The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-08-17
TAGGART'S DOWNFALL.
No Doubt now Left that he is a
Fugitive from Justice.
F0RGERES WILL REACH $4,000,
And not all of them are Known yet.
How his Guilt was Discovered First.
He was not Only a Sunday School
Superintendent, but ran two
schooIs-..How his Whereabouts
may be Discovered.

There now is no doubt that Wilson
Shannon Taggart who departed sud
denly from Barton and St Clairsville,
was forger, and the amount of his
forgeries will reach $4,000. he used
the names OF his father, John Taggart,
now past eishty.two years Of age and in
feeble health, and his brother-in-law,
E. N. Boggs. The first discovery was
made at Bridgeport, where he borrowed
$500 from building association, giving
as surety the names OF the persons
above given. For some reason the
signature OF John Taggart was doubted
and Geo. @. Mckee. who looks after the
affairs Of the building association,
quietly paid a friendly visit to Mr..
1aggart to see howhe was getting along
and in the course OF the friendly talk
with the old gentleman he was asked
about the note OF his son. He knew
nothing of it at all; had never signed
or been consulted about it, but said he
would see that the association was made
whole. o,
the court Davies, who had loaned Tag
gart $500 on the same kind Of q note,
acted upon the first intimation he got
by inviting the maker of it to call and
see him at once. He called promptly
with the cash and lifted the note, shut
ting off any room for discussion as to
the signatures.
Still matters seem to have remained
quiet for day or two, very few persons
knowing that Shannon Taggart was
guilty Of such crime. But be himself
knew it, and he made good his escape
before the banks that hold the forged
notes were aware of the facts. "The
guilty flee when no man pursueth," and
the guilty conscience of this man has
at least put off his sentence to the PEN
itentiary. No doubt he was dazed at
the realization of his own acts and hard
~ knew what to do, and this may &C.
count for his visiting the cemetery
where he was last seen about st. Clairs-
vile. He may have contemplated sui
eide, for he had stood well in the com.
munity, and if he took thought OF the
effect Of his methods upon his aged
father and relatives 1t must have been
hard for him to bear. But he didn't
kill himself, and it is too latenow for that
process TO do any good. he must have
had money when he went away, though
his employees were put off until he went
to St Clairsville Saturday evening. He
was last seen in the railroad yard at
Bridgeport Saturday night about II
o'clock. He had travelled on foot and
under cover of night toward the river.
Where he went from there no one
knows as yet, but it is presumed he
either went to Bellaire or came to this
city and took a train for the nearest
point to Canada. He was man past
middle age, and was very much attached
to his wife, with whom he had lived
for over O quarter OF century, and
there Is no doubt that she will hear
from him shortly and that clue to his
whereabouts will be obtained.
So far as known the amount OF Mr..
Taggart's forgeries is $4,000. Some Of
the banks which hold paper suppress
the fact, however. Mr.. Taggart was
superintendent of Sunday school at
Barton and of another at Harrington,
one meeting in the morning and the
other in the afternoon.
One of Taggart's victims was in
Wheeling last night. He had an idea
that Taggart was in Wheeling, and
brought with him photograph Of the
man. The police were all shown the
picture and asked TO keep sharp look
out for him.
Tagsart had brother who committed
suicide in Illinois some time ago, and
another brother was accused of forgery
in East st. Louis.