The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-10
FORGERY BY PROXY.
How Scrip Was Secured BY
Clerk McGaughey.
NAMES OF INNOCENT MEN USED.
Two Signatures Secured IN Return for
Ono Certificate New Develop
meats in the Csse.

w. B. Spencer, county clerk, and #. A.
Twichell, county auditor, have continued
the investigation Of the books and accounts
Of James McGaughey, clerk of Judge
Humes' court. The more the case is
looked into the darker it appears for young
McGaughey and Frank NJ. Kennedy, his
companion. The exact methods of the
young mems operations were only discov-
cred yesterday, and it is now thought that
the plan whereby it is believed that the
county has been swindled ont of several
hundred dollars was as cleverly laid as it
was successfully operated.
Contrary to the first impression the large
number of names that appear on the GER
tificates issued by McGanghey and pre-
sented by Kennedy are not fictitious,
neither are they forgeries. In several
cases, it is thought by those making the
examination, that when witness or q
juror claimed his fees McGaughey would
have him sign his name twice. The first
time he would receipt for his own ccrtii-
cate, and the second time he signed his
name he would endorse and sign for = GER
tificate that was the property of another.
Of course he only got his own certificate
and the one he unconsciously signed for
would be turned over to Kennedy. It is
said that Kennedy sold good many Ger
tificates thus issued to Crawford & Ham
non, who are in the scrip buying bust
ness, and who had no suspicion of the
method by which they were obtained.
As soon as it was learned that some of
the signatures were not forgeries. Mr..
Twichell secured list of all the names
appearing on the stubs in the certificate
book and sent out the following postal
card to the person whose signature was
questioned
Dear Sir: Will you please call at the
county auditors Office at once, a. your
signature has been called into question.
Bring this card with you"
Among the persons who received such q
card were I. C. Collins, ]. s. Arnold,
William J. Medow, John Flour, j. r.
Large, John HOLSTER, G. w. Huay, d. E.
Moon, Henry Lemons, J. r. Raglan, J. M.
Sutton, G. w. Murphy and others.
1t was expected that these persons would
denounce their signatures Is forgeries, but,
contrary to expectations, each and every
one acknowledged the signatures as their
own. Mr.. Collins said he signed his name
twice, but received only one certificate.
AAO eAOuSnt ~ 80 al tight. MT. O8ukQey
said, "Sign here, then picking up another
book and concealing everything except
the signature line said, in care
less way, "Sign here, also" He
concluded it was the style adopted by the
Office and thought nothing more of it.
The stub books show that when Mr..
Collins signed his name the second time
he signed certificate belonging to John
Flour. On January 16 Flour acted as an
interpreter in the case of the State VS.
John Johnston and he should have
received 500. He never received the
certificate; but signed for by T. C. Collins,
it fell into the hands Of Kennedy and he
took it. to the auditors Office and got
warrant for the amount. All the persons
whose names are given were used SINH
larly.
McGaughey, who was sick for week,
is now able to be about. Friday he called
at the auditors Office and demanded his
pay for April, but it was not allowed him.
The auditor told him he could not have
cent until it was clearly proven that he
did not spend the time for which the
county paid him salary writing out and
fixing" up fraudulent certificates.
The auditor believes that new COM
plant can be filed and another warrant
served on the two young men, charging
them with felony.