Bridgeton pioneer., 1890-11-20
HELD FOR COURT
ST. vens to Answer to
The Charge.
Justice Wells Holds Him in
$500 Bail for Court.
GRANDMOTHER CONDEMNS HER
GRANDSON AS A FORGER.
Enc Hearing of Ephraf1n y. stew.
ems before Justice Wells
Saturday Afternoon
fDr Forgery.


for Forgery.
The Office of Justice Samuel w.
Wells was crowded to its utmost ca
pacity Saturday afternoon, with per-
sons interested in the case of the State
against Ephraim S. Stevens, who is
charged with forging the name Of his
grandmother on checks, upon which
he secured money from the Cumber-
land National Bank.
Grandmother Rhoda B. Smith was
seated upon e lounge in the office.
She looked her eighty-fve years,
and she seemed to be quite over
come with the publicity and excite
ment attending the trial. Directly be-
side her on the sofa, previous to the
beginning of the trial, sat Stevens, and
frequently he conversed with her.
whose sworn testimony it was a little
later that caused the Justice to hold
him in $500 bail for his appearance at
Court.
Lulu, the wife of Stevens, was not
present, her counsel, James s. Ware,
presenting physicians certificate
that it was impossible for her to at
tend.
Promptly at four!o clock, Prosecutor
Lo2ue, who was to conduct the States
case, broke the silence by calling to
the witenss stand, Harry W. Scu!l. In
answer to the Prosecutors questions,
Mr.. Scull said:
"Ireside in Bridgeton, and am clerk
or paying teller in the Cumberland
National Bank. | know Ephraim 8.
Stevens" Witness was shown check
described in complaint, and continued,
81 have seen that check before in the
Bank, the day it was presented by Mr..
Stevens. Our books show the check
was presented on the Gath of July, the
date of the check, and I have every
reason to believe it was presented on
that date. Rhoda b. Smith had an
account in the bank at that time. The
check was paid by me to Ephraim s.
Stevens, the one to whom the check is
drawn. l paid him the cheok-$125,
and l afterward received from him
500, which placed to his credit, he
keeping $25 cash, Mr.. Stevens told
me the mark on the check was that of
his grandmother's. After cross exam
ination by Mr.. Ware, Mr.. Scull was ex-
cused, and F. NJ. Riley was called by
the prosecution. He said:
II am Cashier Of the Cumberland
National Bank" The same check as
shown Mr.. Scull, was handed Mr..
Riley, and he continued his testimony
with II have seen this check before
one week ago to-day, in the afternoon.
Ny attention was directed to it by be-
ing advised that E L. Smith had pre-
sented a check to draw some money
from an account of Rhoda B. Smith,
and the account was closed. Mr..
Smith was surprised at not being able
to draw any money upon his check
and as result of the conversation
with Mr.. Smith, l looked up the ac.
count of Rhoda Smith. l found that
this check and several others had ex.
hausted the account. There was moth.
ing to her credit at the time Smiths
check was presented. After had in
vestigated Mrs. Smiths account with
the bank, paid q visit to Mrs. Smith
the same evening, and as result oi
my interview with her, made the
complaint in this case. In that inter
view, presented this check with sew,
eral others, to Mrs. Smith. / remem
Der other checks that have come te
the bank against her account by Mrs
Smith making her mark. All checks
signed by her mark were not made
payable to Ephraim s. Stevens. Mrs
Smith does not give many checks, and
we have had them signed by her mark
and her name."
Everybody in the Office was hushed
when aged Mrs. Smith was helped
across the room to the witness stand,
and the moment was solemn one
when the old lady tremblingly held the
Bible, while the Justice administered
the oath. In answer to questions by
the Prosecutor, Mrs. Smith related
the following story, which caused hel
own grandson to be placed under $500
bail for the grave crime of forgery:
Il live in Cedarvilie. / am the
grandmother of Ephraim s. Stevens
! and the mother of E. Lummis Smith