Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-11-19
ARRESTED FOR FORGERY.
HOW SUDDEN GLOOM WAS CAST OVER
A WEDDING CEREMONY.
Miss Jennie Saxton of Richmond 3 ccused
of Forging Ordersfor $500 in j. l.. Ma
sons Name-The Hearing Sot Com
plcted-Mystery of the Affair.


plcted-Mystery of the Affair.
Miss Jennie SaXton of Richmond was
arrested in This city Tuesday ut the in
stance of G. f. Ward, treasurer OF the
Burlington Savings bank, ON the charge
of forging two orders on that institution
in the name of John l.. Mason Of Rich
mond The accused who came here from
Willsboro where she had been living with
her brother, to attend the wedding OF her
sister last night, was taken into custody
at the Van Ness house by Officer Dumas
and was arraigned before Justice Foster.
It appeared from the evidence that ON
September last near the close of the
afternoon the accused went to the savings
bank and presented an order for $500 to
which was attached Mr. Mason's name, us
follows
RICHMOND, VT, Sept. 4.
Mr.. Ward. Dear sir PLEASE give Jennie sax
ton i've hundred dollars as did not have he
amount by me and could not go to Burlington
to-day. Yours ana OhliE",
j. l.. MASON.
Richmond, vt.
Mr. Ward paid the amount over to the
bearer, but he says that he saw the order
was forged as soon as he took it where
there was more light. He was alone, nov
ever and before he could get out ON tn"
street and leave the bank in sale con
dition the woman had disappeared. lie
then determined to say nothing about the
forgery, with the idea that the woman
would, if she thought she was not detect
ed, present another order and 50 be liable
TO he apprehended. Mr.. Mason subse-
quently settled her account with the bank,
but nothing was said ON either side
about the 500 order
Yesterday afternoon a bell boy from the
Van Ness House carried an envelope to
the Savings bank, in which was enclosed
an order tor $500 with Mr.. Mason's name
attached. 1t read as follows
RICHMOND, VT, Nov. lG, lSSG.
Mr.. Ward; Dear Sir: Please give Jennie
SaXion $500. owe this lady tins money ana
| did not have it handy this Il, IN. wish You
would make out II receipt and have her sign
1t. will be on hand in the morning.
Yours, and Ohlipc,
j. l.. MASON.
The letter which accompanied it stated
that the writer had just had some teeth
| drawn so she could not 90 to the bank and
requested Mr.. Ward to see her at the hotel
or send the amount by the boy, as request,
ed in the order which had been handed
| her by Mr.. Mason. Mr. Ward at once
recognized the handwriting and, sum
moning an officer, he went to the hotel.
| On being shown to her room he asked
Miss SaXton if she had indorsed the order
and she replied that she had not but she
would, and asked him if the first order
was all right. She was then taken III
| custody as above stated.
The accused appeared self-possessed anc
answered all questions in straight for
ward manner. She admitted writing hi
orders but stated that Mr.. Mason hac
authorized her to do so, as he owed hei
that and more too. She then wrote a tele
gram to Mr.. Mason stating that she was
under "A rest and asking him to come tt
| Burlington.
| Adjournment of the Hearing Until Satur
day and Commitment of the Accused.
The hearing in the case of Jennie Sax
ton, arrested for forging the name of JOIN
! l.. Mason in two orders on Mr.. {. r
| Ward, which was set for O'Clock w edneS
day morning, was postponed until at
ternoon owing 10 unavoidable delays
Long before the appointed hour larg
number of persons had congregated in thu
court room, but they We're disappointed il
not seeing the features of the accused, he
face being closely yelled. States Attorne!
Foster and j. \. Brown, Esq, appeared
for the State, while Henry Ballard
l.. f. Englesby and J. j. Eurght
Esquires, appeared for the respondent
Mir. Ballard asked for an adjournment o
the hearing on the ground that tn
trial could not he completed Ia
night and he had an engagement
out of town tomorrow. There being N
objection ON the part of the state Judg
Hare continued the case until Saturday Il
ga. IN. States Attorney Foster aske'
that bail be fixed at $1,000, but after argU
meutS ON both sides the court fixed tn
amount at $500. Miss SaXton was unabl
to find bail, however, and in default there
of she wa, committed to Jail.
MI Mason was present at the hearing
With'hi~ lawyer. TOa representative OF IN
FREE PRES, MIR. Mason Subsequent
stated that the claim on the part OF lis
SaNtOu that he authorized her to writ
the orders was entirely wit hOut lOundi
tlun, and in relation to various other state
mentS quite freely made by her ds To thel
relations he considered them part Oi
scheme Of blackmaii. He never knew g.
the existence of the order for 5000 unit
his arrival in town w Wednesday, Mr.. Na
having said nothing to him about tn
matter. He understood that Mr.. War
acted Oh the theory that II lac said nothlu
10 ANY one about the order The wOma
would repeat the game, as II turned on
: she did, and would get caught, 1t appear
that the forgery transaction was not Will
! Tie Burlington Savings Bank, but Wit
Mr. Ward individually. Mr. Mason ha
no funds deposited in the savings barl
but had placed some funds IN Nj. ana
hands, not as treasurer Of the saving
; bank. but a. an individual, for safe keel
iu.,: aud the forged o. der of sept. 4rh WA
on Mr.. Ward individually and not a
treasurer. Before the second forged o.
der was drawn Mir, Mason had taken Ia
funds ont OF MIR. Wards hands. Man
In l,rNH in,