Evening star., 1896-12-03
FORGERY CHAR ED
Trial of W. q. Bateman and Arthur Bowen
Today. 49,
business Men Tell of Advertising Con-
tracts Presented for Payment
Story of the Arrests.

| to utter a forged paper with intent to
swindle Redford W. Walker & Son. real
estate dealers. to the extent of $40, were
given a hearing this afternoon before
Judge Miller in the Police Court. Both
men were faultlessly attlred They were
represented by Attorney Joseph Shilling
| ton. Assistant District Attorney Null
lowney appeared for the government, and
| an array Of well-known local business men
were in court as witnesses for the prosecu-
ton.
Mr. Redford w. Walker of the firm of
Walker & Son, 1905 street, was the first
to take the stand. Mr.. Walker testified
practically as reported in The Star yester-
day, saving in effect that Wese. or Bate
man, visited his Office Tuesday and pre-
sented a paper calling for SO in payment
for advertising in the Mere hants and Man.
ufacturers' Business Directory. MIR. Walk
er unhesitatingly declared the signature on
the paper t. be forgery, and his son de-
parted with the paper to examine the sig
| nature with magnifying glass. Bateman
stated that he would accompany the
younger Mr.. Walker. Instead of doing so
he fastened away. Mr.. Walker and a clerk
followed in pursuit, and Bateman was over
taken at 10th and D streets.
Il told rim to return to the Office with
me, said Mr.. Walker. but he replied that
| he had an important business engagement
ard could not SO back until later. The
man said hat the matter could be all fix
ed up satisfactorily. We detained hun ur-
Mr.. Walker went on to say that a year
ago ne was swindled ou. of s. in a similar
naEfer as the one referred to- He made
memorandum at the time and had an
understanding with his son and his clerk
that under no circumstances would the
irm subscribe for or advertise In any out
side directory. Therefore. when the parer
was presented Tuesday he was in a posi-
tion to at once declare it a forgery
Il was incensed," continued Mr. Walker
| 10 think that after once sw.ndling ME to
| the extent of 81 they considered me so soft
| that they thought they could get SO this
tine"
William NJ. Lanning, clerk in the en-
| ploy of Mr.. Walker. testified to following
| Bateman and overtaking him on E street
Hateman, be said, was Joined by Bowen.
| w hen witness accosted Bateman Bowen
| Immediately walked off down Pennsvl,a-
| MIA enue.
Other Witnesses.
! Mr.. Robert o. Hoffman stated that
| Bateman visited his office at 10th and F
| streets Monday morning. He presented a
| contract calling for SO. Mr.. Holtzman had
no recollection of signing the paper.
| torney Shillington.
Il do not think so. but 1t looks so much
| like II that I did not like to deny it, ]
| therefore told Mr.. Ridenour. one of my
oeivinS the money he attempted to take the
contract from Mr.. Ridenour. The latter
however torr off the signature before
handing it over
Mr.. James A. Watson a patent attorney
of &51 street. testified that Bateman
visited his office Monday and presented a
contract. " That looks like my signature,
l told him. said Mr.. Watson. but
| pay you the money" The man left. say
ing he would investigate the case by ex-
amlnlng the canvasser who turned in the
| order. Had he signed any such paper
witness ho, hno,
son ana Watson. not -. A. Watson"
MI; w m j. Middlecroft representing the
washington Hydraulic Press Brick Com
| pany. stated that Bateman presented a
contract to him. and as the signature to the
| paper looked like his signature, he paid
over the money without protest.
| Mr. Boyd TcstIHes.
Mr. George A. Boyd. proprietor of Boyd's
| Directory, declared with much emphasis
| that the Washington portion of the Mer,
chants and Manufacturers Business Direc-
,y ,cry Is s, "a royal rank robbery from his
continued Mr. Boyd. "it contains the name
OF my brother-in-law. Charles H. Watson
who has been dead fer fourteen years.
We W. are not here to comment on the
lirgton. We claim the Merchants Direc.
tory to be the best mercantile directory IN
the United States and to be more devoid
| Boyd" -'At
| You won't fEd another copy of tina,
Merchants Directory In this city" said
| How about your PHILADELPHIA direc
tory!' inquired Attorney Shillington. Ism
| II inaccurate and rotten and has not If
Deen repudlated by every business man o
Philadelphia?'' VI
! No more so than my Washington di.
rectory. was the reply, land you buy a
copy every year. =
| MI Boyd explained that he purposelv
hn no 49,
| are deceased, each year for the exnress
purpose OF detecting Steals from the di-
rectory. He mentioned such a name
Inc proceedings were assuming a some
| Wnat exciting aspect, and Mr. Boyd was
! directed to step aside.
detective Weldon testified as to the ar
rest OF BatemaE and Bowen, the search of
| their room at the Raleigh and the finding
of directory sheets.
| This proceeding was nothing short of a
hlgh-handed piece of detective insoIence -
| said Attorney shillington. "and 1 think,
| your honor, that some one should exnIain
| to the detectives where their duties ter
inmate"
Detective Horne described the arrest of
Bowen and statements made by him, all
| of which has heretofore been published.
At this point the government rested its
case.
The Defense.
For the defense, Attorney Shillington
| contended that no evidence had been pre-
sented on which Bowen could be held In
| the case OF Bateman continued the attor-
| ney. testimony must be presented sufficient
| to show that the contract or order pre-
| sented to Mr.. Walker was a forgery Every
| indication, 1t was argued, was that the
| sigL atEre was genuine.
I'm view of the circumstances" said Mr..
| Shillington, Il think the court should dis
| charge Bateman as well as Bowen"
| Bowen. one of the defendants, was max
| ing a statement explaining his connection
with the affair, when The Stars report
| closed.