Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-02-03
THE PUTNEY COLUMN.
Forged Check Passed.

Daniel O'COnOId, a LOgmRn, Gave n
worthless Check to Merchant NJ. d.
williams and Received Cash.
Merchant NJ. G. Williams was vctimized
last Saturday to the amount of about $50
by what appears to be a deliberately
planned bunco game. About two weeks
before a stranger went into Mr.. Williams
store and stated that he was going to the
Warren Bennett place on West Hill to
chop for John Barrett, who is cutting off
timber there. He had lamp mats and 9TH
er articles which he traded with Mr.. Will
liams, taking groceries in exchange. He
then went to Barretts log camp and
lounged around and cooked for the work
men for a while.
Last Saturday he went to the store and
bought bill of goods amounting to Sl7.
He stated that he was owing Clarence
Blodgett and that he would leave at the
store barrel of flour and some sugar to
cancel the debt, stating that Mr.. Blodgett
would call for the goods.
The rest of the goods he took with him.
Among them was watch, with Hamp-
den movement, champion seven jewel
grade open face, stem wind and stem set.
In payment for the goods he presented a
check for SIS payable at the Peoples
National bank of Brattleboro. The check
was drawn to the order of John Barrett
and was signed with the name of Warren
G. Doolittle of Brattleboro. 1t was prop
erly endorsed with the name of John Bar
rett and Daniel O'Conold, the latter being
the name which the stranger gave.
Besides the goods Mr.. Williams gave
him in exchange S12 in money and a check
No. 1925 for S1S 81, payable at the Yer
mont National bank of Brattleboro. The
check which Mr.. Williams received was
deposited with other cash in the Vermont
National bank Monday. Shortly after
ward Mr.. Williams received message by
telephone from the bank stating that the
check was protested and was probably a
fraud.
Mr.. Williams and Deputy Sheriff A. w
j. Wilkins then drove to Barrett's log
camp, but O'Conold was not there. On
Tuesday morning they drove to Brattle
boro and consulted with Chief-o Police
Hall. They then went to the house Of
Henry Jeffreys of Brattleboro, whom they
knew TO be acquainted with O'Conold
Jeffreys stated that O'Conold had not beer
there since two weeks previous, but Po-
lander who was there told the officers thai
O'Conold went to Bellows Falls where hC
was expectingby freight some goods which
meet the Polander there, but he had no
fulfilled his agreement.
Deputy Sheriff wilkins then got State
Attorney II. G. Barber to issue warran
for O'Conolds arrest on the charge o
forgery, and Mr.. wilkins started toward
Bellows Falls to search for the forger.
O'Conold is described as being tall anC
SLENDER of light complexion, and about 81
years old. He told Mr.. Williams that h
came from Greenfield, Mass. 1t has als'
been learned that be has worked in lum
Der camps in Bennington and vicinity
On the occasion of his last visit to Mr.
Williams's store he was dressed in farme
style, and wore a pair of blue overalls.
A close examination of the check whicl
he gave Mr.. Williams shows that the sew
eral names upon it were probably writer
by one person. One thing about it whic
would have aroused suspicion ordinaril
was the words "pay the sum of fourty-eigh
dollars" A person who is used to draw
ing checks, as Mr.. Doolittle is, would NO
insert "the sum of and moreover h
would not write the letter ''u' in the wor
"forty."
1t has since been learned that O'Conol
went directly to Brattleboro. He went in
to the jewelry store of Randall d Clapp
where he bought a watch and gave MI
Williams's check in payment. Randall
Clapp paid O'Conold the balance due o
the check, having ascertained that MI
Williams's signature to the check was ger
uine They are entitled to collect froI
Mr.. Williams the face of the CHECK
O'Conold has not since been heard from
1t was evidently his purpose to get tn
money on Mr.. Williamss check as soon a
possible and then clear out.
O'Conold was seen in Brattleboro tw
weeks ago last Wednesday. He went
the livery stable of II. X. Brown and a
tempted to trade fur overcoat. Some {
the help were suspicious of him and the
called in Deputy Sheriff F. W. Mcclure s
that Mr.. Mcclure might be able to ident
fly him if there were any development
O'Conold asked where he could get wor
and he was directed to Bartletts lumb'
camp. A short time afterward Mr. M
Clure received description of hor:
thief from the sheriff of Turner's Fall
Mass, and he states that that descrlptic
tallies with the one he has of O'Conold.
Chas. Crosby is putting up tin ceilir
in Crosby block. 6
Hre Kittia Noar and dauohtar Of Snrin