Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-09-09
Hearing of The POStofiCG Money Order
Manipulation Saturday.
ROBBERY OF THE BELMORE OFFICE
Stolen Money Order Blanks
Traced to Ford.
HELD IN BAIL TO ANSWER IN OHIO

mona omitn III tub SUN VI oo'Ooo n"i'
to await his transmission to Ohio for
trial on charges of passing fraudulent
money orders.
Ford had hearing before the COM
missioner in the Federal court room
in the morning. United States District
A ttorney Lewis g. Vandegrift con-
Quoted the examination for tho govern.
ment. Ford was unrepresented and
had little to say. refusing to PLAID on
the second complaint that bad been
filed against him, but asking some
questions Of witnesses. Postotfice In
spectors Maxwell, Moore and Holmes,
Stnte Detectives Witsil and McVey.
Marshal Lannan and his deputies, Will
liam Il. Mearns of this city. George q.
Clement and Henry j. Mayer of Titfin.
o., and Deputy Attorney General Peter
l.. Cooper, DR., were among those IN
the court room. 1t proved to be very
interesting hearing, and showed that
the postotlice inspectors have been hot
foot on Ford's trail for some time.
When MIR. Vandegrift asked that the
hearing proceed, Commissioner Smith
asked the prisoner il he was read II
am ready to hear all that is said, - re-
pied the prisoner. The commissioners
tbereupon read to him the first para
graph of the complaint filed by lnHpec-
tor Abram r. HUlmea, charging him
with making or causing to be made an
order purporting to be a money order
dated June 2lst, for 50. in giffin. o.,
with intent to defraud George Q.
Clements.
Instead Of pleading to this charge,
the prisoner declared that it was come
thing Lew to him: that be expected to
hear the same charge as before. mean
ing the Mearna case on which he was
arrested. Mr.. Vandegrift stated to the
court that theRe ullenses all related to
the same act the distribution of the
stolen orders from Belmore being in
different places. He did not care to
trouble the witnesses to come here, be-
cause Of delays.
The prisoner announced that he was
willing TO 60 ahead on the case as first
brought up. Commissioner Smith said
he had given him several days in which
to get ready and was not inclined to
grant auy more time. lie thereupon
asked Ford il he understood the charge.
Ford said he understood, but expected
to hear the former charge.
"l'll take your plea" SAID the COM
missioner. But the prisoner refused to
plead. He appeared somewhat nervous
as he stood before the commissioner.
The second charge, in which Ii. j.
Mayer of Tiffiu, o., was the victim,
the amount of the money order being
"a. was then read to Ford, but when
asked 10 plead said he had nothing at
all to say about it.
State Detective Walter Witsil told
OF the arrest of Ford at the railroad
station on Wednesday night, and of the
| finding of the money order blanks and
other articles on him, Among other
| things was q letter, regarding which
prisoner told him ne would rather suffer
20 years than bave it published. Wher
asked why he took the money orders,
| Ford said that man would do mos'
anything when he got short OF cash.
| Associations which he had formed two
years ago we're blamed fer his presen
condition. The detective said the pris
oner made the statements without
threat or nduGement being offered.
| William NJ. George testified that h'
was the postmaster at Belmore, y. Oi
May Goth money order book wa
stolen from the office, with blanks mum
hered from 2,i77 TO 2, 600 therein. ThR
day Ford was in the postotiice and IN
auired for mail. Witness stepped ava.
from his desk a moment and suddenl.
noticed some movement after wheel
Ford ran out and the book was fount
10 be missing. He at once notified tn
postoflice department. Since that tim
he had received inquiries from post
mastsrs showing that alleged none
orders of numbers within those Of tn
stolen blanks had been presented TO
payment,
When Ford had an opportunity t.
ask Mr.. George question no wante
10 know how he CO I'D identify two me
as ans man; to WATCH the postmasse
replied that he never positively identi
tiud any other man hut him. In repl
to Mr.. Smith, hs said that he had n
tluubt the prisoner was the man. II
testified that tho signature on tn
h!anIs was not his The initials wer
e. b., whereas his are W. NJ.
George Z. Clement Of Tihin, o., to!
titled that he sold general merchandise
: lie indentiiial money order blank NJ
>, 4S3 as one which the prisoner ha
j presented to him. Ford said he wante
TO buy shirt but had nothing hut
) money order, which he had receive
J from his aunt, too late for tho pos
! aiIice. The prisoner bought about
cents worth, necktie and handkerchief
and wItness Gave about 81. rs chang
Mr.. Clement presented the order at Il
4 pustoflice. No letter of advice had bee
received concerning the order, hut
, was told to deposit it at his haai
which be did. 4 few days later
q learned that the order was forged ar
D he had to make the amount of vt goo'
3 Henry j. Mayer of Tiltin, O., test
. fled that Ford brought money ord
{ for 81 to his drug store. bought son
/ pills aud received 81. 80 change. One
. the CLERKS thought he looked like sou
! one the clerk knew and on that q
i. count Mayer accepted the money orde
lIa learned some days later that it W
no good.
= linen Pcstoilice Inspector Abram ]
s Holmes was put on the stand. Ii
+ district ia the Cincinnati divisio
which includes Indiana, Ohio and Ike
d lucky. Ele had received official noti
:. of the theft of money orders 2,i77
II 2, GOO inclusive, Ia blanks in all, fro
T. the Bnmore Office on May Goth. ~
first of the stolen blanks appeared aho
juno 9th at Decatur, Ill In that wei
blanks were presented at Kenton al
. Lima, .. In the next week at D
If iiauce. o., and Auburn and Peru. In
d The following week they were pr
Is sentod at Iihn and Upper Sandusk
@ o., and at lhe latter place man "
g apprehendod charged with passil
Q them, but made his escape. On &
* following Tuesday a blank was nr
sented at Nation. I'LL The next pla
where they turned up was Astehnla,
Thence the swindler was traced to I
mr. City, Pa, and to Kittanning and Pitt