Smyrna times., 1901-07-24
VOUTHFUL WIFE ASSISTS
HER HUSBAND At FORGERY
GEORGE ". FOWLER AND WIFE, FOM-
ERLY OF SMYRNA, IN TROUBLE.
youug Wife Admitted She Signed the Name
On Check Of SllO Forged and Passed
on Farmers Bank at Dover.


on Farmers Bank at Dover.
Charged with forgery, George W.
Fowler and his wife were taken be-
fore Magistrate Wood at Dover Fri
dov morning. Fowler and his wife
were arrested at his home near Magno-
LA by Sheriff Reedy, the wife be-
cause of information furnished by her
husband after his arrest.
Fowler and his wife were for many
years residents of Smyrna and if is not
the first time ha has had to face a Mag
istrate Court He was into several
scrapes while in Smyrna and has been
afugatiye from justice.
Monday week Fowler walked into
the Farmers Bank, at Dover, and pre-
sented check for $11O signed appar-
emily by Lydia Bennett. The teller
after examining the check, paid the
money Then the bank officer was i'm
pressed with the fact that the sigma
ture was not genuine. Teller Cooper
hurried after the, man, reached him and
persuaded him to give the money back.
Fowler had spent fifty cents. Bank
director James B. Anderson was called
up at Frederick and sent out to see
Mrs. Bennett He found her very ill
and denying any knowledge of the
check. The penalty is five years i'm
prisOnment, with the pillory for the
man.
Pathetic Scene in Magistrates Court.
There was pathetic scene in Magis-
trate Woods court Saturday, when
George W. Fowler was brought in for
preliminary hearing.
Cashier Walter Morris of the bank,
told how they had discovered the dis
crepancy in Mrs Benefits alleged
signature when compared with the
real signature, and Teller Ezekial
Cooper told of overhauling Fowler on
the street and getting the money back
after he had spent so cents.
Deputy Postmaster William E. Jones
swore to having Unidentified Fowler at
the request of the bank officials before
check was paid, and Mrs. Benefits
husband testified that neither he nor
his wife had any knowledge of the
check.
Fowler was asked to question the
witnesses, or to make statement, and
started at once, exclaiming: "But,
your Honor, l can't read nor write.
Never wrote a word in my life. How
could | commit forgery?''
Mrs. Fowler, have you anything to
say?' asked the magistrate. The
blonde girl with pretty eyes and nose
glasses who sat beside the accused
man and looked anything but Grim
inal, said no.
What do you know about this check
Or transactiOn?"
Nothing sir" and it looked as
'hough the pretty little wife would
walk out of court free.
How the GirI-Wife was Trapped.
Inc magistrate tugged at his glasses
anu glanced at the revised code on his
desk, and the spectators wondered
wny the girl-wife had been arrested.
Ihen the magistrate put on his glasses
Snu looking at her said:
Would you mind writing the name
Ol Mrs. Bennett?" and the girl walked
s'aceiully up to the desk, sat down in
u ,1e magistrates chair and wrote Mrs.
Nettle NJ. Bennett"
That's the signature on the check"
W whispered Teller Cooper to Chashier
Morris.
now, Mrs. Fowler, continued the
magistrate, "I'm going to ask you two
you need not answer them
check?"
''NO, Sir"
"ell' did you sign that check?"
m signed Nettie's name to it, SIR"
-nat settled it, and the Magistrate
tsO%mltted t',i both the prisoners in de-
,aui' " Oh bail, with the prospect of a FIVE
year term for each.