Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-04-12
CHARGED With I'M
PBRSONATING OFFICERS

Hughes and Arthur Cherry four Young
men, of Union Corner, came over TO
Danville Saturday night and had the
time Of their lives. In a nutshell the
boys, none Of whom are much over
twenty one while in Danville imbibed
little too freely and as a consequence
were soon half seas over, in which con
dition they fell victim to the mach
lnations Of designing persons and had
trouble Of all sorts. They did not ar
rive home until Sunday morning, when
one found himself minus a gold watch
and sum Of money. The aftermath
OF the affair took place Monday, when
our two policemen put in full day
looking up two young men of our
town who are accused by the two
young farmers of having impersonat-
ed police officers and endeavored to ex-
tort money and valuables from them.
one arrest was made.
Two Of the young farmers accord
ing to their own confession were in
no condition Saturday night to know
what was going on, although it is evid-
ent that they were shamefullv abused.
One Of the nuMber-AIthur Cherry-a
very bright young fellow of pleasing
personality, was perfectly sober and
did the best he could to take care of
his boozy companions. 1t is his testi-
mOny that will have to be relied up
on in the law suit that will probably
follow.
The four young men came over to
Danville Monday determined to have
justice Ammon weller lodged infor-
nation before justice Oglesby which
sets.forth that on the 7th of April at
the d. l.. & W. depot Mart" Forney
and another, whose name is withheld
for the present did without due auth
Ority pretend or hold themselves out
to the said AmmOn Weller as police
men, thereby endeavoring to extort
money or other valuable things from
the said Weller and Scion Boyer. -
FOrney was apprehended shortly af-
ter noon at the rolling mill where he
is employed. The other man named in
the information was nowhere to be
found in Danville, although the offic-
ers secured pretty much the whole
town and were busy from morning un-
til late in the day.
Forney was arraigned before Justice
of the peace Oglesby about3 o'clock in
the afternoon. He pleaded not guilty.
Ammon Weller was sworn He had
Jared the worst, his face was badly
scratched and it was he who had lost
his gold watch and his money, his loss
in all footing up twenty dollars or
more. He identified Forney as one of
the fellows who had come up to them
(the country boys near the ID. L. &
W. station. He was emphatic that the
town fellows said they were police
men and would lock them up; also
that they were not permitted to come
down to Mill street, but they were
piloted around by Church street and
over the river bridge by the parties that
had accosted them at the ID. l.. & W.
station. The witness said he protested
but was told that if he had a bottle
and would give the fellows a drink
they would release him
Forney being permitted to make an
explanation said that while it was
true that he was with the boys he did
not impersonate an officer He said
that he merely wanted to see that the
boys got home safely He took them
around by Church street TO keep them
off Mill street, feeling sure that they
would fall into the hands of the police
if they ventured there. He said they
were so drunk that they could not
stand. He merely told them that if
they went down to Mill street they
would get locked up.
Scion Boyer was the next witness
1t was he that the accused had hold
of, the other party named in the in
formation having Weller. Boyer at the
hearing, said addressing Forney: You
said you would take US to the lookup
and pen us up. | said, You better let
go and you said: must attend to
my business Then one of you said if
you have bottle give us drink and
we will let you GO"
Arthur Cherry was the next wit
ness. When the farmer boys were first
accosted it was he who went TO their
rescue. This was in the vicinity of
the d. L. q W. railroad. There was
a crowd of town fellows present, among
whom he recognized Forney He heard
one of them say, ''If you don't pay
your fine we VIII put you in the lock
up.
On the river bridge again Cherry
came to the young farmers rescue,
who were in the hands of the two men
named in the information He tried
to get his companions away, but was
seized with the threat that |
they would put him in the lookup. |
Cherry said: Il told them that they !
were no police and broke away from !
them.
Hughes was in no condition to navi- /
gate further and he fell by the way
side. Cherry then dropped back to
look after Hughes and few minutes
later found the chief of police, to
whom he told what had occurred.
Meanwhile Weller and Boyer were
AIKEN across the bridge hy the two
men named in the information
Ira Hughes was next called upon to
estify, but he declined and said he
lidu't know anything Hughes was
he poor fellow who had troubles of
lis own When he fell on the bridge
10 was Irprrt.l dawn T., tl,a ,rotar