The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-01
CLEVER SWIKDLE
CHARGED TO TRIO
attorney William Newton, S.
w. Sears and a NegreSS Ac-
Cused of Theft.
WOMAN STEALS $500 CHECK
OTHERS SAID TO HAVE MANIPU-
LATED ENDORSEMENT.

S. W. Sears, an architect and a
nephew Of former Governor Wells, and
attorney William Newton, a police
court lawyer, are accused of the theft
OF $500 check from Peter Olson, OF
Boise, Idaho, in warrants sworn out
last night in the office of the county
attorney.
Sears was arrested late last night by
Deputy Sheriffs AXel Steele and John
Larson. He was taken before County
attorney Farley y. Christensen while
arrangements were made TO secure
bail. After several hours delay a bail
bond Of $4,000 was signed by Mrs. Isabel
Sears. the mother of the prisoner. and
Joseph 5. Wells, an uncle. The bond
was approved BIZ Justice of the Peace
Dana T. Smith. and Sears was released.
4 third warrant was issued for n
rolOred woman who, It is charged. stole
the check from Olson. All three war
rants charge grand larceny in the theft
cf the check.
Check Is Stolen.
Tho warrants were issued by County
Attorney Farley =. Christensen after
nm Investigation lasting several days.
Olson claims to have been robbed of the
check for $500 and S14 i'm money in the
salt Lake Union bar at So East First
South street on Christmas night by a
p;egress. He says that the check was
lrot Endorsed at the time Later the
check turned up at the National Bank
81 the Republic. bearing the signature
of Olson and apparently i'm Olson's
Handwriting. For some time the au-
thorities were unable to account for
tho Endorsement. but now charge that
II was obtained from Olson by Attorney
William Newton through misrepre-
sCntation.
Olson says that after he had reported
the theft 10 the police he met Newton
on the street. Newton stated that he
was an attorney and introduced himself
10 Olson. The attorney and the victim
then went into a bar. where Newton
drew up a contract on the back of a
promissory note and then read it TO
Olson.
Endorsement Secured.
The contract purported to retain
Newton as attorney for OlsOn,-the vic
Tim OF the robbery agreeing to pay
Newton 500 i'm case he recovered the
check. He then told him to sign it. IT
IS now claimed that the paper signed
by Olson in the saloon was not the
prOmissory note on which the contract
was drawn up, but the reverse of the
check. and the signature made the in
dOrsement.
Newton has the contract which was
the
name Peter Olson" signed to it. but
the signature on the contract is now
claimed TO be the forgery and the one
on the check the ore which Olson
thought he was signing to the con-
tract.
Check Is Cashed.
The check was oasbed at the National
Bank Of the Republic by s. w. Sears
who received the $500 for it. The check
was sent to the Pingree bank at Ogden
on which IL was originally drawn, but
payment on it had been stopped by oil
son and it was returned to the Salt
Lake bank.
The police were notified and Sears
WAS arrested Friday b. Detective
George Chase. After an investigation
nv Assistant County Attorney job
Lyon. Sears was released from custody
al that time. His story of his con
nection with the affair was that nc
was approached by Olson at the Wilson
bar and asked to cash the check. After
some conversation he did so. and saws
that Olson put his signature on the
back OF tho check. Olson. on the Other
hand. says that he never saw Sears be.
fore in his life.
Newton. in his version of the affair
says that he met Olson on Christina,
night on the street and that he TOLD
him of his loss. RE said he told Olsor
he was an attorney and drew up tht
contract for hirp to sign. He says that
the contract was signed by Olson anC
nc made an appointment to meet Olsor
The following afternoon. but that ht
failed 20 put in an appearance. He says
he knows nothing about the checl
other than what was told him by
Olson.
At an early hour this morning Newton
drove TO police headquarters i'm a hack anc
gave himself up.