Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-12-22
AT HIS OLD TRICKS
FOrger Stoddard Almost Vic
timiZes Elliott F. Shepard.
MK1NLEY's HAND INITIATED,
And So Cleverly Done that the Colonel
Was for Time Deceived.

Stoddard Wanted the Same 1900 He
Has So Nearly Succeeded in Getting on
Other Occasions His Dodge that of the
Reformed Young Man, With a Broken
Hearted Mother Out West---A Clever
Piece of Work.
NEW YORK, Dec. 20 Edward L.
Stoddard 8 forgery mill in the Hudson
County Jail, where he has been pris-
oner since last August, has been very
busy of late, but the boldest effort that
he has made to raise money by the skill
full use of his pen was the scheme which
has just come to light to raise 81, 200
by forging the name of Gov. elect Nc
Kinley, of Ohio. The victim selected by
Stoddard at this end of the line was Ell
nott F. Shepard, and the plot came
near being successful.
ESeveral days ago Col Shepard received
a letter bearing the postmark Canton,
Ohio, and marked Eprivate and conf
Dental" Before reading the letter he
looked at the signature and was delight
ed to see the bold signature of William
Mckinley Jr. After few personal
matters the letter stated that Mr. Nc
Kinley had become greatly interested in
very bright young man, James S.
Wolfe by name, now confined sin the
Hudson County Jail for forgery.
Mr.. Mckinley did not know the boy very
we'll, but was intimately acquainted
with his father, who was his school
mate.
The boy had ruined bright pros pect
of success as a lawyer by hard drin king
and association with thieves. He was
on the stool of repentance now felt
pressed an earnest desire to reform. He
had been away from home for several
years and his mother mourned for him
as dead. She was surprised 20 get a
letter from him a few days before, in
which he stated that he had made up
his mind to live honestly, and had
turned his thoughts to religion and
would hereafter take the Bible as his
guide Mrs. Wolfe could not stand her
she called upon Mr.. Mckinley and de-
posted 50, 600 to be sent to her son in
instalments.
Mr. Shepard was directed to call up
Wolfe at the Hudson County Jail and
examine into the alleged reformation
of the young man. In order that there
should be no mistake made, a dozen
questions were given which would make
the Identification positive, These re-
1dLcu 10 w Oll0 JIG udln0S
of his parents and ancestors, the towns
in which they had lived, and the date
of birth and death and the burial place
of some of the members of his family.
In case all the questions were answer
ed correctly, which would be a guaran-
tee that Wolfe was the right man, Mr..
Shepard was to give him 81, 200, which,
the latter limited, was to be used in
bribing the guards and jailor, SO that
he al hiS from tba iail
and from punishment for a crime that
he did not commit.
The letter directed Mr.. Shepard to
call upon Judge William D. DAILY of
Hoboken, who would accompany him to
the JAIL but under no circumsta ces
was Mr.. Daily to be told of the letter or
receive the money.
The letter was so plain anu the sigma
turo of Mr.. Mckinley so perfect that
Mr.. Shepard was inclined to send the
money to Wolfe without further in
quiry, but on the following day he tele
graphed to Mr.. Mckinley at Canton
asking if the letter was all right and
received a reply which indi cated that
| Mr.. Mckinley was puzzled and did not
know what Mr.. Shepard was trying to
find out
Mr.. Shepard gave the letter TOT his
| lawyer, Robert G. Alexander Mr..
ALCAduuCL SOlAAN AOO SO0 e@A AA%" "a III y
letter and went with it to Judge DAILY =
office in Hoboken. The judge did not
know anything about it, and he and
| Mr.. Alexander went to the Jail.
| The prisoner is not known as Stoddard
there When arrested he gave the name
| of John S. Wood, and two months later
changed it 60 John S. Wolfe. Mr.. Alex
ander was surprised at Stoddard's ap-
pearance He is over six feet high, and
very well built, has an intellectual face
and Il refined manner.
| He was very shy at first and would
not talk, but finally admitted that he
had written to his mother for help. Mr..
| Alexander asked Stoddard all the ques-
tions to identify Wolfe, and he answer
ed them all correctly. Mr.. Alexander
| tried to trip him up by severe cross
| examination, but Stoddard was equal
to the test, and the lawyer left with the
impression that the letter was genuine.
He retained Judge Daily to look out for
the prisoners case and said he would
send him a check for $500.
Judge DAILY refused to accept it, as he
believed the Mckinley letter was for
gerry He knew something of Stod,
dard's history, who had got his release
from Jail in Tennessee by forging the
Govern or's name to a pardon, and had
been accused of forgery in other States
That the letter was a forgery was con
firmed shortly afterward by genuine
letter from Maj. Mckinley.