The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-11-18
I'm A COUNTY JAIL
COLONEL PORTER ECARCERATED
FOR THE GRAND JURY IN
JANUARY.


TEL
Yesterday afternoon Col. Isaiah Por-
ter, alias Colonel Curtin, alias numer.
Gus other fictictous names was arraign-
ed before Justice William Mckee
charged with forgery. THE WORLD
was the first paper in West Virginia
to expose the attempt Of the Colonel
to defraud Rev. H. J. McKeefry BY
means of $1,000 check. Since that
it has been claimed that he has been
operating in various other sections Of
the State. Yesterday the State was
represented by Prosecuting Attorney
Mr.. George Feidt and Mr.. ]. Nelson
Wisner, and the prisoner by Mr..
Stewart w. Walker. Rev. Father Nc
Keefry was the first and only witness
sworn in the case. He gave the facts
as published in THE WORLD at the
time. On the morning Of September
18th the Colonel applied at the home
of Father McKeefry and presented a
letter Of introduction purporting to
come from ]. Haven Richards the
President Of Georgetown College. He
then explained that the object Of his
mission was to present to st. Joseph's
Church check that had been left the
church by John Mulvey an old soldier
who had died in Washington. The
latter, he said, was wounded in the
battle Of Martinsburg and he remem-
bered the treatment that was extended
him here. The Colonel then gave
Father McKeefry the following check !:
No. st6 WASHINGTON. D. G., Sept. u. 1891
National Capital Bank Of Washington pay to
the order Of Hon. Henry $. Curtin one thousand
dollars. (SI, 000.) r. Il. WARD Co.
When it came to the introduction of
this check in evidence Mr.. Walker
objected on the ground that it was
dated September oath whereas the
crime was alleged to have been COM
mitted on September 28th. He then
cited the Supreme Court decision Of
The People VS.. Poindexter in support
Of the position taken. This objection
was overruled by Squire Mckee.
Father McKeefry then proceeded
with his testimony, stating that he had
ascertained the check to be fraudulent
after it had been endorsed over to him
by Colonel Curtin. Hefully identified
the Colonel Porter on trial as the Col
onel Henry S. Curtin who had come to
his house. On the cross examination
Father McKeefry said he had not pre-
sented the check at any bank for pay
ment, had no knowledge that the
check was drawn by the accused or
that any name had been forged.
AS there was no evidence to show
that forgery had been committed.
Mr.. Walker asked that his client be
dismissed, justice, humanity and law
he said demanded it. There was not
an iota Of evidence he argued on which
his client could be retained in the
county jail until the next grand jury
met, and it was but manhood and law
that the counsel on the part of the
State should admit.
Both Messrs. Feidt and Wisner
maintained that it was not necessary
to prove the forgery. The intention.
to defraud had been clearly shown.
Squire Mckee bound the prisoner over
for action before the grand jury in
January.
A.RoMANCE OF CRIME.
The police have gathered the record
of Col. Porter and, says an exchange,
it reads like romance, and shows Por-
ter to be one Of the most versatile ras-
Gals and extensive operators known in
the criminalhistory of the country. Born
in York, Pa, he joined the Confeder-
ate service, and rose to be colonel.
He was shot through the body twice
during the war. After-the war he fell
in with well known and slick conf
dence man. An extensive foreign
plundering trip was laid out, which
embraced England, France, Germany
and Italy. Both men spoke German
and French, and they passed as Ameri-
can railroad magnates, cutting swell
IN the European capitals, being wined
and dined by bankers and noblemen,
and shown every attention a Next