The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-05-15
FORGED ON A BIG SCALE
Former Mayor Jones Victimized Indi-
viduaIs and Banks.
EVERYBODY HAD FAITH IN HIM

Money to Him For Investment, Re-
lying Solely Upon His Excellent Rep-
utation - Victims, Including Banks,
Lose to the Amount Of 900.
Little Falls, n. Y.-Additional de-
velopments relating to the wholesale
forgeries committed by 5ormer Mayor
Hadley Jones, of Little Falls, are Of a
most startling nature. His scheme to
bunco banks by putting up forged
certificates of stock Of the National
Herkimer County Bank Of this city
as collateral for loans is developing
into one of the greatest bank swind-
ling games that has been unearthed
for some time. From the evidence
now in it is certain that when the
final roll cal of bank victims is made
up it will be found that his winnings
from bank forgeries will be over
$150,000. Later developments also
tend to show that he got away with
the larger part of the money.
Jones had been engaged in forging
mortgages for several months. He
enjoyed high standing as lawyer
and had large practice. Poor widows
and orphans are numbered among
his victims. Every one in the county
had confidence in Jones, and among
his clients were many women having
small savings and they would ask
him to invest their money in real
estate mortgages. Jones would draw
a mortgage covering some residential
property, forge fictitious name to the
instrument, record it and then file 1t
away in his safe for the client. When
the interest was due on the mortgage
Jones would pay it promptly.
His scheme for swindling the banks
was one recently put in practice. The
indications are that the proceeds from
the mortgage forgeries had been
squandered in gambling and wildcat
investments. His interest account
necessary to keep him from exposure
on account Of the crooked realty
transactions was growing to an enor-
nous figure. Then he worked out the
bank scheme for the purpose of gath
ering up large fund with which to
leave the country.
He was able to work the bank
scheme by reason Of the fact that he
had in his possession valid certificates
of stock Of the National Herkimer
County Bank owned by his wife. Mrs.
Jones owned ninety-SiX shares of the
bank stock, made out in series of twen-
ty-six shares and seventy shares. With
this stock certificate as a copy Jones
had a new stock book made on the rep
resentation that it was for the bank.
He secured the bank seal in the same
way. Then he secured a letter from
the bank officers to the effect that his
wife, Mrs. Emily Jones, was the owner
of ninety-siX shares of the bank stock
In series Of twenty-siX and seventy
shares, and the market value Of the
stock was about 167.
Jones would always issue the forged
stock in series Of twenty-siX and sew
enty shares, made out in the name of
his wife, the same as the valid shares.
This forged stock was put up as colat-
eral for commercial paper made by
Jones. If word was sent by wire to
the National Herkimer County Bank
regarding the stock, back would come
the word that Mrs. Jones held the
same number Of shares of stock. Thus
he would be able to secure the loan Oh
apparently the most gilt-edge security.
He secured his first loan from the
bank of Ashtabula. Ohio. His loan
at this bank was $4,000. He secured
$4,000 from a Providence (R. II bank,
$4,000 from the Troy banks, $4,000
from the Long Island City banks and
a loan from Tarrytown banks. The
valid certificates of stock were put up
with the local banks as collateral.
Twenty-siE shares of the stock are
held at the Little Falls National Bank
and seventy shares are held by the
bank in the village O., St. townsville,
n. Y.
His mortgage forgeries will aggre-
gate $4,000. but the proceeds derived
from this source have been lost in play
ing horses and faro in Albany. He
had mania for gambling and gained
something OF reputation as q plum
ger in the White House colony Of
sports in Albany. His wife's fortune
OF $4,000 has also been squandered.
but his bank forgeries are of recent
occurrence, and it is generally believed
here that this fund was built up for
the purpose of leaving the country.
Notwithstanding his faults, Jones
and his young wife were very devoted
to each other. While he forged her
name to bank certificates without the
least hesitation and squandered her
fortune. it is not believed that she
knew anything about his crookedness
or the fact that her entire fortune was
swept away until she was summoned
to the Grand Hotel in New York City
on April 9 Oh telegram to the effect
that her husband was very sick.
This telegram was a deception, but
on her arrival the husband told her the
story of his downfall, which resulted
in her determination to stay with him
and follow him in exile. Nothing has
been learned of the whereabouts Of the
fCritiVeS