Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-01-20
A Signature on Trial.

4 lggndluIU Oll lIldl.
GEO M. BODELL ON TIE WIT
NESS STAND IN A CIVIL
SUIT.
TRIAL OF THE SUIT OF JAMES C. COCH-
RAN AGAINST A JACK MILLER-ONF
OF THE NOTES TRADED OFF BY CLINE
DINsT & BODELL-LARGE CROWD OF
THE EVIDENCE ON BOTH sIDEs-No
VERDICT-A HUNG JURY.
&C., &C., &C.
1t will be year, the 18th of next month,
since the town of Staunton, and the coun.
ty as we'll. was sta rtled by the news being
made public that the firm of Clinedinst &
Bodell. carriage makers, had failed, that
the partners had fed. and that they had
left behind them bogus and forged notes
to the amount of about $25 .000, which
they had traded off in the conduct of their
business. The paper was held largely in
the city and the county, and the holders
in town ranged from wealthy men down
to clerks on salaries, and the holders in
the county ranged from large plantation
owners down to small farmers who brought
butter and eggs to market. Some of those
who held the paper at once instituted civil
proceedings against the endorsers on it,
and in some cases criminal as we'll as
civil. In some of the cases the endorsers
promptly admitted the genuineness of some
signatures, but as promptly denied it on
others, claiming that the. latter were
forgeries. The first of these civil suits
came up before Judge Grattan in the Hus-
tings Court last Friday, and on that day
there were SO many county people in town
to hear about it, that it almost looked like
a county court day, and the court room
was crowded during the progress of the
case.
THE SUIT.
The suit was that of James G. Cochran
of Folly Mills against A. j. Miller of Mid
dlebrook. on note for $3.50. dated Janua-
ry 25th. 1887, with four months to run.
given by ClInedinst Il Bodell and having
the name of A. J. Miller endorsed on the
back. The plaintiff was represented by
Harrison & Tucker, snd the defendant by
Shelley & Bumgardner. The following
was the plea Of the defendant
Court of Hastings for the City of Staunton.
J. C. Cochran,
G. E. Clinedinst and G.. M. Bodell trad
ing as Clinedinst & Bodell, and A. J. Miller
This day A. J. Miller personally appeared
before me in the Court aforesaid, and made
oath and said that the note upon which the
above styled action is founded was not en-
dorsed by him.
Given under my hand this 18th day Of
January, 1888.
NEWTON ARGENBRIGHT,
Clerk
On this plea the case went to trial be-
fore the following jury:-Casper Zirkle
Robt. H. Gilock Robert Paris, Guy
Cochran, e. G. Gooch, B. F. Eakle, S. D
OSAiAhOs IA = 0tCSoIfs cOhA SoHi-
van, Fl. FL. Wallace, j. FL. Mathews and
John W. Merritt.
Mr.. Harrison, for the plaintiff, made
the opening statement of that side. He
said it would be shown that the signature
of Mr.. Miller was genuine. and that he
had forgotten he had signed it. Capt
Bumgardner made the opposing statement
for the defendant. He said that it would
be shown that the signature was net ge-
nuine, and that Mr.. Miller was too cautious
business man to have forgotten signing a
note such as was involved in this suit. The
evidence for the plaintiff was then begun.
G.M. BoDELL On THE STAND.
The first witness sworn was Geo. M
Bodell, who was brought up from the city
Jail to testify. His evidence, after being
sworn, was as follows:
1.-The note now in court was drawn uI
on January 25th and Mr.. Miller endorsed
it on January 265h. It was early in the
morning of January 265h, that 1 saw him
in Irish Alley, as 1 was going to the shoI
Jeaoo ehAoOA L1y OlONALcoUs L dohSu uiu IL Lit
would endorse it and he said he would.
We went into the office of Thornburg's
stable where he put his name on it,
George Platt was in the office at the time
Cross Erana'ned By Judge Shefey-Oul
firm had renewed a note for Mr.. Miller
several times. It was note he had given
US for buggy he bought. 1t was about
eight O'Clock in the morning that I saw
him In Irish Alley; l was On my way tc
the shop after breakfast. The note was
drawn by myself and put his name in the
body of it. He had endorsed note for me
before that for $l25. saw that note last,
about three weeks after came from Can.
! ada. The note was brought to the Jail
Gwice-once to show to my partner, and
next to show to me. 1t was brought TO
find out if Mr.. Miller had signed it and
also whether the note was for $125, OF
whether it had been for 500 and had been
raised to $125. That note was endorsed in
my shop, and before put it away showed
1t to my carriage trimmer, saying there is
note Mr.. Miller has endorsed fer me. !
have known Nj. Miller five Or six years,
That note, and the one for $3.50 now in
court, are the only two that I have any
knowledge of his endorsing. He didn' Il
hesitate moment when I asked him to
endorse the $3.50 note. l pulled the $3.50
note out OF my pocket at Thornburg s and
Mr.. Miller didn't even look at the face of
it. After he endorsed it. 1 picked it up
and put it into my pocket without showing
it to him again. have not seen Miller
handwriting often-except when he renew
or 70 to for |, /