The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-12-02
SCANAAN
TESTIFIESl !
He Flatly COntradrictS the Evidence of
Mrs. Mellet.
SAYS She SIGNED The BONDS
with Her Consent He Wrote Her Name
Upon the instruments and She Made
Her Mark by Touching the
Pen--Faulty Memory as
to witnesses


of Tax Collector NJ. J. Scanlan for the years
1895 and 1895, on the ground that the marks
purporting to have been made by her, as
surety, were forged, was up again yesterday
afternoon. The hearing was held in the
Office of Hon James B. Reilly, at Pottsyille
j. J. Moran, Esq appeared for Mrs. Mellet
M. NJ. Burke. Esq, appeared for the borough
of Shenandoah, and W. J. Whtehouse, ESQ.
was present as counsel for Tax Collector
Scanlan, who had been subpoenaed as a wit
hess, but he took no active part in the pro-
ceedings
The only witness examined was Mr.. Scan
Ian. He fatty contradicted the testimony of
Mrs. Mellet, who swOre at one of the previous
hearings that she never signed the bonds, or
authorized any one to do so for her. Mr.
Scanlan says he wrote the name with Mrs.
Mellets consent, and in her presence.
The direct examination was conducted by
Mr.. Burke. Mr.. Scanlan testified that he
was Tax Collector of the Borough of Shen-
andOah for the years 1895 and 1896, and
identified the bond he gave as collector for
1895. He said he knew Mrs. Mary Melet
in that year, and at the time the bond was
prepared. Her name was put on the bond
by mark and Matthew Gibbons name was
there as a witness. 1t is the fifth name.
Do you know whether Mrs. Mellet made
her mark to that signature?
Yes, sir.
Were you present when she made her
mark?
Yes, sir
Who wrote her name2
did.
And, after you had written her name. state
whether or not, she made the mark?
Yes, sir; she touched the pen.
For you, and at your requestP
For me, and at my request.
Where did that occur?
l think it occurred in my store in 1896
that is the 1895 bond. think it was at the
counter.
Who were present beside you and Mrs
Mellet when she made her mark?
l can't say whether there was any one
present, or not.
But you are positive that Mrs. Mellet sub
scribed her name to this bond, in the manner
you have stated, by making her mark to the
signature after you had written it,?
Yes, sir it was either in my store in 1895,
or at Mrs. Durkin's house on Centre street
| amt prepared to say which place, but either
one
On the back of the bond, Mr.. Scanlan, is
an acknowledgment purporting to have been
made by Mrs. Mellet, among others. Do you
know anything of that acknowledgment?
know we went out to take the acknowl
edgments; whether we took hers, or not,
couldn't say.
When you say "we," who do you mean2
Squire Toomey and myself.
| What Acknowledgements were taken tina
you know of at that time.
Well, can't say as to any of them righ
now but know we went out and took tn
Acknowledgements l don't know whethe
we took them all, or not. 1 am in just th
same position as the 'Squires as to the &C
acknowledgements but l know we went t,
take them.
Do you recall being with the Squire, oil
South Bowers street, for the purpose of tax
ing the acknowledgment of Mrs. Reilly
among others?
Yes. sir; 1 think we were there. the frs
place.
Do you recall being with the Squire whei
Mrs. Mellet's acknowledgment was taken?
l don't recall that.
Have you had any talk with Mrs. Melle
about this bond, since she signed it2
No, sir; didn't have any talk with her.
The 1896 tax bond was next handed MI
Scanlan, and Mrs. Mellet's name was ident
fed as the eighth name on the instrument
Mr.. Scanlan's testimony as to the signing wa
substantially as he testified in connectio
with the 1895 bond.
Did she make her mark there in you
presence?
Yes, sir.
Who were present beside you and Mar.
Mellet-do you recall?
No. l don't know that there was anybod,
present. l took her name and mark.
Do you recall where she signed her mark
In her own house.
On the 1896 bond2
saloon at that time
Where did she then keep saloon?
Corner of Lloyd and limerick streets.
Who is the witness to that2
Thomas P. Reilly.
Where is he?
He is in Klondike.
Is that his writing1
Yes, sir.
You are familiar with his writing, ain
your
Yes, sir.
Did he witness her signature ?
He witnessed it, but whether he was wit
me at the house or not, l couldn't say.
Do you know whether or not she acknow
edged to him that that was her signature?
can't say that.
Now, Mr.. Scanlan, on the hack of thi
bond is an acknowledgment of Mrs. Mellet
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