The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-02
LAUNDERING FORGERIES.
Janitor Pat. Ma1oney, of Ho-
boken, Executes Some
Absurd Documents.
HE is PROBABLY IRRESPONSIBLE.
His Crazy Plans for Buying Steam
Yachts and Pianos.

Hoboken has another sensation. Pat-
rick Maloney, janitor of the City Hail.
was arrested last evening for forgery.
When Councilman Timothy Kelly
called at the City Hall for his salary war
rant yesterday morning the warrant
could not be found. 1t had been signed
only by the Mayor. The signatures OF
the City Clerk, Comptroller and CITY
Treasurer had not been affixed.
The City Clerk notified the First Ma
tional Bank. Just before the bank closed
Janitor Maloney stepped up to Cashier
Goodspeed and said:-"Billy, is that
goodS" presenting the missing warrant.
The cashier promptly said:-"No."
The names of City Clerk McDermott,
and Comptroller Kaufman had been
signed in scrawling hand with no at
tempt to initiate the signatures of those
officials. Across the face had been
stamped in red ink the name of the City
Treasurer in block letters. The warrant
was endorsed with the name of Timothy
Kelly in the same way as the names OF
the City Clerk and Comptroller had been
| filled in. The City Clerk was notified.
Maloney had been member of the Coun-
Gil for five years and resigned two months
ago to accept the appointment as janitor.
ANOTHER QUEER FORGERY.
1t was just at the closing hour of the
Second National Bank when Cashier
Schofield was handed check that had
been sent through the Nassau National
Bank, of New York, for collection. The
forgery and regarded it as the work OF q
practical joker. 1t was warrant on the
Poor Fund for Sl00 One of the old
fashioned blanks had been used.
This was filed out in wretched, shaky
hand under date of July 30. Itwas made
in favor of E. Hachmann for groceries,
and the signatures of the City Clerk,
Comptroller and the endorsement of
Hachmann were all in the same style.
This warrant was given to Messrs.
Pearce & Jones, dealers in electrical sup
plies in New York. This firm has col
lected many bills from the city, and the
| worthlessness of the warrant was so pal
pable that it is astonishing that the firm
| accepted or deposited it. Maloney owes
the firm the amount. 1t accommodated
him with loan when he Was member
of the Council.
Cashier Schofield carried this warrant
to Mayor Grassmann. The Corporation
Attorney, Chief Donovan and City Clerk
McDermott were called. 1t was evident
that it was Maloney's work and he was
summoned He did not deny that he had
used the warrants. He said that his
brother, who assists him, found the war
rants, and supposing them to be worth
less threw them into the waste paper bas-
ket. The janitor said he thought it no
harm to use them.
MALoNEY ARRESTED.
His explanation was not satisfactory
and Mayor Grassmann ordered his arrest.
He was taken before the Recorder and
held in default of $1,000 bail. He passed
the night in the Chiefs Office in custody
of an officer.
The prevailing impression is that Ma
loney is not responsible for the acts. 1t is
thought he is demented. His actions have
been somewhat erratic lately. A mania
for fishing developed O few weeks ago
| and the eccentric way in which he ar
ranged his hooks and line and baited the
| hooks caused other fishermen to smile.
He went to Princess Bay with Special
| Officer Wright on one vacation, and the
latter had to constantly watch Maloney,
| fearing that he would capsize the boat.
Maloney built q boat and came near
drowning. 1t was frail, odd-looking af-
| fair, in the shape of hook.
Maloney is not blessed with any super
| fiuous cash, yet he has within few days
purchased a $3.50 yiano and was negotiat-
| ing for steam yacht, in which he had
promised to take all his friends on long
voyage He is married and has three
small children.
The poor fund warrant, it is supposed,
was removed from an old book in the
vault and the Councilman's warrant was
stolen from the safe. Maloney spent con-
siderable time in the City Clerks office.