Evening journal., 1897-09-04
REFUSED TO PLEA.
United STATES Commissioner
Smith Hears the Ford Case.
OHIO AUTHORITIES TO GET HIM


FORD REFUSED TO ANSWER TO
THE CHARGES AND WANTED
THE CASE CONTINUED UNTIL
WEDNESDAY NEXT-PUT UNDER
HEAVY BAIL.
John e. Ford, the alleged post office
thief. was arraigned before United
Statesa Commissioner Smith i'm the
United States Court room this morning
On the charge of having passed bogus
money orders on certain citizens of
Tiffin, Ohio. and having robbed the
post office at Belmore. Ohio. Marshal
Lannan and Deputy Marshal Hughes
brought the prisoner into court He
seemed unconcerned.
Alexander B. Cooper, who had been
engaged by Ford to defend him. failed
to appear
In the court room were Deputy At
torney-General Cooper, Detectives Nc
Vey and Witsil, Charles b. Evans, col
lector of Port Cooper. Deputy Collector
Comegys, Inspector of Customs Allen,
and others.
After the conclusion Of the case Dis
trict Attorney Vandegrift asked that
Ford be put under a bail bond as would
insure the government against the pris-
oner's release. He also asked that he
be held for the Ohio authorities.
Commissioner Smith, before putting
Ford under bond, asked him If he had
any statement to make.
Ford said that he had not He then
held him in $4,000 bail, or S2,5O0 on
each charge. Ford was then COM
mitted to Marshal Lannan, who took
him TO a photographers studio, where
his picture war taken to be put in the
the rogue's gallery. He was also meas
ured and his age. height, the color OF
his eyes and all marks on his body were
noted. Deputy Marshal Hughes took
Ford to Jail this afternoon.
The prisoner will remain in New Cas-
tie Jail until next Wednesday, when
| Judge Bradford will make out the
papers which will commit him to the
Ohio authorities Of the western divis.
ion of1the northern district. The charg,
agaihst Ford, that of passing a bogus
money order on w. r. Mearns, OF this
city, will come up later.
THE TESTIMONY PRODUCED.
United States District Attorney Van
degrift opened the case. He turned u,
Ford, who was sitting back OF him
and asked if hewereready to go on will
the hearing. Ford said that he WA
ready, but his counsel had failed to ap
pear.
i United Stdtes Commissioner Smitl
read the charges which the Ohio inspec
tors had preferred. Ford was asked
he was guilty or not He said he wa
under the impression that the Mearni
charge would be heard first. He wa
asked again whether he was guilty @
n.t Ford said: Il refuse to plea" an
asked TO have the case continued un
til Wednesday.
District Attorney Vandegrift object
ed. He said that the witnesses VIII
had been summOnd in The case coul
net arrange their business to suit Fore
The case then went on. -
! Walter Witsil the state detectiv,
told of The arrest of Ford and the find
ing of the printing and stamping out
fit. The detective said that whe
searched at the police station For
made a desperate fight to keep a cel
tain letter, which he said. If made pull
lie. would ruin him. Ford said that
! would rather spend twenty years
Jail than have the name of Ford mad
public. The prisoner further sai'
; when being searched, that he woul
do anything when short Of money"
William NJ. George, the postmaste
at Belmore, Ohio, was the next witnes
He said that the post Office at Belmcl
: was robbed on The Goth Of May at
L'clock at night The witness wa
. wr,tlng az his desk when three me
y entered the office and one of then
whom he recognized as F'crd, asked fC
% mail giving a name which witne.
could not remember. Mr.. George wei
to lthe mail-bOx to look and the thr'
= men stole the money order book. M
' George said he ran after them, but the
: made good their escape.
George c. Clement, Of Tiffin, Ohi
C a proprietor of a grocery stol
;, was the next examined.
= said he was a proprietor Of a grocer
}. store at Tiffin. One night a man ei
tered his store and asked to be show
some shirts. He decided to purchai
s and offered a money order in paymen
j stating that he lived in the country M
3 could not get the order cashed, as II
S post office was closed. Mr.. Clement a
/, cepted the order and gave The man Il
y necessary change.
p Mr.. Vandegrift asked If he cou
r identify the man who passed the bogl
h order, whereupOn Mr.. Clements poin'
s to Ford. The prisoner smiled, but d
j. not deny the statement.
+ w. J. Mayer, of Tiffin, Ohio, drul
J. gist. related a story similar to Cler
u ents. He, too, identiied Ford as d
i man who had buncoed him.
5, A. R. Holmes. the postal inspect
: for the district of Cincinnati. said tn
e he had been notified of the BelmO
n post office robbery. He and Inspect
IS Moore went on the track Of the robbie
s ard followed them through eighties
" cities and towns.
, Postmaster Moore, of this city, in b
y testimony said that he had been on
T cially notified of the robbery Of Il
d Belmore office.
s Marshal Iiannan. who was the la
witness, said that he arrested the pri
oner at the instance of Postmast
Moore.
h Another chance to see Colchester, 4