Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-17
Three Prominent Citizens
Arrested Yesterday.
Justice Lockwood Examined
and Discharged.
Assemblyman J. M. DamrOn to be
Examined Today.
j. S. Chadwick's Examination Will Also
Take Place-A Queer Transaction
Being Inquired Into.


upon warrants charging them with
forgery, and all three were taken before
Justice Austin for arraignment. The
complaint upon which they were ar
rested was sworn to by w. F. Bosbyshell,
and it is alleged that on the 10Th inst.
the three defendants, with intent to de-
fraud the Southern California National
Bank OF Los Angeles, did make as true
and genuine false and fraudulent sig
nature purporting to be that Of f. T.
Wright, upon a certain promissory note
for $11O, bearing interest at one per cent.
per annum, payable to the order of B. F.
Getchell, by j. S. Chadwick, his attor-
ney in fact.
On being taken into court Justice
Lockwood demanded an immediate ex-
animation, as he was an official of the
county and did not wish to lie in iail all
1lisrht in case he should be unable to
procure bell. The other defendants
however, were not ready to proceed with
the case and demanded time in which to
prepare for their examination, where
upon Justice Lockwood asked that his
case be segregated from that of the CO.
defendants. Justice Austin, after some
deliberation, stated that this was a
somewhat unusual proceeding but ow-
ing to the peculiar circumstances sur
rounding the case, he would grant the
request.
At this juncture Deputy District At
torney Hardesty arrived and vigorously
objected to this course, but the court
announced that it had already made the
order, and instructed the prosecution to
proceed with the case.
After slight delay caused by the alb
sence OF some of the witnesses, who
were hastily summoned, during which
the court room was packed almost to
suffocation by interested spectators of all
grades of society, the defendants seated
themselves at the small table before the
bar, with Attorney G. G. Stephens, who
represented Chadwick while District
Attorney Kelly, his deputy Hardesty
and Attorney j. w. Mitchell, who ap-
peared for the prosecution, sat together
close by the jury-box.
The usual preliminaries having been
disposed OF the complainant, w. f.
Bosbyshell, was called to the stand at
3 40 o'clock. He testified briefly to the
effect that on Monday Chadwick called
upon him and requested him to make
out a promissory note for $11O to
Getchelfs account. On Tuesday morn
ing the note was brought back signed by
W. G. Lockwood and 3. i.
Wright and a loan was negotiated
upon it. A few hours later check for
$75, signed and endorsed by w. G. Lock-
wood, was presented at the bank and
cashier 10 the order Of B. F, Getchell,
Justice Lockwood called at the bank
yesterday morning and denounced his
signature to the document as forgery,
whereupon the matter was placed in the
hands of the district attorney.
Mr.. E. I. Wright followed with a brief
denial OF all knowledge of the note and
pronounced the signature appended toit
as a clumsy forgery.
e: M. Flint, cashier at the Southern
California National Bank, testified to
having seen the note at the bank and to
having cashed the check shortly after
tne note had been negotiated. He
readily Identified both note and check.
He stated that Justice Lockwood had
called at the bank yesterday morning
and denied having signed either the
note or check, and wrote a number OF
signatures on piece of paper to show
the difference between those ON the Two
documents and his regular signature in
the presence of hlmself,::Mr. Hardesty,
and others,
J. W. Mitchell, an at;osney, testified
to having had conversation at the
bank with Justice Lockwood, and also
to being present at conference about
the matter in the ante-room of the
police court subsequently. While walk
ing along The street from the district
attorneys Office, where Justice Lock
wood went to plead for the dismissal o
the case, on behalf of another man, the
witness called his attention to the sin
gularity of the fact that his name hac
been forged to the check also, and Lock
wood said that it was strange, and tha
he could not account for it.
R. L. Horton, young lawyer, wht
occupied the room adjoining that of J
M. Damron in the Law building, stated
check, which he did not even scruti
nize, and asked him to cash it at tn,
Southern California National Bank. H,
did so, and on receipt of the money
$75, paid $51 at the Office of the Loar
and Trust Company in the Phillip
block, on a note on Damron's accoun
which he took up and without examin
ing it, further than to see that it wa
endorsed on it's face as paid in full h
put it and the $24 balance in Damron'
safe. He was not employed by Damrol
in any capacity, but as Damron had fo1
gotten the combination of the safe h
had access to it. He, personally ha
no interest whatever in either of tn
notes or the check.
Frank B. Tanning, deputy count
clerk, as an expert on signatures, wa
called upon to compare those on tn
note and check, and stated that the
had evidently been written by the sam
man. He unhesitatingly stated, how
ever, that the alleged forged signature
e. T. Wright could not have been wri
ten by the same person.
The defendant, j. S. Chadwick, we
then called, but as his attorney was nc
present, he preferred not to answer an
questions as to the note during h
absence, for fear of incriminating hin
self. At this juncture Justice Loci
wood said that he was very anxious
conclude his examination that nigh
and asked the court to allow him to 6
upon the stand in his own behalf out {
order, and this request was granted
spite of the efforts of Mr.. Haadesty
obtain a continuance.
Justice Lockwood then stated that Q
SATURDAY. or Monday last,he met DamrC