The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-01-24
FORGERY CHARGED
Chicago Real Estate Man in
the Tolls.
National Citizens Bank Purchases
Questionable Paper.---Iohn |.
Moore Arrested.

Guy, LOT WHOM ne naQ d warrant got
t en- out by W. q. Hoerr, president of
the National Citizens bank, charg-
ing forgery in the first degree. The
prisoner, after an interview with the
bank officials, was lodged in the county
Jail, where he still remains. An en-
deavor was made by all the parties in
terested to keep the matter still for
couple of days at least, but the facts
leaked out. The matter has been
quietly developing for some time.
1t is claimed that Moore was in
Mankato in July, 1900, and negotiated
the sale of some land for DR.. Beiyea
of Minot, N. D, to Evan T. Evans of
this city. Mr.. Evans gave his note
and a mortgage to DR.. Belyea, who
sold the note and assigned the mort
gage to the Great Northern bank of
Minot, N. D. 1t is claimed that in
due time Mr.. Evans paid the Minot
bank the amount of the note and re-
deemed the mortgage. 1t is further
claimed that before Moore sent the
note and mortgage TO DR.. Belyea he
made an exact duplicate of them, forg
ing the various signatures and assign
ing the note and mortgage from DR..
Belyea to himself; that he sold this
duplicate note to the National Citi-
zens' bank and assigned the mortgage
to it; and that he received the full
face of the note and mortgage, f400,
from the bank.
The note drew eight per cent inter-
est and was due in one year.
When this note was sent to the Minot
bank last July for collection it pro-
nounced it to be forgery.
Deputy Atchison arrested Moore in
room 524 New York Life building,
Chicago, at two o'clock yesterday
afternoon. He states that he had diff
Guilty in locating him, for Moore had
an office in one place and received his
mail in another. He got his tip as to
Moore's whereabouts from an elevator
boy, and going there with a deputy
sheriff of Cook county he represented
himself to be farmer from Aberdeen,
South Dakota, who was looking for
some coal land.
Mr. Atchison had received a tip
that Moore had some coal land near
Minot, and after two hours wait
Moore appeared.
When arrested, Moore broke down
and wept. He was very anxious that
his wife should not learn of his arrest,
and sent her message that he had
been called to st. Paul The Chicago
chief of police complimented Mr..
Atchison on his work. Moore was found
among Offices known as the "table and
chair" variety, where the occupant
can move out on ten minutes notice
and disappear. One of these offices
contained nothing but map
Mr. Moore is a genteel appearing
man, forty-fve years of age, and has
one son, who is in the real estate
business at Minot, N. D., working in
connection with his father. He ap-
pears much older, but attributes his
grayish hair and .mustache to sickness.
He has a pleasing way, and does not
appear like a man who would be
guilty of the charge against him.
When seen at the Jail in the afternoon
by Free Prses reporter, Mr.. Moore
stated that he formerly resided at
Minot, and intended to return there,
but for year and half had made
Chicago his home. He had done bust
ness for the Hackney Land Co, of st.
Paul, and subsequently for the Hack
ney, Boynton Co. 1t was by member
of this company that he had been rec
commended to the National Citizens
bank, which enabled him to do bust
ness with it.
Mr.. Moore said that he was not
guilty of forgery and had done moth
ing wrong. He said that he would be
able to set the matter right in few
days, would see that the bank lost no
| money, and when the matter was un-
derstood there would be nothing upon
! which to base criminal charge.
Moores story of the real estate
! transaction between Mr.. Evans and
DR.. Belyea does not differ from the
one above given, but he claims that he
disposed of the original papers to the
National Citizens bank, and that
those purchased by the Minot bank
must have been forged. He says that
DR.. Belyea sold him the note and as
signed the mortgage to him, taking
in exchange small house and lot at
Minot, horse and receipt for $35,
the amount of Moore's commission on
the Evans sale.
Moore does not give DR., Belyea the
best reputation, and says that he now
lives at Malta, Mont. He charges DR..
Belyea with doing several things.
Moore states that he guaranteed the
note and mortgage at the National
Citizens bank, and says that he will
make that guarantee good, as he has
coal land in North Dakota. He says
that he never heard of the note and
mortgage paid by Mr.. Evans to the
Minot. bank until recently. He will
await developments before employing
an attorney.