The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-07-23
CRAIG'S FORGERIES.
The Young Secretary Held on
Three Separate Charges.
irving NJ. Scott and Thomas S. Thompson Tell
now Their Signatures Were Initiated.
No Defense Offered

John Craig, the dapper once young assis-
Ian' secretary OF the California Worlds Fair
commission. who gained an entrance in to
'ne Clts rriSon some time since by reason
Oh his love for money intended for exhibits
at the great Columbian Fxposition. will no
trled IN the Superior Court on three charges
OF forgery. With serene smile on his
handsome face. an extra curl in his luxuri-
ant Dioude mustaehe, and daisy in his
puttonhole he sat unmOvedS 1uring his pre-
urinary examination before Judge Xix yes
leTday afternoon. When instructed as to
his rights his attorney. J. n. E. Wilson.
waived an examination. 1t was necessary,
however, for the committing magistrate 10
near some evidence against the accused.
ana therefore the principal testimony for
the prosecution was submitted,
craig was arraigned on the three charges
OF forgery The first complaint set forth
that on March p he cashed a check for
SoOU, 10 winch the signature Of Irving NJ
ocOt'. president, and Thomas S. Thompson.
secretary. OF the commission had been
IOESed. The second charge was that he
casned check for $50 on March 49, and
me thlTd that he secured $500 on April on
another forged check.
THE PAYING-TELLER.
FIRST TO be called as a witness was O. B,
fogle, paying-telle- OF the Crocker-Wool-
Worth National Bank. He told how he paid
500 TO Craig on March q, when he pre-
scented the check. Witness aid not examine
the signatures OH the check very carefully
OecSuse he knew that Craig was an empIoye
OF the worlds Fair Commission.
SIoss-eNamined FOgle said he was IA
m M with the signatures of Messrs.
THOMPSON and Scott
are these signatures like those usually
signed by them?" asked Attorney Wilson.
es, they are similar"
are you able to say that this signature
OF irving Nj. Scott is forgery?" asked VIII
son, as he handed the witness she check for
Il simply say" answered the witness as
ne scIuunlzed the check, that it is fair
signature Of both men,"
Would you hesitate to pay money OIL
these signatures?"
Yes, sir"
Without having heard from Mr.. Scott
and Mr.. Thompson would you call these
genuine signatures %
NO, would not. l did not hesitate to
pay the checks because Craig was an officer
OF the commission"
lrvlng Nj. Scott testified that the three
checks introduced In evidence did not hear
MS signature. tie neither signed the checks
nor authorized any one else to do So
MIR. SCOTT SIGNS HIS NAME.
DIT; scout was then asked TO sign his name
aed ala so. The signature was similar to
those upon the checks. but there was a
difference. In the signatures upon the
checks the capital IS" and small sc" were
connected. Ia VT ting his name Mr.. Scott
never connects these letters.
IN afraid lt's q forgery" muttered Mr..
wilson, az he compared the signatures. and
excused the witness
Mr.. Thompson deposed that he did not
authorize the defendant 10 sign any chec ks.
W ltness then told of 4 conversation had
WIN Craig on May 81 in the office OF Harry
n Morse and in the presence Of several
witnesses. No inducements or threats we're
made Craig confessed that he committed
the forgeries. At that time be said ma had
carefully copied the signatures While max
ing out the first check. After that he wrote
tue slSnat from memory.
lie witness declared that his signatures
TO the checks were foTgerIes and wrote sneci-
mems TO prove it, In his signature he al.
ways wrote out his first Christian name
but on the checks 1t was abbreviated tn
"Thos." ~
The testimony on the second two charges
was similar TO that given on the first
No testimony was offered for the defense
and Judge Xix committed Craig for trial
setting bonds IN the sum OF 5000 on each
charge.