Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-09-28
HE PASSED
BOGUS CHECKS
Man Named chauncey Monroe Work
ed a Number Of Lewistown's Bust.
ness Men, But Was Caught.
PLEAD GUILTY AND GIVEN YEAR
Signed Names Of George Kelly and
Oscar Stephens and Was Caught
on Last Named Check.

A smooth character in blue over.
alls. who later gave his name as
Chauncey Monroe, worked a number
of the business men of Lewistown
Wednesday evening on SOM bogus
checks and the memory of that little
deal will make them exceedingly care.
full for some time to come. The Gold
en- Rule Store, the Fad Shoe Store and
the Brewery saloon We're the sufferers
but they are all about even with the
exception of the proprietor OF the
Golden Rule, who is shy a new suit
of clothes, which the smooth gentle.
mar got away with.
Early Wednesday evening a young
fellow wandered into the Golden Rule
Store and in a matter of fact way
purchased a suit of clothes and mum.
erous other articles of wearing appar-
ell and asked ]. II. Atkins if he would
cash a check for him. He produced
one for $40, made out by George Kei.
ly in favor of one Fred Young. The
young man claimed he was Fred
Young and the check was given him
in payment for three months work on
Mr.. Kelly's ranch. Mr.. Atkins was a
little suspicious about it, as a ranch
hand does no usually draw a check
for an even amount, SO he asked a
number of questions about the ranch
and the people there. all of which
were answered readily and in a way
to show that the man knew what he
was talking about. The man, who
gave his name as Fred Young, then
asked for a pencil. and said he would
sign the check. Mr.. Atkins told him
to step around to the desk and use
the pen. He did so and left the store
with his purchases.
A short time after that the same
man arrived at the Fad Shoe Store
and asked to look at a pair of shoes.
He picked out a pair of six dollar ones
and said they suited him. He talked
in a straightforward manner and Mr..
d'Autremont did not suspect anything.
The same story was told at this place
and a check for $36 was produced. for
which he received the shoes and
change amounting to $50. The check
was made out to Fred Smith and
signed with George Kelly's name. He
Endorsed the check in ink and was
cool and collected in all his actions.
From the Fad he went across the
street to The Power Mercantile com.
pany and endeavored to get a check
out to Fred Smith and signed with
Oscar Stephens name, which was spell.
ed Stevens. instead of Stephens. and the
check was drawn on the First Ma.
tional Bank of Lewistown. Oscar
Stephens checks on the Bank of Fer.
gus County and the American Nation.
al Bank, of Helena. The firm refused
to cash the check and as o o as he
had left the store Deputy Sheriff Ed.
SilverthOrne was notified and told in
which direction the man had gone.
He was followed to the Brewery sa-
loon on lower Main street and il was
found that he had cashed the check
at that place, getting ten dollars in
money and an order for the remain.
der of it. He signed the name OF
Fred Smith at this place also. The
sheriff followed him up Main street
and arrested him in front of the Big
Bear saloon.
He gave his name as Chauncey Mon.
roe and on being questioned said the
shoes were back of the Occidental sa.
loon. but he expressed absolute igno.
rance as 10 the whereabouts Of the
clothes. which he had obtained from
the Golden Rule. He was compelled
to return the ten dollars to the saloon
and was then taken to the county jail.
He had nothing to say there about his
actions.
On Saturday evening he vas taken
before Judge Cheadle and pleaded
guilty to the charge OF forgery and
was given one year in the peniten-
tiary. Ii developed that he IA only
a boy, being twenty years of age, and
had never been away from home un.
til last May. He and his brother had
taken up a homestead in Canada and
had come TO Montana with the inten.
ton of buying horses and taking them
across the line TO sell them. They
found the duty was so high that they
could not raise the money. so took
the horses back where they got them
and went to work in Great Falls.
Hearing of a chance for good jobs for
the winter in the vicinity of Lewis.
town they came down here. The
brother went to work on George KEEL
ly's ranch and Chauncey worked
around at odd jobs. Just why he
took 1t into his head to forge checks
is unknown. He had nothing to say
when taken before the judge, and
burst into tears when questioned. AS
this was his first offense SC far as was
known he was given the minimum
~nanaifN