The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-18
CHAPLIN ALLEGED FORGER
NOTES AGGREGATING $4,000. WITH
STERLING r. Hollis ENDORSEMENT.
A Young Man Who Managed the
CharlemOnt-A Brazil Bank
Sues on the Paper.

Frederick M. Chaplin, who was for sixty
days the dashing and genial host at the
| Charlemont Hotel, a fashionable apartment
house at Illinois and ST Clair streets has
gone, and those who knew him when he
presided as landlord profess absolute ig-
norance of his whereabouts.
Chaplin was young and good looking and
wore stylish clothes and had a general air
about him that was good to behold. His
pretty young wife, who was great favorite
with the guests at the Charlemont. is also
absent with her child. 1t is understood that
Mr. Chapins attorney recently remarked
that it would require five days time to send
letter and get an answer from his client.
| Sterling r. Holt, whose name appears as
indorser on certain paper alleged to have
been negotiated by Chaplin, is wondering
what direction a letter would take adj
dressed to the young man. Two banking
firms in Brazil, Ind. it is said, would be
glad of the same information. Some inter-
esting facts concerning the former landlord
of the Charlemont are contained in COM
plant filed yesterday in the Marion Su-
perior Court The First National Bank of
Brazil brought suit TO attach certain furni-
ture and fixtures situate in the Charlemont
apartment house Frederick M. Chaplin, his
wife Florence, together with Sterling r.
Holt, Chester C. Foor the Union Trust
Company and others are, named as defend
ants.
The suit grows out of note for 81, 500
which the defendant Chaplin is alleged to
have executed to the Brazil Bank on Sept
TO- 1897. The note bears the Endorsement of
Sterling r. Holt. The charge is made by
the plaintiff that Chaplin. for the purpose
| OF defrauding and delaying his creditors,
| transferred certain furniture ana MIXTURES
| in the Charlemopt to Florence Chaplin, his
| wife; also, that he transferred to her. for
the same purpose, number of shares in
! the capital stock of the Brazil Ice and Cold
| storage Company. 1t is claimed that at the
| time of this transfer the defendant ChapIn
was wholly tnsolvent. The plaintiff asks
| judgment on its note for $500, and begs the
court to adjudge the transfer made by Cha
pin to his wife as fraudulent The plaintiff
against Chester c. Foor, the present land
| lord of the Charlemont, and the Union
| Trust Company.
HOLT SAYS IT'S A FORGERY
THAT note is forgery and never signed
| it," declared Sterling R. Holt yesterday
evening when informed of the suit brought
| by the Brazil bank. Il also understand an
other bank of Brazil holds, Chapin's note
for $1,000 for which am the indorser. That
note is also a forgery, for 1 never indorsed
it."
MI t1OI says ne understood several days
ago that the Brazil banks held paper pur-
porting to be indorsed by him. Chaplin came
to this city about year ago with his wife:
For several months they lived at the Grand
Hotel. Little was known of them prior to
their coming here, although it was under
stood they had formerly lived in Chicago.
1t is said that Chaplin tried to buy a half
interest in the Grand, Hotel but was unable
to make trade with Mr.. Taggart He was
looking fer a business opening, however,
and Sterling r. Holt sold him his interest
| " nrxH IaA Nnl1 TNCw~a
pany. Chaplin did not appear to like the
business and did not remain in it great
Whlie. some time III December ne proposed
to A. A. Stubbins, owner of the Charlemont
property, to take charge of the house. Mr..
Stubbins was Impressed with his hustling
business-lilSe appearance and leased the
place TO him. Chaplin purchased the furni-
ture and started in with excellent prospects.
He kept the house sixty days and then sold
out to Chester G.. FoQr who. with Mr.. Stub
bins, now controls the house Ii is under
stood that while he had charge of the house
/ Chaplin conveyed the furnishings to his wife.
When Mr.. Foor took control he bought from
Mrs. Chaplin. The Chapins remained at the
! Charlemont several days after giving up the
Mr. Holt says Chaplin undertook to sell a
$1,000 note to the Capital National Bank of
this city before negotiating with the pri-
Churchman, the cashier, how the attempt
was made said Mr.. Holt. One day a man
called up the bank by telephone and talked
. This is Sterling Holt, the man said. I
have just Endorsed Il note for Mr.. Chaplin
The note is all right and I'll see that 1t $
paid at maturity
Shortly after the telephone conversation
a man walked into the bank and asked for
the cashier. He had the Chaplin note for
81 coo Endorsed by me- Mr. Churchman was
not satisfied and called me up, asking If I
had Endorsed note for Chaplin. l replied
that / had certainly not. and the cashier
declined to cash the paper. The man said
it was all right that 1t didn't matter and
left the bank. / presume it is the same note
that was afterward sold to private bank
at Brazil. and / am told that before this
note was negotiated somebody called up the
bank from indianapolis and represented
themselves as Sterling Holt Whoever the
man was he had talk with the bankers
about this note. H. was successful and got
the money He was also successful in sell
ing the S1,500 note which is mentioned in the
suit brought to-day ! Endorsed neither OF
them
Mr. Holt says if Chaplin recently conveyed
stock in the Brazil Ice and Cold Storage
Company to his wife the conveyance was
fraudulent as the stock is in the possession
a garnishee defendant to the suit brought
by the bank. In selling his interest in the
storage company to Chaplin Mr.. Holt says
he took in part payment some Cnlcago
of the court pending settlement or some
character and Chaplin pledged part Of the
stock in the cold storage company against
any claims that might be pending against
the Chicago property.
Chanin and his wife left the house abrupt
ly and no one knew where they were go
ing The women of the house We're much
attached to Mrs. Chaplin. Her husband, IL
is claimed. did not long keep up his brisk;
business-like. ways he got TO sleeping VI III
nees in the afternoon" said Mr.. Stubblns,
owner of the house. Last night a sheriff S
deputy went to the Charlemont armed with
a writ of attachment, but found no prop
nr-txy he'll