Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-03
Known That He Forged One Note,for
$3.50, and supposjtion Is That Much
Other Paper, on Which Fathers
Name Appears, Is of the Same Kind
Sheriff Arrives Half an Hour Late.

found it locked, and was informed a
| few minutes afterwards that the pro-
prietor's dead body had but recently
been found in the timber at the edge of
town.
Arney's death was most tragic and
was premeditated TO the most minute
details. The timber where the deed
| was committed is about one-half mile
| west, and just in the edge of town. 1t
lis on the land of Mr.. Ainey's brother
| in-law, Frank Hilsabeck, and liss to the
north of the Hilsabec.1 home. The
| barn stood between him and the house,
| SO that the deed could not be witnessed
1 until the end was accomplished, yet the
| SPOT selected for the self-destroying act
was not so far distant frcm the house
but that Mr.. Arney knew that the shot
would be heard. and the body soon b.
found.
| Mr.. Arney made his preparations de-
liberately, from all indications. He cut
a sharp stick, with little forked prong
on the end, in order to touch off the
trigger of the shotgun. He placed the
! butt of the gun on the ground, holding
| the barrels with his LEFT. hand, close to
the muzzle. With his forehead placed
close down to the barrs,s he touched
off The trigger with the stick, held in
! his right hand. The entire top of the
head was blown off. from a point about
even with the eye brows.
Terrible Sight Greets Brother.
Mr.. Hilsabeck, brotherjn-law of Mr..
Arney, heard the report Of the gun His
first thought was that some one was
hunting squirrels, with watch his grove
abounds. and which have become quite
tame. He has had more or less trouble
as the result of trespassers, and was
anxious to see who MAS doing the
shooting. With this aim in view he
hurried to the timber. and when he got
around the corner of the ground he saw
the body of man lying en- the ground.
He Immediately surmised that an acci-
dent had happened. never once dream
ing that the body was that of his sis
ter's husband. 1t was the work of but
a few moments to reach the side of the
body, and from the ghast3y sight of the
lower part of the face he at once recog-
n.zed Elmer Arney.
The truth at once dawned on Hilsa-
beck. 1t was clearly a case of suicide.
The gun was lying across the body of
the dead man, resting between his legs.
as he had stood over 1t. A dent in the
soft ground showed the mark of the
conclusion when the trigger was pulled
The forked stick lay at the right side of
! the body. Mr.. Hilsabeck went to secure
the aid of neighbors and half hour
later Sheriff Shoemaker at Ferguson
on another mission, was at the side OF
the man for whom he was armed with
a warrant.
Forgery is Discovered.
| A few days ago the First National
Bank, of this city, notified F. S. Grouse
and j. w. Miller, of Albion, that a
note for $3.50. made in favor of Elmer
S. Arney, and now the property of
the bank, would fall due April ID
Thursday morning Mr.. Grouse. who is
brother in-law Of Perry +. Arney
an implement dealer of this city and
a cousin of the dead man. appeared
at the bank and informed Presiden,
Woodbury. and Cashier 4. j. Fletcher
that his signature was a forgery. Mr..
Woodbury. sent word to Mr.. Arney to
come to the city. as he wanted to see
him on important business. Later Mr..
Fletcher, in Justice Burritt's court,
swore out an information, charging
forgery, and the warrant was placed in
Sheriff Shoemaker's hands. The sher-
if left the city at 1870 and arrived
at the Arney store, in Ferguson, al
AS. He found the store locked and
asked the first person he saw, a woman,
if she knew where he could find Mr..
Arney The woman told him that his
dead body had been found only short
time before.
Fear Other Paper is Not Genuine.
The bank has Several ether notes of
Mr.. Arney which, as yet, are not known
to be genuine or not. Most of them
contain the signature Of William Ar
ney, the father and Il wealthy farmer
living two miles northwest of Albion.
II is estimated that about $4,000 of his
paper is in circulation, majority of
which is held by the bank.
One note for $4,000 is owned
by the bank, bearing William
Arney's signature. There is another for
81, 800, and the Shorthll estate has one
for $1,000, on which William Arney's
name appears as surety. That contain
ing the fathers name the parties hold
ing it are not worrying over, as Mr.
Arney will in all probability take it up, |
whether or not his signature is gen
uine, or obtained thru forgery The
Shorthill note is one made about a year
ago. The late A. f. Shorthill who had
had considerable dealing with Mr.. Ar
.ney, and always found him upright i'm
every particular, loaned him $1,000, |
taking his note, purported to be signed |
by William Arney, his father. The
note was dine March Z. Mr.. II. H. Gregg,
who is managing the affairs of the
estate, notified Mr.. Arney before the
note was due, also William Arney. The
second notice was sent to Elmer Arney
and after 1T had been received Mr..
Gregg heard from Mr. Arney. From
William Arney nothing has been heard