Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-03-12
FORGERY IN MONTPELIER.
Physician Gets So. oeo from MontpeI-
Ter Savings Bank and.Trust Company

Physician Gets $1,000 from Montpel-
Ter Savings Bank and.Trust Company
DIR. Waldo X. Hardness, a practicine
physician in Montpelier, was arrested
at D O'Clock the afternoon of March 6
on q warrant issued BY M, \. Smile
and served by Sheriff Evans for for
gerry of a note for $4,000, on which he
obtained the money from the Mont
pelier Savings Bank and Trust COM
pany shortly before the bank closed
that afternoon. DIR. Hardness had
several days before negotiated with the
officials of this bank for the money on
this note. The note was signed by
DIR. Hardness, Hamilton S. Peck and
Walter b. Gates of Burlington and
Nellie Barstow of Shelburne.
When DIR. Hardness took this note to
the bank that afternoon shortly before
closing time the money was paid to
him without question as the persons
whose names were signed to it were
known by the bank officials to be per-
fectly good. DR.. Hardness was paid
$1,000 in cash.
Shortly after he left the bank Acting
President l.. Bart Cross become sus-
picious of the signature of Hamilton
5. Peck. He compared il with a
genuine signature of Judge Peck in
his possession and at once determined
it was a forgery. A warrant was is
sued for DIR. Hardness arrest and he
was taken to the reception room in the
Jail where he was in consultation with
NJ. L. Smile, a director, A. w. Ferrin,
treasurer, and l.. Bart Cross, vice pres
ident, who is acting president OF the
Montpelier Savings bank, during the
absence in California of James w.
Brock. While at the Jail Mr.. Cross
was in telephone communication with
Judge Peck OF Burlington and the lat
ter denied that he had ever signed
such a note. While at the Jail DIR.
Hardness admitted that the signatures
of the note other than his own were
not genuine. He was in a terribly
nervous and excited condition and
kept repeating TO himself: "Oh, why
did ! do this pr He could give the Of
ficials no good reason TOR his rash act.
Ii appears that DR.. Hardness several
months ago discounted at the Capital
Savings bank in this city a note for a
similar amount purporting TO be sign
ed by the same parties and in addition
to this he had endorsed on the back of
the note 80. X, T. j. d." This
note it is said was paid by the treasur-
er Of the Capital Savings bank when ii
was presented and had not come to the
notice OF T. j. Deavitt, president Of
the Capital Savings bank, until the
morning when the note became due.
In examining Mr.. Deavitt at once de-
tected that his own initials on the note
we're forged. He sent for DR.. Hardness
at once and demanded immediate pay
ment of the note saying, that he would
have Judge Peck and Mr.. Gates there
that evening. But Mr.. Deavitt insist
ed upon immediate payment under the
penalty Of prosecution and DR.. Hark-
ness, with the two thousand dollars
which ne obtained from the Montpelier
Savings Bank, took up the note at the
Capital Savings Bank just tefore its
doors were closed for the day.
The downfall of DIR. Hardness comes
as a great shock to his many friends.
He is a native of H%inesburgh and a
graduate OF the medical department OF
the University of Vermont. He has
been practicing his profession in Mont
pelier for more than two years and has
built up a good business. His practice
was rapidly increasing and he enjoyed
the confidence and esteem OF a wide
circle of friends.