The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-06
"TOO MUCH ALLEN"
A Check Intended For One ScO0ped by
Another.

One Name Is Spelled Allan and One Is Al
len-One Is a Lawyer and One an ex-
Had 1t, But the Latter Got 1t and Is
Now Under Arrest-The Story of
Most Peculiar Case that May Puzzle
the Courts.
One of the most peculiar cases on
record in Portland, is brought to pub
lie notice by the arrest by the police of
George b. Allen of this city last eve
ming.
1t is peculiar from the fact that the
alleged crime, for which the arrest was
made was committed last July and only
yesterday was there the slightest evidence
Of any wrong doing on the part OF any
body.
The story of the case is practically as
follows: Assistant County Attorney
George Fl. Allan Of this city is the officer
Of the Mechanics Loan and Building
Association to whom dues and loans is
paid. William A. Davis Of Freeport is
shareholder in, and a borrower from
this association. For sometime 1t has
been his habit to send Mr.. Allan every
month check for SOL and some odd
cents, covering the amount Of payments
on shares and loans due from him and
church society which he represents.
due the loan association. He sent the
customary check in July last and re-
ceiyed no acknowledgement or credit for
1t. He wrote Mr.. Allan recently to loarn
the cause and was notified by him that
he had received no. check from him In
July 1T oil. He was positive he had sent
one and thought it must have been lost.
When he came to balance his account
with the Casco bank, he found the
check In question had been Dashed. 1t
was endorsed by George II. Allen and
the name of a well-known business man
was also on it's back. This latter gentlo-
man was at once called upon, and
shown the check. He at once said he had
signed the check as an accommodation
and explained his action in this way:
1t seems q man whom he knew well
brought in a man whom he said WAS
George H. Allen, who presented the
check and asked to have 1t cashed. The
man told him he couldn't do it, not
Then he was asked to identify him, SO
he went to the bank and did so, and as
further security to the bank, to whom
of course George H. Allen was an utter
stranger, he too endorsed the check.
Naturally be was thunderatruck when
told it had not been presented by the
man for whom 1t was intended. The
peculiar phase of the case is. in the
fact, that the check wa s made to George
H. Allen, which, as matter of fact, is
the way the man who Dashed 1t spells
his name while the name of the right
full owner is spelled with an (Allan.
The initials of the two men are identical.
The business man at once secured an
officer and went to the residence OF
George H. Allen on Clark street, found
him without trouble, and he was az
rested and taken to the station. There
he gave the officers the letter which
Davis wrote Allan when be sent the
check. The letter sets forth the fact
that the check is sent in payment OF
the items previouslys mentioned.
The prisoner Allen was sean at the sta
ton, but refused to make any state
ment till he had seen counsel.
1t was learned from another source
that Allen had said that he thought
the check had been sent him for the ben
eft Of his young son. who was run over
and injured about that time by team
of Burgess, Fobes Il Co, on Commercial
steret. Allen has been bartender ana
seryei time for selling liquor.
Just what charge will be brought
against him, in this most peculiar CASE
had not been determined last night.