The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-03
MUST FACE THE MUSIC
l.. G. Livingston Was Bound
Over for Trial,
CHARGED WITH FORGERY
Alleged That He Attempted to Defraud
the Montana Iron Works by Is
suing a Worthless Bank
Check.

l.. G. Livingston, the man with long
list of aliases, among them, Morse,
Kane ct al. who bought from the Mon
tana Iron Works rivets enough to fas-
ten together England and the Trans
wall in an indissoluble union, then ten
dered in payment a worthless check and
received s2s in change, will have to
stand trial in the district court for Jim
the Penmans" crime. Livingston had
his preliminary hearing on charge of
forgery before Justice Harrington yes
terday afternoon and at it's conclusion
was bound over. The story of his clever
scheme to defraud the iron merchants
was told in detail in the evidence. Liv-
ingston was represented by Attorney
T. F. Gaffney and Chief Deputy Coun-
ty Attorney Cornelius Kelley prosecut
ed the case.
Special officer Charles Ray was the
first witness called. He told of effecting
the arrest of Livingston and then Book
keeper J. J. Egan took the stand and
recited the details of the defendants
transaction with the Montana Iron
Works.
Mr.. Egan said Livingston came to the
works and represented himself as an
agent of the New York Bridge and Con-
struction company. He said he had
big contract at Pocatello and needed
large quantity of rivets. Witness
showed the stock and the defendant Sc
lected kind that suited him. He was
so particular about the quality that ne
required hole to be punched in piece
of iron and rivet put in and tested.
1t proved to be what he wanted and
he bought $40 worth. He rendered a
certified check for $50 on the First Ma
tional bank of Denver in payment. 1t
was drawn in favor of l.. G. Livingston,
signed by Hughes & Stewart, whom he
explained were the Denver agents Of
the bridge company and was Endorsed
by Livingston. The certifcation had a
genuine appearance and the witness
accepted the check after calling the at
tention Of President Thomas P. Newton
to it. Witness gave the defendant the
balance of the check in money and sent
the check to the bank. 1t came back in
due time, having been declared by the
Denver bank to be forgery.
The check was shown the witness,
who identified it as the one he accepted.
President Newton corroborated Book
keeper Egan's testimony and Silas w.
Newberger, the ticket broker, was then
called.
Mr.. Newberger told of the defendant
coming to him and trying to purchase
ticket to San Francisco. He said Liv-
ingston wanted a ticket to San Fran
cisco, but said he did not want to go
by way of Portland or any other big
city If he could help it. He rendered
the check in evidence in payment, ex-
planning that he had been to Ogden to
bid on the construction of a bridge, but
had been beaten for the contract by
reason Of the fact that his bid was
s167, 900 and another bidder bid $103, 600.
He was satisfied that losing the con-
tract had lost him his job and he had
concluded to go to Frisco. The wit
ness said he thought the story some-
what tishy and refused to take the
check.
J. X. Heslett of Clark's bank told of
cashing the check for Bookkeeper Egan.
He sent it on to Denver and the bank
returned it, stating that the check was
forgery. Mr.. Gaffney objected siren
uously to the admission of the last
statement but the objection was over
ruled. The witness then qualified as an
expert on handwriting and, on being
shown the check, expressed the opinion
that the body of the check, the sigma
ture and the Endorsement We're all writ
ten by the same man.
Mr. Gaffney announced that the de-
Tense would offer no evidence and
moved for dismissal on the ground that
the State nau not llldue oul d cast IAS
argued at length in support of his mo-
ton, pointing out that there was no evil
dence before the court to show that the
defendant forged the check except the
opinion of Mr.. Heslet that the writing
on it was all in one hand. He held that
it had not been shown that Hughes &
Stewart had not signed the check and
that therefore the defendant should not
be held.
Mr.. Kelley spoke briefly, after which
Judge Harrington held the defendant in
81, 900 bonds Livingston was COM
mitted to the county Jail to await trial.
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