The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-01
ATTORNEY PLACED
BEHIND THE BARS
7. III. Hamilton, Recent Arrival
From Frisco, Is In
Trouble.
TANGLE ONE WHICH WILL
TAKE TIME TO UNRAVEL
Obtaining Money by False Pre-
lenses Charge Against
Lawyer.

It. II. Hamilton of the law firm Of
Crouch e. Hamilton is in the city jail
charged with obtaining money by false
pretcnses. He was arrested Tuesday
afternoon, but whether at the instance
Of the National Bank of the Republic
or on the initiative cf the police, act
ing for themselves, is not at present
volvcd in tangle of complications
which it will take time to straighten
out.
The law firm of Crouch & Hamilton
settled in Salt Lake Il week or so after
the San Francisco earthquake. Office
room was secured In the lower Main
street apartments occupied by former
Senator Arthur Brown, attorney.
Sent Check Through Bank.
In the course Of the firm s recent
business transactions they took for
collection TO the National Bank Of the
Republic a check for $3.50, drawn by u
mining company on the Fort Pitt Ma
tionul bank of Pittsburg, Pa, in favor
and operator, 1t bore the supposed
Endorsement Of Trelorar, The check
went through TO Pittsburg, was cashed
and In due time the local law firm was
notified that $3.50 had been placed to
its credit at the National Bank Of the
Republic.
Armed with this notice, it is said,
Hamilton presented himself at the
bank and passed in to the paying
teller check for the amount. Instead
of cashing the check the teller inform
ed Mr.. Hamilton, ii is said, that his
partner, Crouch, had called at the
bank and left instructions TO have no
checks from either member Of the firm
honored, unless both were present.
Hamilton left empty handed.
Declared 1t Forgery.
Within a few days Trelorar called
at the bank and stated that his in
dorsement on the back of the check
was a forgery. He said that the orig
inal check was all right and had been
mailed to him by the mining com
pany in payment of dividend that
was due 1t had either miscarried or
been stolen and tho Endorsement writ
ten on it by some hand other than his
own.
About this time Crouch left Salt
Lake for Los Angeles and is now be-
leved to be in that city.
Notwithstanding the fact that Ham
ilton had been notified OF what Tre-
lorar had reported regarding the
forged Endorsement, he began, it is
said, TO draw small checks against the
$3.50 fund which he claimed he
had in the bank These checks were,
of course, turned down and it was
from the numerous complaints Of the
persons who had cashed them for the
lawyer that the police first began to
investigate the case.
An All-Around Mix-Up.
Connected with the story are many
queer features which defy the most
persistent investigation.
Two weeks ago, II is told, the police
notified Trelorar that if, as he had
previously declared, the Endorsement
had been forged, they would arrest
Hamilton and lock him up. The mi
ming man, however, would not consent
TO such a course.
Hamilton says that a certain man,
though he will not mention his name,
attempted to pass this very check In
house of i'll repute at least ten days
before he ever saw 1t.
IL is considered by some that a mis-.
take was made in the delivery Of
Trelorar's IS mail and that it went to
the Office of Arthur Brown, instead
of being taken to I. Ellis Brown, as
the mining man had instructed that it
be sent.
Doesn't Seem to Mind It.
It is understood that Hamilton is
and has at all times, been perfectly
complacent, declaring that he has no
fear as to the outcome of the trouble.
1t is stated that he said 10 lawyer
who discussed he matter with him:
"It will all come out soon, and you II
see whether that check was forged
or stolen, and who forged or stole it, !"
When threatened with arrest about
two weeks ago Hamilton is asid to
have dcfied the officers and to have
expressed a desire to have the whole
truth known.
Hamilton g case will be called in
the police court today when there may
be some interesting developments.