The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-05-01

George T. st. Glare, stone mason
who has been working for Coral Grey
on the DIR. Bartlett residence on West
Pike street for some time past, forged a
check on his employer Friday afternoon
and not very long after he had commit
ted the forgery he was in the custody
Of county officers. and was later placed
in jail It seems that he was about half
intoxicated when he did the act, and this
morning. when he came to y full realiza-
tion of his misdcing, he was more than
repentant for his RASH trick. His case
Is 4 pitifal one, in that he has q wife
and three su.all eliildren, who are en-
tireiE dep6ndent upon him for support,
and that horetof0rc he has borne an ex-
| ceilentSrepnt ation g. n hard sworking and
honest ia5uEer. and hsd never been in
any trouble Of Ike Kind.
On Friday Mr.. Gray gave st. Glare
! = ellecis on the Merchants National bank
for s. 80 IN pa uient for Some work that
the latter had done ON the Bartlett resi-.
dence It appears that st. Clare got to
drinlSing. md this was. no doubt the cause
OF his offcnse. He procured blank
cheek on the Merchants, bank and made
out check payable to himself, with a
fac smile signature Of Mr.. 6ray's; he
used the check his employer had given
him ms copy and. followed the delinea-
tion of afr, Gray'S handwriting as best
he could. He then took the forged
check and went to the office of the West
Fork Oil and Natural Gas company, on
Fourth street, where he offered it in pay
ment of gas bill of about two dollars.
Mr.. George Ogden accepted the check
from him in good faith, cashed it for
him, deducted the bin and gave him the
balance of the amount in money.
That was probably about ESQ o'elocls
in the afternoon; and the cheek was tax.
en- to the bank with deposit before.
the close of banking hours. The officials
at the bank knew mt sight that the
cheek WAS forgery, and the payment
of it was refused
Mr.. Ogden then went before Magistrate.
, Samuel w. Gordon and swore c,lt - war
rant for, the arrest Of st. Clare, on the,
charge Of forgery. The warrant was
placed in the hands of Constable Mort
Mceiung. and be started immed lately ON
a search for the man. It was thought.
that ST Clare went over the Glen Elk
bridge towards the depot. and Policeman
SiDiIns was called up by telephone and
told to be en- the lookout for the man
and afrcst him. The constable went uvcr
J that way also. Tie roiisesaa. found st.
Clare and plnced him under arrest, and
! rs he 1wlls, bringing him to the city the
constable met item on the Glen Elk
bridge and the warrant wns served on
him.
McClume brought the man over 70 the
| office Of the gas company. where st.
eiaIe' when conIro'''sa with the charge.
broke down and wcpt ike child He
j, cogniessed that ne had committed the
forgery and begged AIR. Ogden to be
merciful- His drunkenness had worn of
to a certain extent, and he was thrice
sorry for his misdecd. He begged Mr..
Ogden not to prosecute HIM on account
o. has wife and three s'sial ehiidrfn- lie
cool; 81 = from ms POCKET and said saat
was all that ne i'at 'ef. OF the mency.
he was then taken before Magistrate
Gordon When searched by the officers
there Ss.45 was found IN his pockets BE
confessed that he forged the check and
broke into tears again. The magistrate
held him under a bond OF $500 to appear
at the next term Of circuit court, and
not being able to furnish bail, he was
renanded to jail The constable took
him to the temporary jail b'i'lds;.s' AID
locked him up Wh:'e ts;c constable was
doing 80 St. clarc a'id s''at he was go-
ing TO die OF rcmorsc IN the night, and
badc the constable goodbye. He said
that II he couldn't die. he would kill
himself.