The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-04
FORGED HIS ENDORSEMENTS.
HOW CLARENCE sHEFTALL Oh
TANNED MONEY FROM TUE
BANKS.

FORGED His Brothers Name on Notes.
The Amount Believed to BE S1,4OO
or MOre-HuII q LathroP the Prin-
cipaI LOsers-sheftau Missing Sew
eraI Days-He is Under Sentence
in the City Courts for Running a
Policy Lottery and Was Out on
$1,000 Bond signed by Solomon
SheftaII.
Clarence Sheftall, who has achieved con-
siderable notoriety OF late in connection
with the policy lottery business in Sa-
vannah. and who was recently sentenced
by Judge Norwood to pay fine Of $50 or
serve six months in jail, is wanted for
forgery for a considerable amount.
sheftan was out on a $1,000 bond. signed
by his brother. Solomon Sheftall, his at
torney having applied for new trial The
forgeries are said 10 amount TO LOO.
Hull & Lathrop are the largest losers. their
losses amounting TO over 5000. The Ger
mania bank is caught on a note for $3.50.
There may be other forgeries which have
not vet come to light.
A warrant for Sheftalrs arrest was
sworn out by Mr.. +. S. Lathrop Of Hull &
Lathrop a day or two ago. 1t was issued
by Justice Waring Russell and placed in
the hands Of an officer. An effort was
made to keep the matter quiet, but it be
came known yesterday.
Sheftall is said to have left the city last
Friday, but there are some who believe
he is still in hiding here. Mr.. Lathrop's af-
fdavit charges that on November 80, 1895,
Sheftall forged the endorsement Of Solo
mon SheftaH on promissory note made by
II. E. Gecks to the order of Clarence Shelf
tall for $500 payable 80 days after date at
any bank in Savannah or that he had it
done.
The note fell due March l. and the forg-
cry was discovered at once. There are rea-
sons for believing that Sheftall endeavored
TO coerce another party into paying the
note and falling in this, decided to skip
the city. Mr. Solomon Sheftall, who is
We'll to do merchant, is a heavy loser by
his brothers rascality, being surety for
him on a $1,000 bond, as stated, and also
holding other evidences or Indebtedness
for money secured from him. Mr. Sheftall
decided one day last week to give his
brother up and did so, but afterwards re-
Tented and resumed his surety on the
bond.
H. E. Gecks, whose name is signed to
the note, states that his signature is
also a forgery. He and Sheftall had done
some business together, il seems in sell
ing some patent Mr.. Gecks said that
Jan. ! Sheftall told him that Fred Linele
promissory note. to be jointly signed by
Gecks and Sheftall. He proposed that
they make the note and use the money
in their business. Gecks says that he
signed the note with Sheftall and under
stood that the money had been secured
on IL. The note Is believed TO be held
by one of the banks with a forged in
dorsement, but as it has not yet fallen
due, the authenticity OF the signatures
has not been investigated. 1t was only
necessary to make affidavit TO one Tor
gerry to secure the affidavit.
Sheftall has figured in various question:
able transactions Two or three years ago
he was under indictment in Tennessee
for disposing of property which dld not
belong to him. He escaped by paying up
the amount. about 81, 800, which is said 10
have been advanced by his relatives. He
returned to Savannah several months ago
and engaged in the policy lottery DuSl-
ness. Judge Norwood made no mistake
when he fined Sheftall $3.50 Sheftalfs
lottery company was the New Orleans.
He also conducted gambling room Tor
a while in the rooms on the second moor
of the building at the southwest corner
of Congress and Whitaker streets. His
gambling paraphernalia there and at his
house on Montgomery street were levied
upon yesterday by constables under at
tachments sued out by Hull & Lathrop-
When Sheftall was convicted and fined
he put up the story that IL was case
of mistaken Identity and wanted the news
papers to suppress the account OF MS
trial on the ground that any publication
would reflect upon his good character and
injure his commercial standing.
The officers have little doubt that Shelf
tall will be caught and brought back to
Savannah, in which case he will face a
term In the penitentiary unless his rela-
tives again come to his assistance. He
has a father and several brothers living
here, who are deeply afflicted by his &C
tions. The family is only very distantly
related to the other well known Sheftall
family.