The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-26
WAS FORGERY.
Jury Declared the Check Bad
But Signature 0. X.
Result of a Remarkable Suit
Out at Scott City.
WORKED THIS FARMER
Request for Sample OF
Seed of a Stranger.
Later Signature Appeared on
Check and Was Cashed.

Scott City, Kan, March ga jury
in the Scott county district court has
decided a forgery case of unusual in
terest to bankers and business men
generally. The facts as brought out
by the evidence are as follows:
In June, 1904, B. VogeH an old resi-
dent of this county, desiring to visit
friends and relatives in some eastern
states, called at the First State bank
in this city to inquire as to the best
means of carrying money with him on
his trip. The cashier, r. B. Christy,
issued him a letter of credit to the
amount Of $500, as that was the
amount he desired to use, although he
had on deposit at that time something
over $4,000. With the letter of credit
he took a book of blank checks. Some
weeks after his departure, the bank
one Of their own checks in Mr.. Vo-
CELLS handwriting, and which was re-
ceived through their Kansas City cor
respondent.
Some days later they received a tele-
gram from Kansas City, wanting to
know If Voge1i's check for $500
would be honored. An affirmative re-
ply was sent and in a few days a check
Tor $500, bearing Mr.. Vogelfs sig
nature, was received and was caShed
unhesitatingly. This check was drawn
upon a blank of the American Ma
t1onal bank of Kansas City, and the
BODY OF the check was in a different
handwriting. 1t was drawn paya bile
10 J. o. Montgomery and had been
cashed by the Fidelity Trust company,
and endorsed to the American Ma
uonal, which institution forwarded the
check direct to the local bank. Short
~ after, Mr.. Vogeli returned and was
astonlshed to find his bank deposit
smaller by $1,000 than it should be-
Upon seeing the check for that
amount he declared that he had never
signed such paper. The bank prof
fered their assistance in finding the
forger and did present the matter to
the American Bankers association
who employed detectives to aid in the
search, but nothing came of the mat
ter.
Mr.. VogeH then recalled that while
waiting on the platform Of a depot in
Sedalia, Mo, he had conversed with a
stranger, who represented himself to be
the agent of a Pennsylvania seed house
which was then introducing a new SPEC
les of seed wheat. In the conversation
the stranger learned where Mr.. Vogen
lived and that he was a farmer and
had recently sold his farm and had not
yet re-inveSted the proceeds. He then
desired that Mr.. Vogeli write his name
and address in q small memorandum
book with g fountain zen, for the Dur-
pose of sending him a sample bushel Of
the seed wheat. After obtaining the
signature the polite stranger disap-
peared. On the following day the local
bank received the telegram of inquiry.
After waiting IN vain for the bank
and the detectives to assist him, Mr.
Noged brought suit against the bank.
Judge S. r. Peters Of Newton, J. S.
Simmons OF Dighton and W. B. Wash
ington Of Leoti were the attorneys en-
gagged. The trial lasted three days, and
was stubbornly contested; many bank
cashiers and handwriting experts being
used as witnesses
The jury found that the signature
was genuine, but that the check was a
forgery. and bore sufficient evidence
on its face to put the bank on inquiry
before cashing it. and rendered a YER
dict in favor of Mr.. Vogen for the fun
amount of the check, with interest.
The case will undoubtedly be ap-
pealed.