The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-25

If James w. Eardley ever comes
back to this city, and all who have
evidence against him push their ad-
vantage, he will go to the penitentiary
for a hundred years.
Sometimes men get into trouble and
are forced, as it were, to commit
crimes in order to protect those de-
| pendent upon them from misfortune
and want; but in Eardley's case it
would appear that he is a consummate
rascal He has sacrificed his friends
and relatives and has not even spared
his wife, who is left with nothing to
maintain herself, while he has, from
| all appearances and Indications, fed
with another woman to a distant
! country to enjoy his il1-gotten gains
Readers of The Herald will remem-
! Der the announcement made exclusive
| ly in these columns a few days ago.
relating to his sudden departure from
| the city, which was followed by several
attachments being placed on his lum
! Der yard and the subsequent taking
possession of the same by the sheriff,
who still has what little property
there was left under his control.
At the time CT the publication of the
item it was stated that there were
grave rumors that the missing man
had been guilty of forgery in order to
replenish his depleted eXchequer, but
since that time there has nothing de-
veloped which would demonstrate the
truth of the assertion, until yesterday,
when a reporter for this paper made
an investigation. the results of which
are startling indeed.
STEPHEN HUNTER TALKS.
Living at 81 East Seventh South
street is an old man named Stephen
Hunter. He is a kindly old gentle
man. one spoken of by his friends and
neighbors as ruggedly honest man,
and a person who would make sac
rifice in order to do friend a favor.
He had a little money which he had
saved through the years of his stay
here on earth, and in his old age be-
heved he had enough to keep him the
balance of his days. He may have
sufficient stiil, but he has not as much
as he had a year ago by $1,500.
About June 80, 1895. Eardley went
to Mr. Hunter and said he was in need
of some money; that he had some bills
TO pay and material to buy, and that
he did not have the ready cash with
which to pay. He declared to the old
man that he did not care to mortgage
his house, as the moment the paper
was made a matter of record the mer-
camille agencies would report the fact
and the firms he was dealing with
might think that all was not right-a
very reasonable story-but said he had
several good notes, which he would de-
post with his friend as security for
the loan of $1,000.
Eardley brought oyer the notes and
exhibited them to Mr.. Hunter, who,
after examination, concluded the Sc
curity was good and advanced the
needful. The notes were all signed
with what purported to be the names
of men and firms which were known
to him to be good, and Mr.. Hunter
was in no wise suspicious. nor did he
know to the contrary till after the
lumberman's disappearance. The doc
uments alluded to were for the fol-
lowing sums: Smith & Larsen, $39S.75;
George Bowles. $500; John E. Busby,
S315; Gilbert Lloyd. S10732; Michael
Nelson, 5000; Josiah Draper, $15S. The
total amount of the paper reached
s1.479.17, and while this did not equal
the sum total, a note dated on the 1st
day of July, 1885, and signed by James
w Eardley and Ardella w. Eardley,
his wife, was considered by Mr.. Hun
ter as good enough.
WE'RE ALL FORGERIES.
When the announcement of the de-
parture of Eardley from the city was
announced, Mr.. Hunter waited a day
or two before going over to the house
and making inquiries about the debt.
When he did finally go, Mrs. Eardley
told him that her husband informed
her ere he left that the notes which
he had given Hunter were all forgeries,
every one OF them.
1t develops that just before leaving
he informed his wife that he was going
away on a business trip and that if he
did not return by Thursday she should
go to his desk and set a letter of in
structions about some lumber which
was needed to complete a contract
which he was carrying out.
Eardley of course did not return and
his wife went to the desk as instructed.
She did not find the letter relating to
the contract, but she did find two other
epistles, one addressed to her and the
other to his mother, which, when open
ed disclosed the information that the
notes he had given to the old man
Hunter were all forgeries.
Mrs. Eardley appeared very much
chagrined at being compelled to make
this statement, and informed Mr.. Hun
ter that she was sorry she could not
pay the $500 which Walt had bor-
rowed of him"
When informed that it was S1,500 and
not $500, she expressed surprise. stating
that she understood it was for only one
third of that amount.
81 should think your recollection
would be better than that" remarked
Mr.. Hunter, ESPECIALLY when you
signed the note with your husband"
Why, / did not sign the note" was
-