The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-07
HOBBS In THE DOCK
The Clever Forger Listens Attentively
to His Examination.
NO DEFENSE is OFFERED
Without His SCOT and Dinner Pail
DISCUSSES. the Prisoner Looks
Very Much Like an Ordi-
nary. Everyday Loafer.
NO DEFENSE is OFFERED

Clinton Hobbs. alias William Nor
man, the young forger who made quite
a stake going around TO various bust
ness firms and getting them to cash
small checks, listened very intently to
his examination before Judge Turner
yesterday afternoon. He has not a bad
hooking face, and is youthful in APP
pearance. With the black SCOT washed
from his face he doesn't look so much
like a workingman as he did on the
evening when he fooled Butte's bust
ness men with his working clothes. his
SCOT and his dinner pail. His hands
are not the hands of a hard working
man.
There were IL or 10 of the bogus
checks scattered around town, but the
case for forgery yesterday was pre-
scented on the forged check passed on
w. S. Nash & Co., tailors, at No. Go
East Park street. j. w. Nash, clerk
at the store. was the first witness for
the state. He told of Hobbs appear
ing there, buying some underwear, TAX
Ding the first suit that was shown him.
buying some gloves and a necktie, and
rendering a check for $14.65 in pay
ment. The check was signed Walsh
& McGrade, per Nc" He said ito the
witness that he worked for Walsh &
McGrade of the Vulcan Boiler works,
and was given the check by them. He
said his name was William Norman
and he endorsed the check with that
name. The witness made some inquir-
les regarding The check and the pre-
senter.
You don't doubt that it's good?"
Norman asked him. IT wish 1 had
thousand OF them"
There was a little ripple of laughter
at this point in Nash's testimony and
Assistant County Attorney Mattison
inquired if Norman said how near a
thousand of them he did have. Nash
finally cashed the check, giving SIC. 80
In cash and 1915 in goods.
Thomas McGrade of the Vulcan
Boiler works was shown the check and
testified that II was not made out by
him. was not a genuine check and was
not a check of the firm. The checks
of the firm are signed Vulcan Boiler
Works." with the name of the partner
issuing 1t written underneath. He had
not issued the check in question. He
did not know Norman, never saw him
before to his knowledge and did not
think he ever worked for him. The
signature was slightly similar to that
of the witness.
Thomas A. Walsh, the other member
of the firm, said he didn't know the
worked for the Vulcan Boiler works.
He certainly had not worked there
lately. He did not sign the check or
make II out and II was not authorized
by him. 1t was not his signature nor
the signature of the firm. No checks
of the firm We're drawn or signed ex-
cept either by himself or Mr.. Nc
Grade. The check was on the First
National bank and the firm banks at
w. A. Clark's bank. He had never
issued a check to a man by the name
of Norman.
Frank Boucher. clothier, said that
on the same evening, Dec. 27, he saw
Norman in his store being waited on
by Mr.. Phillips. He passed a check
for sl4s5. exactly like the one passed
on Nash. He got an overcoat and
other goods worth s1o.25 and the bal
ance in cash.
Jake Phillips was the clerk who
waited on Norman or Hobbs in Bouch-
er's store. He told of the purchase. of
Norman saying that he worked at the
Vulcan Boiler works. Norman in
dorsed the check.
Mr.. Egan. bookkeeper of the Mon
tana Iron works. said he saw Norman
In Nash's store, explaining the check
and passing II. He heard him say that
he worked for Walsh e McGrade and
that the clerk OF the firm made out
the check ana that McGrade signed it,
John +. Sullivan, cashier for the c.
G. C.. said that on the same evening
the defendant passed a check on him
for S14.65. just like the others, and this
check was also placed in evidence.
The defendant said his name was WILL
lam Norman and he Endorsed the
check. The witness gave him $685. in
cash and s worth of Undertaking.
officer Stoneberg told of his arrest
ing the defendant.
c. l.. Campbell, who appeared for
the defendant. moved the discharge of
the prisoner. which was overruled No
defense was presented. Hobbs was
bound over TO the district court on the
charge of forgery under bonds OF 81. 0OO
The sentence for a conviction of for
gerry Is from one to IL years.
Go to c. y. Smiths restaurant and
short order house for a first-class meal,