Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-09-22
GUILTY. THE VERDICT
N BAD MONEY CASE
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT II
THE CASE OF WILLIAM
MONTGOMERY.
WAS A COMPROMISE VERDICT
II is mt. as the Jury at First
Disagreed and ON Returning
Again, rough in the Verdict
ststed-PIea-ant and witty Pass
aSes Retween Court and Counsel.

IN the United States Court, the case
against William Montgomery, which
has been on trial for the Last two days.
was concluded yesterday at $50. the
fury bringing in a verdict OF guilty on
the second count OF the indictment,
which charged defendant with having
IN his possession mutilated and unlaw-
full money with intent TO pass the
same.
The verdict was a surprise to most
of those who heard the evidence and
charge of the court.
The case involved a n~eighborhood
quarrel growing out of business riva ry.
the scene being the little own Of
Wylieville. in the hills back of New
M~artinsvilIe.
NJ. Barr 4 Son, as it appS.rs, had a
country store and mill in Wyiieville,
which. thought but a hamlL of pcssib y
200 inhabitants, is, owing to the OIL
fields and railways. the entire of a
very good trade. This. of course, went
to the Bars store and mill. The
n Barr was also the village pos:
master. having the p~ostoiice il u cor
ner of the store.
Some years since William Montgon!-
cry opened a store in the village, larger
and more comprehensive in its took
a sort OF departmental store, keeping
everything called for by the trade or
that section. Among other goods he
added flour TO his stock. This, Mont
gomery claims, started the trouble, as
II interfered with their mill trade. He
says his COW was penned up by the
Bars, who demanded s.. and he sought
an officer, who broke the lock. In a
suit the Bars brought against him fot
damages he was given a verdict for 81
for their use of the cow.
The defendants story of the charges
against him is as follows:
Last year a circus came to New
Martinsville. There was a big crowd
there. After the circus had left town
several people found they had been
given bad-raised-money in change
or for goods. cash a great many
checks OF all kinds as an accommoda-
ton to people, and. of course, it helps
trade by drawing customers. The
raised bills | had were acquired in
this way-I cashed a check for a man
and three weeks afterward he brought
a five dollar raised bill to me and said
| had given it to him in cashing the
check. could not prove, of course,
that | had not. and to avoid i'll feeling
and keep trade | gave him a good one
for it. One man brought one later,
saying he had got 1t from my clerk.
Ii was the same in this case. had no
proof and so took it. There was n
man who came and told me that he had
passed one of these bills on me, ana
gave me good money for it. There
were about a dozen, | think, of these
bills among the people altogether.
Mr.. Montgomery stands we'll with the
wholesalers in Wheeling and Pittsburg
with whom he did businss.
Mr.. Louis l.. Ehrmann. manufacturer
of clothing. of Pittsburg, was in the
court room Yesterday and said to a
Register reporter:
Il have the highest confidence in Mr..
Montgomery's integrity. | have had
large business transactions with him
and have no customer whose credit is
higher than his with III firm. He
has always discounted his bills, saw
ing himself the 7 per cent, and they
often run into the thousands. He has
been Il customer for severa. years.
Business firms in Wheeling speak in
similar terms of Mr.. Montgomery.
The prosecuting witness. Barr. stated
on the stand that he had been on the
outs with defendant for something like
FIVE years: that he would not speak to
him.
The little village is divided on the
question. zach store having its adher-
ents, and there were a large number
of witnesses in attendance on each
side. c. P. Flick and Col. Arnett are
counsel Cor the defendant, and eN-
Judge Reese Blizzard. United States az
torney. appeared for the government.
There we're some very pleasant pas
sages-at-arms in wit between the cou
and counsel. In one instance the court
had taken a witness personally in hand