Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-01-01
CARDS AND LIQUOR
Cause The Heavy Forgery of Simon
Armstrong.
TIE Glass Workers Highly Excited Over
Their Loss--DetaiIs Of the Case
-.Arctnu Martins Ferry
Alleged S~irdIe,

Simon r. Armstrong, who WAS arrested
on Tuesday evening for forging several
checks and obtaining several hundred dol
lars belonging TO the Glass Workers, Of this
placc, will have q preliminary hearing be-
fore Squire d. +. Howell, of Bridgeport, in
the MAYORS Office, as Mayor N. c. Mitchell
is out of the city. Squire Howell came up
Yesterday, but for some reason the hearing
was postro, ed until to-day. a committee
of the Glass Workers Lodge local MON
| No. l5), of which Armstrong was trustee,
took charge of him on Tuesday evening,
'ust after his arrest and held him over
night, agreeing to be responsible. lie did
! not want TO go into the lookup, and this
was done at his request, expecting TO get
boudsmen but be was unable TO do SO yes
ter6ay morning, and was locked up TO
await a hearing. When the glass workers
first went TO him he admitted that he haa
forced the checks, and cried like child
sayirr that he would give them good secur-
;ty and fix the matter up, if they did not
go linn N the lookup. They waited all
Joy Tuesday and he failed to do anything
tow,rd a settlement or furnish security,
and fearing he would skip out, as 1t
was reported he was preparing to do, he
was arrested on the affidavit OF Thomas
Mullen, one of the trustees whose names
were forged, and locked up as above stated.
Mullen overheard q conversation last Sun
day that led him to believe that Armstrong
was drawing money thai belonged to the
lodge and blowing it in on cards On
Monday morning he went to the CONNER
cial Bank and asked Mr. George II. Smith,
the cashier, if Armstrong had been drawing
any money lie smiled and said that he
had. and stated further that he wondered
what the lodge had been doing with all the
money, producing the checks forged. Null
len says he was paralyzei and told him not
to give him any more money. The checks
begin with July I, 1891, and run up till last
week, ranging in sums from - to 500.
Last week he drew SO AT different times.
In aAii,io, to tho money obtained by fOrg-
ing checks he vas given sums as high $50
al q lime 10 dHnosit WHICH, instead OF 50
doing it appears he pocketed. a.. ts far as
mccrtained up to the tine OF his arrest, he
hes appropriated SOjo.5S, which includes
tie forged paper and the money he failed
to deposit. Last Saturday night he wanted
to borrow $40 from Mr. James F'indey
SAYING he would pay him back 50 whea
tie bank opened Monday. lie has spent
all the money on cards and drinking.
lie had not not been working steadily and
Was known TO lose as high as fcrty dollars
on r single night. This occurred frequent.
Is, and many were at a loss to know where
he was getting all of his money. Mullen
gave him twenty dollar gold piece recent
". which it is stated that he was noticed
s4uarderiug on cards. lie is married, and
has three bright children and an excellent
wife. He is about twenty.eight years old,
good looking, is hail fellow well met, and
is the last man that we ever suspected of
going wrong in this way. Just the same
opinion prevails among all those who knew
him, unless his associates who handled
cards. The affair is not only surprise to
III, entire community, but has created con
siderable excitement among the glasswOrk.
crS, especially who will have to suffer
duriug the strike by his crookedness. The
Lodge had saved the money partially to use
in The event Of a strike. Now they are out
against n reduction in wages. Bg his
stealing the money, the bread has been
taken from the tables Of members of the
Lodge. who are said to be in need OF food.
SIX or seven hundred dollars would buy
many a loaf Of bread and comfort the fami-
lies OF many glassworkers during the strike.
Considerable indignation prevails among
them over the affair. One week ago he
was considered an honest citizen, nov
fUrccr without friends, and will certainly
90 70 the PenItentiary
Edward O NELL is also in trouble Some
months ago he and Frank Wallace went
into the merchant tailoring business, open
ing on Second street. They appeared to
b. doing well, They dissolved on Monday,
ard Wallace now charges O'Neill with
fraud, claiming that he collected about
$500 for clothes made and pocketed the
money, al the same time making charge
Of the same on the books OF the firm. Wal
lace had warrant issued for him and he
WIS arrested. He obtained security in tie
person OF his brotherin-law, Charley Roth.
ermord, and was locked up. His bond is
500. His trial will come of next Mon.
Day.
Misses Anna and Sallie Carmichael are
visiting relatives at Portland Mingo
The potato race between several Of our
amateur roller skaters, at the rink 10 night,
promises to be very interesting ani will
certainly draw large crowd.
Mr.. Taylor Mansfield and wife, OF Henrys
burg. and Miss Anna Swan, of Flushing, are
he guests OF Mr.. &. ". Chesscll.
Mss Emma Deitz is spending New
Years at Steubenviie
pr. Daily, Of Piedmont W. va. is the
gurst Of his son in-law, Mr.. J. p. Clark
We wish Won happy and prosperous
New Year Swear of and turn over new