Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-08
LIST OF FORCERIES GROWS
Platte Valley People Estimate fetal At
Hundred and Fifty thousand.
CASHIER eSUlO MAY PLEAD GUILTY
His Brother likely TO stand Trial,
but Chief offender L. Expected co
Throw Himself on Mercy
Of this Court.

DAVID CITY, Neb., Feb. 7.-(special.)-
The excitement incident to the failure Of
the Platte Valley State bank OF Bellwood
Is subsiding, and all fears Of violence to A.
II. Gould. cashier. and r. s.. Gould, as
sistant cashier, who are In jail In this city
are past.
Reporters for the daily papers sought an
interview with A. II. Gould, cashier OF the
defunct bank, yesterday. When one OF
the reporters stated to Mr.. Gould the OBJ
ject OF the call, Mr.. Gould said: 81 posi-
lively will not talk to newspaper men. The
newspapers are getting enough information
from other sources and I will have moth
ing to say" The reporters made their
exit from the Jail and sought to get some
information from other sources which
seemed reliable.
The only change in the general condi-
tions as heretofore reported is that forged
notes and mortgages are coming In daily,
and as a consequence the amount Of the
forgeries Is growing at a rapid rate.
Holders Of notes from Michigan City,
Ind, and other eastern points are here
| driving out in the country to interview the
alleged msker Of notes and mortgages.
without a single exception. every one OF
these notes and mortgages is forged.
A very conservative estimate Of the
amount Of the forgeries. so far as known
up to this time. is that they will aggregate
about $3.50, 900, and the end Is doubtless not
yet reached.
A large amount Of notes and mortgages
are held by Butler county banks and local
capitalists. All Of those. SO far as known.
are genuine. AS heretofore stated, real
estate mortgages have been forged. includ-
ing the certificate Of fling and recording.
giving book and page.
This week several chattei mortgages
have been received by banks and attorneys
here that are also forgeries.
The Platte Valley State bank was or
ganlzed in 1885, with David Belsley presi-
dent and one Converse cashier. Some time
in 1886 or 1887 H. r. Gould OF Omaha wal
elected president and A.|H. Gould cashier,
who have held their official positions to
the present time.
A. H. Gould has since his arrest stated
that the forging Of notes commenced In the
winter or early spring of 1889. when one
OF his relatives became financially in
volved, and Mr.. Gould had signed notes fol
a large amount as surety, and he had those
notes to pay, which in the aggregate
amounted to about SIS. 200, and he was un'
able to raise that amount from his owl
resources, but conceived the idea of forg'
ing a lot o. notes in various sums and
discounting those notes with eastern bank
and private parties, keeping q private
book, where he had a record OF all forget
1 notes, amount Of each and date Of mntur
| lily, and when one of these notes natures
he would replace 1t with another forge'
note and pay the holder the interest. Thi
scheme worked admirably and was an in
~centive to Mr.. Gould to continue forginI
notes, the habit Of which seemed to grow
on him and he became an expert to sucl
an extent that II has grown to be enor
nous, and OF late years he has also forge
a large number of mortgages on farms an
chattels IN the vicinity of Bellwood.
Mr.. Gould claims that had 1t not been 70
the blowing up Of the bank safe a ehor
time ago, in which the private book wher
be kept a record OF all the forged note
was destroyed, he would not have been de
tected. and he would be still running tn
bank as before.
A. H. Gould, the cashier, has not bee
arraigned yet, but It is the prevailin
opinion that he will waive the preliminar
hearing In county court and In the dis
trict court, which convenes next Tuesda!
he will plead guilty and throw himself upo
} the leniency OF the court.
! r. G. Gould, assistant cashier, is still |
the county Jail. He has not been arrsigne
yet. From reports heard about the court
house, he will probably waive his prelim
mary hearing in the county court, but wi
stand trial in the district court, as he no
asserts that he Is not guilty OF the Grim
charSed.