Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-15
ALLEGED T ORCER.
Harry Salmon East ottumwaY Young
Man, Charged With Fraud.
SAID TO HAVE CASHED OLD CHECKS

SAID TO HAVE CASHED OLD CHECKS
1t is Alleged That He Stole Cancelled
Checks Belonging to John MorreII
& Co, and cashed One of Them
Information Filed Today.
Harry Salmon, a young man resid-
Ing with his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
George Salmon, at 1900 East Main
street, is accused by John Morrell &
Co. of the crime of forgery, and an in
formation was filed against him in
police court this morning on this
charge. The matter came into the
hands of the police about two weeks
ago, but as no information was filed
at that time it was not referred to in
the Courier. This morning, however,
the information was filed and war
rant for young Salmon's arrest was
issued by Judge Moon.
Salmon is accused of perpetrating a
very clever scheme to defraud Morrell
& Co., and had not the matter been
stopped when it was the loss to the
firm would probably have been
great. AS it was, "a check
in favor of the late Frank
Flanders for $16.15, which had already
been paid and cancelled, was taken
from the place where the Cancelled
checks are kept in the garnet above
one Of the buildings which go to make
up the Morrell plant, the "paid" stamp
was erased and the check was cashed
a second time. 1t is claimed that an
other Ottumwa young man cashed the
check and received IS for his trouble,
but no information was filed against
him.
cashed in Saloon.
The check was cashed some weeks
ago in the saloon of James Wycoff on
South Market street, and the full
amount, ,$1615 was paid over. Every
thing seemed to be all right until the
check was taken to the Ottumwa Ma
tional bank by Wycoff for deposit,
when one of the employees there exam
ined 1t and found that the impression
of the rubber cancelling stamp had
been cleverly erased. 1t was difficult
to detect the change until the check
was held towards the light, when the
difference in the thickness of the pa
per was noticeable. The bank refused
to honor the check and it was returned
to Mr. Wycoff who turned the case
over to Chief Gray.
Investigation followed and suspicion
fell upon young Salmon, who was en-
ployed at the packing house, where his
father is an old and valued employee.
About week after the check had been
cashed Salmon was in barber shop
on East Main street, and while wait
ing for his turn it is said he gave the
porter in the place. another mutilated
check for something over $20, asking
the man to have 1t cashed and to bring
the money to him.
Salmon Caught.
The porter tried to cash the check
in a nearby saloon but was unsuccess-
full and returned it to the owner. The
saloon-keeper meanwhile notified Off
Ger Black and the latter arrested
young Salmon. He was taken to the
police station but when he, paid the
money which had been secured on the
first check and produced the young
man who is said to have been his &C
complete and who paid his share of the
money both were released and no pa
pers were filed against them.
1t was thought at the time that the
matter would not become public, but
since that time several people have
learned Of it and accordingly the men,
bers of the firm of John Morrell & Co.,
thought that rather than apparently
countenance such an act they had bet
ter file information against Salmon
and get it before the public. No in
formation was filed against the other
party.
Alleged Forgery.
The charge preferred is that of for
gerry, and is based upon the allegation
that in erasing the impression of the
stamp part of the signature of r. N.
Morrell who signed the paper, was also
erased and that the repairing of this
signature constituted the forgery.
Can't Stand Prosperity.
John Foley can't stand prosperity.
Tuesday evening he was released from
custody after having been arrested on
the charge of larceny from the person,
and his alleged "pal' was held to the
grand jury. Yesterday Foley possibly
to celebrate his narrow escape, got
gloriously drunk and was arrested.
This morning he got ten days in Jail
and will spend that much time in re-
pentance. Joe McMoran, a man, who
it is alleged, was begging on the street,
yesterday, soliciting sympathy and
money on account of his injured hand,
was also arrested for intoxication last
evening. This morning he got ten days
also. Thomas Maloney and Dave
Craig, two plains, were given three
dayS each