Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-21
THAT FORGED CHECK.
THE RASCALITY WHICH LED TO THE
ARREST OF JOHN B. KENNY.
He Makes "A Partial Confession to "A De-
tectiye-Several Parties Probably
Concerned in the job.

The recent arrest of John B. Kenny in
Boston for completely in the forgery OF an
Endorsement on a check of 81, 500 on Wells,
Fargo & Co., drawn by Mrs. Margaret
Croker to the order of Charles E. Gault, OF
Los Angeles, has excited great deal of at
tention in Sacramento from the fact that
Mrs. Croker is so well known here, and
also for the reason that young Kenny
temporarily made this city his head
quarters.
Considerable new light has been thrown
upon the case lately. 1t was first supposed
that Kenny, copper plate printer for Leo
A. Brown, in San Francisco, had become
possessed of the check, and in company
with Thomas ]. Williams, boou COM
panlon, had gone to San Jose and succeeded
IN deluding the agent into the belief that
the forged Endorsement was genuine and
securing the money.
Kenny made confession to Superintend-
ent Cornish, of the Pinkerton agency, in
the hotel where he was arrested while eat
ing breakfast with the young lady whom
he claimed to have been married in Sacra-
mento. He admitted that he had received
81 800 OF the proceeds of the forged check,
but declared that he did not know of the
forger until the day subsequent to the CASH
ing of the check.
He proceeded to tell a story of a young
man named Richard Taylor, accompanied
by Thomas Williams, who came TO his
place of business on the 18th of May, and
displaying huge pile of bank notes, de-
clared that he had made big haul"
a Il q 20 l.
his companion and have a time" The
three thereupon sailed forth and did a
good deal of high rolling" until late in
the evening, Taylor paying all the bills.
From certain remarks dropped by Taylor
his companions mistruSted that he had
come by his roll dishonesty. They init
mated as much TO him when they got him
into d clearinghouse on Market street, and
pressed him so hard with questions as to
his money that he acknowledged that he
had obtained possession of a check on
Wells, Fargo q Co. for nearly $1,000, and
that he had forged the Endorsement and
secured the money on it.
When Taylor made this acknowledge
ment Kenny and Williams threatened 10
inform the police of the matter unless he
agreed to divide with them. Taylor be-
came satisfied that they were in earnest
N
Williams One-third of what money he had,
which gave each of the three about 81 800
The forgery did not come to light until
nearly week after the distribution of the
spoils. Meantime the trio spent their DAYS
and nights in revelry.
About the lst instant Williams and Tay-
Tor heard that the police had got wind of
the matter and the former fed for Victoria,
b. Z. During the preceding week Taylor
had at picnic met young lady of good
family and had made love to her The in
tatuatiOn was mutual, and when, learning
of Williams flight, he determined to leave
the country himself, he confessed the mat
ter to his inamorata and promised to marry
her II she would assist him in getting away
from San Francisco. The girl acquiesced
and took from him 500, with which she
purchased tickets for herself and her
brother on the steamship leaving that day
for Australia. The pair boarded the
steamer just a few minutes before she
started out upon the voyage.
Kenny, in the meantime, had come to
Sacramento and was unaware OF the flight
OF his contederates until informed by a
friend in San Francisco. He did not wait
for further particulars, but started on the
first train for the East, accompanied BY
his wife, to whom he had been married
but few hours.
What has puzzled the detectives more
than anything else is the plan by which
Kenny or Taylor or Williams got hold of
the check. As nearly as can be ascer-
tanned, Mrs, Croker inclosed the check in
letter and gave it to her gardener to mail.
This functionary delegated the commission
to butchers boy who came to the house
and the latter, on his way down town, fell
in with Taylor, who jumped on his wagon
to ride with him. On the way the boy
told Taylor about the letter given him to
mail. Taylor asked to see 1t, and as the
envelope was loosely sealed, he easily
opened it with lead pencil Seeing the
check inclosed, Taylor persuaded the boy
to give it to him, promising him 500. He
then jumped out of the wagon and dis
appeared.
This is all known of the case up to date,
and whether the culprit be Kenny or Tay-
Tor or Williams, or all three, remains for
future developments to divulge.