St. Paul daily globe., 1893-05-01
And Brought Back to Answer
Certain Serious
Charges.
Forgery and Fraud as a No
tary Entered Up Against
Him.
Meteorie Career Of This Ee-
centric Young English
man.

IHere are many persons III SC. raul
who remember the meteoric career in
this city of A. Ii. Hornsby, notary pub
lie. real estate dealer, horSeman, sport
ing writer for the Pioneer Press and an
opponent of the bookmakers during the
racing season. He has not been seen in
st. Paul for some time, but his friends
will have the chance of calling OH him
at the county Jail today. He was ar
rested on the charge of forgery yester-
day afternoon in Chicago by Chief of
Detectives McGinn and started back to
st. Paul last night
The complainant is B. f. Martin. He
charges that Hornsby forged a deed
and other documents pertaining to Ger
tain real estate in st. Paul, and through
the einstrumentality of the forged docu-
ment secured from Martin the sum of
$3.50 in cash. Mr.. Martin tried to re-
cover from Hornsby's bondsmen, Uriah
Lamprey and Mr.. Metca!f, the sum al
legged to have been fraudently obtained.
but in civil suit brought in the district
on legal technicality. The alleged
swinder departed for Chicago in the
meantime.
Since that time he has been in that
city. engaged in the real estate busi-
ness during the greater portion Of the
time and in other pursuits according to
the state of his fortunes. After consid-
cradle difficulty and untirimg efforts,
Chief McGinn succeeded in locating
oh, Loot Mi 1n,N foI fNr
Chicago after his man. Hornsby is re-
turning without the fOrmality of requi-
Sition papers, ard makes a strong denial
of any wrong intention or crookedness
in connection with the transaction.
The particulars of the affair are still
fresh in the minds of real estate men
and representatives. of the legal frater
nifty in this city. Hornsbv was in the
real estate business, and he purported
to obtain from Antonia Workman, the
owner of certain property in st. Paul,
deed tor it, which as notary public he
acknowledged. He sold the property to
b. f. Martin for the sum of $1,000, re-
ceiving in payment the sum of $3.50, and
a mortgage on the property as
security for the balance. The $3.50
was paid in check, and it is
charged that he forged the name of
the payee. Antonia Workman, on the
back of the check and secured the
money. Martin discovered that there
was something wrong, and was unable
to secure possession of the property.
He then brought suit against the no.
torial bondsmen of Hornsby, Messrs.
Lamprey and Metcalf, for the $3.50. The
case was before the district court for
four days, at the end of which time it
was thrown out on the grounds of lack
OF evidence. Hornsby had gone to Chi
Cago, where he has remained ever since.
When he left st. Paul he went via Du
luth, taking train at the East Seventh
street station.
His career has been an eventfuI one.
AS the son of wealthy parents in Eng
lana he was bought a commission in the
British army, and in the capacity of
captain he served several years in
India. He then sold his commission
and came to the United States and
established, on modest scale, a sport
ing paper in Chicago. In the year 1880
he came to the city Of st. Paul, and at
that time his finances were at very
low tide. He secured posi-
ton on the Pioneer Press as
proofreader, and succeeded in
living on this until he succeeded in
making some real estate deals during
the boom days. He would secure an
option OH piece of property and then
pick up a customer on the street and
sell it at a considerable advance. In
this manner he accumulated consider
able money, and then went into the
real estate business exclusively. He
plated HOrnSby's addition on the West
side, and was reputed to be quite
wealthy at one time, but he was bur
dened with too much property which
was unimproved, and finally lost
it because ne could not keep it up. He
was considerably reduced in means by
losses at the race track, as he was an
inveterate lover of racing, and placed
his money literally on the horses which
found favor in his eyes. He was good
horseman, and knew piece of horse
flesh when he saw it. For this reason
he was given position on the Pioneer
Press as sporting editor.
The trouble which has resulted in his
arrest occurred about five months ago.
Hornsby has wife and number OF
lit