm of New York brokers who
have placed large number of these bonds, ap-
peared here. and subsequently paid visit to
Gregg township, where he confronted Jacob A.
Shipley, the trustee of that township,
with evidence in the shape of Pol
lard paper signed by Shipley, and all
but extorted from him a confession Of his
guilt Mr.. Stanton, late yesterday afternoon,
went before the grand jury, gave them the re-
suit of his investigation and made affidavit
which resulted in the arrest of Shpley by Sher
iff Haltom, at his house in Lincoln, nine miles
from Martinsville, at 2 o'clock this morning.
Shipley was brought before the grand jury,
which Immediately found bill of Indictment
charging that on the I'd day of March, 1885, the
said Jacob Shipley did unite, combine and con-
epire with the not given your
porter, but is understood to be either r. B. Pol
lard, his son, Frank Pollard to cheat and
defraud Gregg township in the amount of s. 600
by the issuance of written and printed certificates
signed by said Shipley. falsely representing that
there was then due So, 536. So to- !R. B. Pollard
for school supplies furnished and received by
said township of Gregg This amount is made
up of eight of these certificates, and supplies
whatever were furnished.
This stroke of business enterprise was en-
gineered by Frank Pollard and the circumstance
of his having been about through the county,
and mixing with the township trustees gives
rise TO the feeling of uneasness prevalent here
and the suspicion that he has entanged other
trustees in his net Shipleys bail was placed at
$4,000 He was unable to furnish it, and is now
in jail He is not believed to have profted at
most more than a few hundred dollars by his
sascality, the Pollards having taken the lions
share One of his bondsmen, in conversation
with your reporter, said that he thought Ship
icy, some time ago. was few hundred dollars
in arrears. having used township funds, and that
he was led into the bond swindle in his desire
to cover this shortage. The names on his bond
as trustee are VIM. Cunningham, jr.. John W.
Minton Samuel II. Hinson, George IL
Bryant and Kingsbury Meredith, the bond
being for $4,000 ELAN M. McCord, the
prosecutor, believes he has an Indictment that
will hold the accused, and testimony that
will insure his conviction. Shipley's attor-
neys are Grubbs & Park and Adams & Newly.
The culprit has hitherto stood exceedingly high
In the county. He is veteran of the Seventeen
Indiana and appears wholly crushed by the
shame he has brought upon himself.
Your reporter tried to get him to give his
version of the matter. II do not think / have
anything to say" Shpey responded. my at
torneys have told me not to talk, and think
will have to mind their instructions"
Mr.. Stanton is naturally elated over the
capture of this trustee. When he discovered
Shipleys operations he notified that officials
bondsmen. Il have been." he said, Sin pursuit
of these trustees for two weeks. l have been
very close to capture several times, sometimes
only missing my man by few hours. At last
I have succeeded. Like Lorenzo, in the Mas
sotte,' when he found The grasshopper in his cup
of milk. He's the first one, and got him."
-Four or five kilograms received from Chicago,
making inquiries regarding the assessed valua-
tion of property in other townships besides
Gregg, have caused the County Commissioners
to feel very uneasy regarding these other town
ships. and kilograms have been sent to Chicago
TO ma out WnaI THESE inquiries are pfeOlcated
upon. The Chicago bond market is now being
investigated. and if any other Morgan county
trustees have been confederated with the tricky
Pollard their transactions will probably come to
light.
The trustees who have supplies to show for
the orders they have issued NAV feel moderately
secure, although of them have little 10
show in the way of furniture and supplies for the
hundreds of dollars of Indebtedness they have
piled I'D against their townships The process
of "sugaring." dividing profits with the trustees
that has been practced by some of these agents.
Is scarcely less reprehensible than the bold and
comprehensive swindling methods of the smooth
ind versatile Pollard
Late this afternoon, after vigorous effort ON
che part of Shioley's counsel who demonstrated
against the bail excessive and unusual. Judge
Cunning reduced the amount to So 900. Shiplev
however is still unable to furnish bail and is
yet in custody of the sheriff.
Frank Pollard. several months ago, came to
Nartinsville and made mum Der of acouaintances
among the fast boys of the town. His visits
continued from time to time until short time
before the exposure. Like his father, he is fond
OF draw poker. and INDUCED in that pastme fro
quently with sportive Martinsvillians, though
not always with success. On one occa-
sion he dropped $40 He was addicted
20 buggy riding, fine patron of livery stables,
and took numerous drives about the country
On these occasions he was visiting township
trustees. Two of the three he thus visited are
under strong suspicion. and it is not likely thew
escaped his insinuating addresses. One of them
evidently considers himself in close quarters. az
he has consulted an attorney. The grand Jury
adjourned, however without finding any indict-
ment except that against Shipey, whom the
County Commissioners have forced to resign
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TARCE