Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-11
The RESULT Of His Peculiar
Financiering.
An Investment Company's Sec
retary in Trouble.
How Is It Those Forged Orders We're
Redeemed?
Some Funny Business About the Disap-
pearance OF the Alleged Forged
Documents-The Testi-
mony Given.

George Munroe, secretary OF the State
Investment company, who is charged
with forging orders for pay warrants OF
city employees, was held for trial yes
terday by Justice Austin in $2500 bail.
Since the continuance OF the case for
examination. it was developed yesterday
the orders, bogus and otherwise, held by
J.W. Jackson, the complaining witness,
have been taken up, and in this manner
all the documents which otherwise would
have appeared as weighty direct evil
dence in the case have been spirited
away. 1t would seem from this that
Justice Austin's court has been used
somewhat in the capacity of collec-
tion agency, and that the criminal
charge brought in this court
has been forcible argument in favor OF
discharging the debt incuwed by Mr..
Munroe in 80 peculiar manner. The
mysterious disappearance of the fraud
ulent orders sorely hampered the prose-
cution, and it was only due to the ad-
mission of secondary evidence as to the
contents of the missing orders that a
case was made out at all.
J.1W. Jackson, sworn-I am an attor-
ney-at-law, my Office being rooms A and
3, Los Angeles National bank building.
Mr.. Munroe came to me about January
1st, aud explained to me that he was in
the business of discounting city and
county pay warrants. He said that if 1
would furnish money, he would do the
work, and we would share the profits.
1 took number OF orders for
warrants from him. At the end
of the month, / asked for my money
and he gave me his check. When pre-
sented it, however, it was returned
marked mo funds" l told him then
that had probably not given him
enough time for repayment, and said
that would take $1,000 worth of the Or
ders fo- the next month. He afterward
took up the mo funds" check. l
bought lot more of his orders, which
were to fall due on March I'd and 10th.
On March 1st, however, being anxious
for reasons about the matter, went to
the city auditor and presented some of
the orders. Payment was refused on
been paid. The Helen Henry order was
honored, and the warrant paid by the
city treasurer. At that time held
twenty-five orders for warrants. On the
evening of that day, March 1st. I saw
Munroe at his Office, and asked him
about the orders. Munroe declared
that he had collected 5000 of
the amount due and had de-
posted the money in the vaults
of the State Loan and Trust company.
He maintained that he had collected
the Helen Henry warrant. and when I,
with some surprise, told him thatI my
self had received the money on that
warrant, he said it was very strange.
That night l went home to Pasadena,
and the next morning ] learned that
the Henry order was forgery. l then
paid the money back into the city
treasury. Last week delivered all the
orders held to my partner, Mr.. Cox,
who gave me certified check for the
amount they represented.
William +. Cox, affirms-I am Mr..
Jackson's law partner. On Lass Friday,
Mr.. Jackson gave me orders for collec-
tion, including the Helen Henry order.
l turned them over to Mr.. Munroe, and
received a certified check for the
Mr.. Williams, for the defense-Do you
know of your own knowledge. Mr.. Cox,
that the Helen Henry order was in the
package?
Mr.. Cox-I do not. The package was
in Mr.. Murphy's possession part Of Fri
day evening.
A subpoena was issued for Mr..
Murphy.
Mr.. Williams suggested to the court
that the complaint would have to be
dismissed because it did not state that
the order was lost or destroyed. ~
s. 6. Lehmer, affirms-I am a teacher
in the High school. 1 never gave an
order for my salary for February, 1892,
nor authorized any one to give such an
order. 5
Mr.. Marble, deputy district attorney,
now made demand upon the defense
for the missing orders.
Mr.. WilliamH-In. answer to this de-
mand I declare that the defendant
neither affirms nor denies possessing
any knowledge of such an order.
The court-In that case, the court
holds that secondary evidence is admis-
Gble as to the contents of the orders.
J.. w. Jackson was recalled, and asked
to describe the Helen Henry order. Mr..
Williams objected on the ground
that the existence of such an
shown. The objection was over
AuAO0t esAN VAAO VOuAU lClU CuAI buS5
prosecution might even 70 80 far as I'd
allow the witness to refresh his memory
as to the text of the order. Mr.. jack
son then gave the wording of the order,
referring frequently to the copy as
attached to the complaint.
The witness-I am fairly well ac-
quainted with Mr.. Munroe's handwrit-
ing. The written words in the body of
the orders are, in my opinion, in bis
handwriting. The Endorsements, "Sts,te
Investment company, by George Mum
roe, secretary" were written by him,
for saw him write them. All the sig
natures of the orders showed remarka-
Die similarity upon comparison.
Helen Henry, sworn-I am teacher
IN the Spring-street school. 1 never
made, signed, or authorized to be signed,
any order for my salary warrant for Feb.
Iuary. 1 know Of my own knowledge
that what purported to be such an or
ger was IN existence, for the city treas
urer showed it to me. Principal Ennis
told me OF it first, and went to the city
hands. 4.
w. p. Cox, recalled-I saw Munfoe
about the order at his house on Adams
street.last week Wednesday, in the even
ing. / tried to get him r. nav thh