The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-16
.PGsT-DATED THE VOUCHERS
Notary Public Jordan Held for
the Court.
HE EXECUTED TWO PAPERS
Testify That 1t Would
Have Been Impossible to Have
Attended to the Matter on the
Proper Day-Claimed to Have Becn
Guilty of No Dishonest Action.

Notary Public w. f. Jordan, Of Anacostia,
one o. the officials recently charged with
pust-iating pension vouchers in Violation
Of section Al 80, orth revised statutes, was
held by United States Commissioner Mills
yesterday for his appearance at the next
term of CoIrt To answer an indictment.
He gave bond in Tie sum o; $500, with DR..
Richard A. Plyes as surety, and was ac-
curdingly released
Mr.. JUrdon was tried on two cases, the
two being combined for convenience. The
testimony showed that ON the evening Of
the Sd instant, he took the Acknowledge
ments Of two pensioners. Claudius b. Smith
and Adulphus Ecklo.f, to their vouchers,
the two papers thus executed bearing date
of September 1. The volcerS We're after
ward received AZ the office o. the pension
agent. and were duly entered On the books.
Iutranspired THAI the papers were not de-
livered TO the pension agent until the
18th instant, recognized us pension day,
and it was also shown that the Information
upon which the prosecution was based was
voluntarily given by A. b. Frisbee, who
was witness before the Commissioner.
TRIED TO SHOW ANIMUS.
Mr.. Frisbee testified to having been
present when Mr.. Eckluff signed The
voucher in the presence OF the Notary. He
said MIR. JurGoa pointed out the spaces,
:hree OF them. in the document where the
signature was desired. He did not see
the notary sign the papers, Hor did
lie remember that ne attached mis- official
seal.
Upon cross-rxamina,ion Mr. Frisbce was
a>Kc, if he repor ed the case To the
pension agent because the notary HAD III
vi;cd him out Ui his office on that &C.
c;tSiun when lie declared he had seen the
voucher signed and if lie had not threatened
TO get even with tile notary and make
IL hot" for him.
He dcnie,l mat lie had any animus against
Mr.. Jordan and SAID hc had not been in
vitcd out OF lis office. II was Deverthc-
less Ills opinion that a man who would act
as he had done on that occasion is hot tit
TO hold the office of notary public.
1t was SGown that Mr.. Jordan was asked
to execute a bill al sale upon some property
held by Mr.. Frisbce at tie instance oil "a
Mr. Peek and HAT alter having it partly
filled out the Notary lad torn it TIP and
refused 10 W rite another. The witness said,
however, that The trouble that arose was
between Mr. Peck and TIE notary and
that lie WAS not involved in it.
CLAIMED TO HAVE ACTED HONESTLY
The other witnesses examined were +.
A FcDninE, clerk ut Tie Pension Agency,
who identified the vouchers as having heen
received at the office some time during
the fourth of September, and the TWO
that they had signed the vouchers on the
evening of the I'd instant, in advance of
pension day, and the papers had been left
with the notary to be delivered at the
agency.
Al the conclusion Of his testimony Mr..
Smith said he had signed the paper that
evening because lie could not call at the
notary's office on the following day. lie
was Obliged, lie said, 10 he at his Office in
the WiDder building at very early hour,
and declared he could not see that ne had
violated the law in signing the voucher at
That hour under the circumstances. lie
challenged the world TO show that he would
do anything dishonest.
Both the pensioners said they had seen
the notice published by the pension agent,
calling upon all pensioners 10 have their
vouchers in early, and this is what induced
them To attach tn elf signatures thateveniig.
II was said in the notice that on account OF
Il lack OF clerical force the agent desired
the papers early as possible on the
morning of the 18th, and they stated ii
was impossible to etheirpapcrs executed
on pension day morning.
Tie government WAS represented by
Assistant District Attorney A II. Semmes
and the defense by Attorney samuel
Maddox. The latter declared, after the
announcement of Comm ssioner Mills
decision. that something should be done for
the protection OF the people against the
law.
II man can lie held on the testimony
atidnced here" he exclaimed, Lord help
the people"
lie afterward explained that il was the
law he WAS Critici>lDg. not the court He
had contended that the case had not been
made out, and that the Offense was alleged
ID the papers to have been committed in
WaslIiD; .ron, when the fact was the notarys
office was ID Anacostia.