The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-30

marl,able story Of the lurid
S-----"-- career Of a swindler. He was
taken to Davenport. Ia, where indict-
nents on various charges CT forgery have
been found against him.
Beasely pleaded guilty and was sem
fenced to seven years imprisonment.
Once simple Hoosier schoolmaster.
Beasely left pedagogy and became one Of
the most expert of forgers and daring
figures of tho age.
Beasely was arrested in the Quaker
City while living in wealth by Postof1ce
inspector KIle and has been brought back
70 expiate his crimes
With the arrest of the forging school
teacher vindication will without doubt
come to q prominent Indiana official, now
under indictment for tho Misrepresentation
or public funds.
Twenty years ago the name of Stephen
B. Beasely stood high in the list Of In
diara's foremost educators. He was one
Of the best known teachers in the state,
and had charge Of the schools at Linton.
During his criminal career Beasely
principally went under the aliases of j.
J. Dudley and DR.. Jackson b. Thomas.
He was arrested under the latter alias by
Inspector Klie.
1t was on account Of one of Beaeely's
forgeries that Auditor Robert r. White
Of Ripley county Is now awaiting trial.
In December, 1900 Auditor White re-
ceived o letter purporting to be from Ar
thur Z. Sneed Of New Albany, asking if
there 9-are any school funds on hand, as
he desired to make loan on loo acres of
snd which he described and located In
Ripley county Sneed went on TO say that
he had immediate use for $500 and would
give the land as security for tie loan.
Auditor White had the title to the land
Investigated. and learned that - thur e.
sneed was In reality the owner.
After considerable correspondence a
loan Of 500 was made 10 Sneed.
About tho time the amount Of the loan
was forthcoming Sneed changed his post
Office address from New Albany to Louis
vile, and ordered the 800 to be sent by
money order to the latter city. This was
done. and nothing more was thought of
the matter by Auditor White until last
Eecember, when lists for property delin-
Quent for taxes in Ripley county were
published by the county auditor.
On the list was the 10O-acre tract OF
land on which 500 of the school funds
had been loaned.
After the first publication Of the list Of
pr, 'erty delinquent FOR taxes farmer
by me name Of Dahlm called on Auditor
~ ME anu uSkeQ why HdA his property
been advertised for sale, as he had never
disposed Of it to anyone.
An examination was made OF the rec
ords and there appeared the deed Of the
property from Dahlm to Arthur E.
sneed.
AS soon as he saw this deed Farmer
Sneed declared It was a forgery.
The name of John Woolly of Hanover
Is notary public, was affixed as having
made the acknowledgment to the daed
Woolley was asked about this. but denied
ever having been called upon IN this ca
pacity. He declared he had never heard
Of such man as Arthur f. sneed.
Further investigation brought to light
the fact that the name Of Robert La
Follett Of New Albany, O. notary public
OF that city. had been forged to the
mortgage given by Sneed to Auditor
White.
1t was at this point that the postofT1ce
apartment took UP the case on COM
iaint of Auditor White. Postoffice In
rector Kile was assigned the task OF
uniting down the forger.
Snced had left no olew rs 70 his iden-
sity. No one was able to give any de-
scription Of him. Auditor White had
never seen him and the inspector was
completely at sea. He visited the post
office at New Albany one day and in q
general talk with Miss Mary Kelley, the
clerk in charge Of the general delivery
window at hat postofT1ce found that she
had come ia o possession of some infor-
nation by her watchfulness. She gave
TO Inspector Kile a full description of
sneed.
Further complaints came to Inspector
cile of transactions Of this kind which
had taken place In various parts of tae
state at different times The description
given by Miss Kelley answered the de-
scription Of a man who on June 25 1896
;nder the name of w. c.. Moore, got
5000 on a Forged deed; who by forged
deeds and mortgages h&d at Crawfords-
vile, ~ May, 1886. under the name Of A.