The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-05-02
HANDLED THE QUEER"
OminOus Outlook For j. b. Michener-
B. +. Burkhart Arrested
But Let Go.

J. B. Michener a Canton attorney having
his office in the Eagle block, was arrested in
Massillon Saturday night on the charge of
passing counterfeit money. Michener had
gone over to Massilon in the afternoon, and
about five O'Clock went into the grocery store
of A. Shorb on West fremont street and made
some trivial purchases. He gave in payment
a $40 gold piece. He received his change and
walked away Mr.. shorb's attention was
called to the piece ON account of its light
weight. He made closer examination of the
coin and concluding it was counterfeit, got
Policeman Hollander and started to hunt his
man. Michener was located and arrested. On
being searched other bogus gold coins were
found upon his person. II was taken TO the
Massillon city prison and locked up to await a
hearing at 10 o'clock Monday. During the
evening numerous other reports of merchants
being taken in by bad money were reported to
! the police and all traced to Michener.
The news of his arrest created quite a sensa-
tion in Canton. Michener was man who
had the implicit confidence of the bar and bus
iness men of the city. He was the owner of
considerable property in Canton and held nu-
merous positions of trust in settling estates.
NuCHENER ASSIGNS.
After his arrest he sent for X. w. McCaughey
of Massillon, an attorney, and for Judge Thay-
er of Canton. Both of these gentlemen re-
sponded to the summons. The result
of their conference was the filing at 7
o'clock Monday morning Of deed eff assign.
ment to r. W. McCaughey and ]. Warren
Michener of all the property real and personal
of every kind wherever located belonging to J.
b. Kitchener in trust for the benefit of his
creditors. Michener was also the guardian of
Mary and Clara Wikidal, grand children of
Martin Wikidsl, and had in his possession for
them an estate valued at $4,000. One of the
girls has been of age for year last February
but in spite repeated notices from the probate
court and his bondsmen an account of his
settlement with her has been not filed. He has
always claimed however to his bOndsmen, o.
M. Coxen, William Wagner and j. II. Spon-
seller, that the matter was settled and he would
get her receipt in a short time. Sunday his
bondsmen went to Massillon and had an inter-
view with him in the city prison. They Sc
cured from him an assignment of his interest
to them in a coal lease on lands in Lawrence
township. The lease is held by Philip Sonn-
halter and is quite valuable The interest Of
Michener which amounts to about one-ffth
was assigned to ON. Coxen, William Wagner,
j. H. Sponseller and John W, Michener as
executor of Catharine Hershey. The assign
ment of the lease is on the basis that one half
of the rents and royalties go to Coxen, Spon-
seller and Wagner and the other half go to j.
W. Michener. This transfer of the lease was
filed at 2:15 Monday morning. In
the meantime Samuel Burgert who
| held Michener's notes for a considerable sum
of money had filed a mortgage deed on the
Berg block in North Cherry street for S66s for
note and interest given March 20, 1895. This
mortgage was filed at 1905 Monday morning.
Mechener is also administrator for the estate of
A. B. seiss of Canton, and his account shows a
balance in his hands of S40O.
b. F. BURKHART ARRESTED.
The police force had in the meantime been at
work trying to find if there were any confed-
crates of Michener's in Canton. AS a result of
their investigations suspicion pointed very
strongly to b. f. Burkhart, a local real estate
dealer, and his arrest was agreed upon. Officer
| Joe Wielandt called at Burkhart's residence
about s o'clock Sunday evening but he had not
been home since dinner. A quiet search was
made for him in town but he was not found.
Burkhart had gone to Massillon to see Mich
ener. He came back from Massillon ON the
last car Sunday night and was at once arrested
by Officers Wielandt and Jacobs and lodged in
the county Jail charged with suspicion.
Burkhart is supposed to be the man who fur
nished the bogus coin.
MICHENER TAKEN TO CLEVELAND.
At the hearing in Massillon Monday morn.
ing Michener waived examination and was
bound over to common pleas court. He was al
once brought over to Canton and lodged in the
county Jail. He was turned over to Deputy U.
8. Marshal r. M. Highlands of Cleveland and
taken to that city on the afternoon train.
Prosecutor Bow consented to have Michener
taken before the U. s. courts. although Mich
ener could have been tried in Stark county.
Before he was taken to Cleveland Kitchener
stated that he could notexplain how he came to
bein the position he was now in. He had been
worried over financial matters for the last year
and had gotten into this trouble without rea-
LIKING how II came about. He had taken a
couple Of drinks Saturday before going to Mas
sillon. This was the first and only bad money