Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-09
Slick Jim'S Case.
The First Charge of Forgery
Ventilated.
DamrOn got most of the Doodle
on the note.
1t was used to settle another Crooked
Paper.
Lockwood's Recollection is dim The pen
man is held to answer in the sum
of $4,000.

Ihe DamrOn examination on the
charge OF having forged the name of E.
L. Wright to promissory note, took
place before Justice Austin yesterday.
Notwithstanding that the case is entire
ly devoid OF sensational characteristics,
the court room was filled with specta-
tors. Damron demurred to his examin-
alton taking place before Justice Austin,
on the ground that there is no such
office as that of city justice of the peace.
W. F. Bosbyshell, OF the Southern
California National Bank, testified to
the discounting of the forged note. Paid
its face value $110 to Chadwick for it.
He cashed $75 check drawn by Chad
wick in favor of Lockwood to r. /.
Horton.
E. 7. Wright swore that his signature
on the note was forgery. He had
never authorized anyone to sign his
name to it,
Frank B. Tanning, deputy county
clerk, knows Damron's writing. He
pronounced the signature E. T. Wright
forgery, and the similarity with the
writing of Damron was so great that he
was constrained to believe that it had
been written by the defendant.
r. L. Horton said that at Damron's
request he had collected the $75 check
drawn in favor of Lockwood at the bank.
He paid $51 of it to redeem a promis-
sorry note of Damron's in the Phillips
block. Afterwards he placed the note
and the balance of the money, $24, in
Damron's safe. His recollection was
that the signature of Lockwood was at
the back of the check.
w. M. Sheldon said that the SOL paid to
him by Mr.. Horton was the balance due
on promissOry note for 500 Joint ly
signed by Damron and Mr. Perry.
At this stage Mr.. Damron was served
with notice by the District Attorney to
produce this note in Court.
The afternoon session began at quar-
ter of three. A legal document was pre-
sented to him which he testified was in
the handwriting of j. M. Damron.
r. L. Horton then identified the same
document as having been written by
j. M. Damron.
The next witness was G.. A.. Hough, a
teacher of penmanship and book keeping.
A formulation having been laid to show
that the witness was competent to testi-
fly as an expert in the reading of hand
writing, he was asked in whose hand
writing the signature of E. 7. Wright on
the note was. He answered that he be-
lieved that the word "Wright" was writ
ten byJ. M. Damron, but that he did not
feel so confident about the initials "E.
T." The initials he said resembled the
rest OF the name in their slant and gen.
eral character.
Mr.. Bosbyshell was again placed upon the
stand and asked to whom the $110 was
credited. He said that it was credited to
B: F. sGitchell. A check signed by B. F.
Gitchell was then shown him and he
testified that it was drawn against the
account of $110.
Justice Lockwood was the next
witness. He was shown the check sign
ed by B. F. Githell and asked whether
his signature appearing on the back as
an endorsement was genuine. He an
swered that it looked very much like his
handwriting but he had no recollection
of having written it.
Question by Mr.. Hardesty. But did
you not tell Mr.. Phibbs and myself that
you knew that you had never written it?
Answer. Yes. think l did say SO.
The prosecution here rested it's case.
A motion to dismiss the charge was then
made by the defense and denied by the
court. No evidence was offered by the
defense and the case was submitted
without argument. The defendant was
ordered held to answer the charge Of
forgery on bail of $4,000. Mr.. Hardesty
asked that the people be allowed to pro-
ceed Immediately with the next case but
as it was already four O'Clock the court
took recess until this morning at 8
o'clock