The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-04-09
The Famous Fullerton
Forgeries.
VXTHEN a millionaire dies there's
wv generally the dickens to pay.

VLTHEN a millionaire dies there's
wv generally the dickens to pay.
Two or three superfuous wives are
apt to turn up, or a blackmailer comes
forward with bit of private history
or something. If nothing else happens
the heirs fight over the estate. And
then they spend it-spend quickly that
which it took years to accumulate.
In the case of Fullerton, however,
there was nothing of that kind. He had
no children, and his young widow
there being only one-succeeded to
everything real and personal whereso-
ever situate. After the funeral she
started in to settle up things systematic
cally. 1t was her purpose to begin at
the beginning and finish up at the end.
One bright day she stepped successive
ly into several banks in the town and
addressed the paying tellers.
These checks" she suggested at
each place, "do not contain my hus-
bands signature. They seem to be
forgeries. Examine them, please"
They were examined. She was right.
They were forgeries. And there were
not a few of them, after all. When
every check had been examined it was
found that more than 100000 worth
of paper, forged with the utmost skill
and cleverness, had been presented at
the banks and paid. That much was
clear. But the question was, who did
it?
. well find out said the bank Off
GERS. And they started in. They sent
up three of the best experts in the
town and examined all the recent
papers of the millionaire.
One evening two officers in plain
clothes stepped into the bachelorapart-
ment of Chauncey G. Ilingsworth,
where he was dining alone. Ilings-
worth had been private secretary of
Fullerton, the millionaire.
I'VE want YOU" said the men in plain
clothes. Ilngsworth turned pale.
what for?' he gasped.
'You know well enough" they re-
piled, ''its forgery"
llingsworth was lodged in Jail. and
although the prosecutor had. made the
complaint on three checks only. aggre-
eating some $500, the court fixed the
bail at a large sum, and Chauncey could
not obtain it. So he stayed where he
was and the county paid his expenses.
The day of trial approached. A week
before it came on Ilingsworth received
note from one of the well-known
lawyers of the town. 1t was addressed
to him, and this is what it said:
You are accused of the forgery OF checks
aggregating 100000 have had some sue
cess in forgery cases, and l am somewhat
OF handwriting expert l will guarantee
10 clear you, and that without charge Your
father once did me a favor and l am anx-
lous to reciprocate. Let me hear from YOU
Yours, LANDGRAF
Landgraf's services were accepted.
Landgraf was a man well known, and
by some highly admired. The whole
town respected his genius. Iingsworth
had transacted considerable business
for the dead millionaire. Landgraf ex-
planned nothing to the prisoner-in-
deed, he hardly listened to what he
had to say. But he assured him solemn
ly that he would see him cleared.
The prosecution based its case upon
three of the checks. They held the rest
in allegiance for future action. These
checks upon the trial, the prosecutor
introduced in evidence. Then he placed
his experts on the stand and each testi-
fled without reservation of any sort
that Ilingsworth had forged the checks,
Landgraf asked the court if he might
withhold his cross-examination until
the morrow. The court assented.
"May-may l take the checks. the
three exhibits, and examine them over
night?" he then asked. The court
frowned and looked at the district at
torney. That gentleman thought for a
moment or two. 1t was dangerous.
placing this evidence in the grasp of his
opponent, one who might be unscrupu-
lous-one who, perhaps, might destroy
it utterly. "But, by George!" he rea-
soned with himself, 'if he does that
it ruins his defense, for the jury will
salt him then, worse than ever" He
therefore smiled, and said of course he
would accord the privilege to Counselor
Landgraf. This with an air that meant
IndJ 10 any Douy else ne OF course could
not extend such a favor. Landgraf
took the checks.
All that night Counselor Landgraf
sat behind closed doors, with the three
checks before him, and with five repu-
table men, men of prominence in the
city, watching him do-what? On that
night only he and the five men knew.
At the trial next day, the first of the
experts for the state went to the stand
for the cross-eXamination. To him
Counselor Landgraf handed small
slip of paper. On it were the words:
This is not my handwriting.
"CHAUNCEY G. ILINGSWORTH."