Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-27
CRAWFORD'S CASE.
The Prosecuted Defendant Sues
for 100000 Damages.
FALSE ARREST Is THE CHARGE.

more In Detail Of the Peculiar Circum-
stances Attending the Trial Of the Rock
Island County Boy-An Interesting Ar
fair Throughout.
In the aircuit court at Chicago,
John E. Crawford, formerly of Rock
Island county, and son of Hon. w.
F. Crawford, of Taylor Ridge, whose
trial and unusual vindication on the
charge of forgery have been given in
The ARGUS. has brought suit for
100000 for false arrest, against the
First National bank, the Security
Title and Trust company, Peter Dud-
ley. trust agent of the company, Or
vile Peckham and j. ID. Wooley, at
tornev for the bank.
The ARGUS has letter from c. l..
Framing, also Of Rock Island county,
who is attending the Kent college of
law in Chicago, giving some of the
facts of the case. Mr.. Framing, after
recitiDg the circumstances and scene
in Judge Balls court Friday, as Civ
en- in Saturdays Argus, says the in
cident s.was similar to the impress
sive scenes that have arisen when an
absolutely innocent man has been put
to trial by the falsity of the guilty
party himself, The man accusing
and testifying in the case was caught
'red-handed' cashing the fraudulent
check and sought to save him
self by eliminating another. Mr..
Crawford is known in Rock ISL
and county. his former home, by
many friends and had large acquaint-
ance among the schoolmasters, in
which work he was a former asso-
ciate. Some years ago he entered
the Northwestern Law school and
was soon admitted to the bar.
Judge Nj. ID. Ewell, one of the princi-
pal instructors of this school and
present president dean of Kent Col
lege CT Law, was expert witness as to
the filling of the contents of the
fraudulent checks. Judge Ewell in
personal talk said he had a high
regard for Mr.. Crawford's fidelity
and rectitude in their acquaintance
in school and out, and was sure of his
innocence when he saw the checks.
The man Wheat, the real forger
of the checks. was an employe in the
same company Of which Mr.. Craw-
ford was secretary. Having a desk
in the same Office he was enabled to
appropriate. as was found out, a sig
nature which MIR. Crawford was
alone supposed to know anything
about"
How 1t Came About.
Crawford is secretary of the Cush-
man United Telephone company in
Chicago, and was also attorney for
the late Mrs. Elizabeth Pope. Con-
nected with the telephone company
as electrician was A. c. Wheat, who
occupied a portion of Crawford's
office, and who had access to the
latter's desk. Dec. 8 Wheat was ar
rested at the First National bank
while in the act of endeavoring to
secure the banks certifications to q
check bearing Mrs. Pope's name.
which, it is said, was forged. He
was examined by Dudley and Peck
ham, and officials of the bank, de.
clared he had not forged the checks
and was promised leniency if he
would expose the guilty person.
Wheat then said Crawford had COM
mitted the alleged forgeries, amount
ing in all to between $1,000 and
81, 200, and Crawford was arrested.
Before the hearing of the case was
concluded Crawford was indicted by
the grand jury on eight charges Of
forgery. and the case was then dis
missed in the justice court, where
Crawford says he was prepared to
show his innocence. On the indict-
ment he was held in bonds of $12,-
900.
The remarkable and dramatic vim
dication of the accused when the
court interrupted the proceedings to
release the defendant was related in
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