The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-04-21
The Atkinson Forgery Case is
Heard in Justice Court.
TWO DISTINCT STORIES ARE TOLD.
Stories of Brown and st. Peter
at Wide Variance.
Tho Defense Relies Upon tho St
Peter Testimony for Dismissal
Defendant Bound over.

Justice John Morrison on Tuesday alter
noon. The case continued throughout
the day, night session was held and il
was not until late on the following alter
noon that the first charge had been
nired. IL will bc remembered that MIR.
Atkinson had been arrested under three
distinct charges. The first charge alleges
that Mr.. Atkinson raised n county war
rant, numerically designated as 3S5G,
from $35 to $l35. This was the ease
heard before Justice Morrison. The
prosecution was conducted 10y Messrs.
Cook & Pelham, Of Iron Mountain, and
Mr.. Atkinson was defended by Judge A.
l.. Flewellng, of this city and T.. l.. Lott,
OF Iron River. The peoples side OF the
case was alone presented, the defense
Peter, the peoples witness, was ample
proof tu dismiss the case. Justice Nor
rison, however, nt the close of the argu-
Inents bound the respondent over for
appearance at the circuit court. In the
two other cases, the defense waived eX-
animation. The Justice fixed the bonds
for the three cnscs nt 81 100.
A deep interest in the hearing was
manifested. During the progress oI the
trial, seats were at premium in the
little Justice Office and convenient wood
pile outside the door furnished support
for a goodly number of langud auditors
The complaining witness, County
Clerk w. j. Brown, WAS the first to take
the stand. lie testified substantially as
follows:
That Inc was clerk Of the county OF
Iron and acted in that capacity on Feb.
81, 1893. A bill for services as deputy
county clerk in iavor OF Mr.. Atkinson,
amounting to $l35, was then offered in
Trey nlssgce Witness identified the hand
wrinting ON the uhi, 4, 'pr services as that
OF the defendant. The bilTporu ;slte ol
Feb -. 1893, and The 80. K." anc
signature OF Tboburn Gibson. The bill
also bore a clerks notation TO the cffcc
TINT county warrant No. 1856 hat
been drawn inpayment thereof. The war
rant in question was next produced
Witness identified the handwriting il
which the order wns drawn as that q
the defendant. The endorsement on th,
back of the warrant, witness also identi
fed rs that of the defendant and ia,
: countcrsign ON the order MS that of Johr
Erikson, chairman of the board of super
visors. The warrant ordered the treas
, urer of'thc county oi Iron to pay G. NJ
, Atkinson $l35 from the general fund q
, the county.
Tho witness next identified rccor,
produced rs that OF the proceedings q
the board of supervisors OF the county q
Iron kept by himself.
I Mr.. Cook-Dirccting your attention &
I these pages OF the record, I ask you i
n whose handwriting they appear.
Mr.. Brown-Mr. Atkinson's.
Q-Wcre these entries made during III
time he was deputy county clerk2
A Yea, sir.
. Q-I have here n book, purporiing {
be- n record ot claims aud call you
attention TO the entries OF claims iror
No. 115 TO 157, inclusive, ask you j
I. whose handwriting they appear, villa
y the book Is and what II IL kept foi?
9 Alt .sa record oi bills against III
= county of Iron, in which all bills az
W recorded in The Office OF the county clcrl
The entries referred TO were made 10y NJ
'e Atkinson, particularly claim No. 130.
G. Claim No. l39 is that for services q
N deputy county clerk made by Mr.. Atkil
* son. II appcars in the record OF claim
1 as $50.
Q-Can you tell Why this number, la'
10 appenrs7
's Alt distinguishes Tie bill.
&. Explain this hill, claim No. ~
re warrant No. 1856 and the transaction
leading up To them.
re Here MI. Flewcllng inicrposed nm O
81 jectiou, insisting that the prosecute,
ic wns vergiug into matters irrelevant M
sc incompetent. After considerable leg
rparriug on this point, the witness W
i permitted 10 proceed 10y system
az questions anu answers.
n. Q-lIow did this bill of Mr.. Atkinson
(claim 1891 come Ia be prcscntcd2
n. A-At previous sessions of the Circ,
81 court, there had been n sum allowed 4
id county clerk for deputy clerk hire.
asked the board OF supervisors 10 nllC
ns me $50 FOR deputy clerk hire and II W
hc agreed to. then requested Mr.. Atk
,o son TO draw bill for $50 for such A
vices rendered. This he did and hand
the bin over To me, Mr.. Atkinson havi
~ drawn tho hill at the typewriter desk
,s the end Of nay table in my Office. I
~ auditing committee Of the board 81 ~
ervisors was then at work In the OIL
he handed the bill to Mr.. Gibson, 81 IN
Ell conn Ntec, who endorsed II and
paSss Che hoard At $35. On March