, 1907-02-04
WOMAN IN
COUNTY JAIL
ETA DUvALL ARRESTED LATE
SATURDAY NIGHT ON STATE
WARRANT FOR FORGERY.
Presented Check for Seven Thousand
Dollars, Signed BY Unknown Man,
As Security for Small Bill of
Goods-Man Not Known and No
Such Fund in Fort Collins Bank.

Mrs. Eta Duvall, who claims to have
come to this city from Denver about
three weeks ago, and whose husband
is said to reside at Encampment, Wyo.,
was arrested late Saturday night by
Sheriff Bath and Deputy Sheriff Thir-
keldsen, at her home on Third street,
or a warrant from Justice Hynds'
court, and lodged in the county Jail to
await a hearing. An effort al made
today to clear the matter to the salts
faction of the officers and have the
woman released, but nothing had been
accomplished in that direction at /
o'clock.
To Face Forgery Charge.
Mrs. Duvall will be charged with
forgery. On Saturday, late in the aft
ernoon, she went to the Woodruff &
Terry Clothing and Shoe company's
store and selected a bill of goods,
which she asked to have charged to
her. She had received such accom-
modations before, as had the man with
whom she is said to be living on Third
street, ard the credit was extended. AS
a sort of security, Mrs. Duvall present
ed a check for $1,000, drawn by Vern
Richardson on the Fort Collins Nation
al bank, in the opera house block. at
Fort Collins, Colo, made payable to
Eta Duvall. She stated that the check
had been given as her share Of a real
estate deal at Walden.
Fort Collins Bank in Dark.
Later in the evening Messrs. Terry
and Wagner, the managers of the cloth
ing and shoe company, telephoned TO
Fort Collins and found that the Of
ficers of the Fort Collins National
bank knew no such man as Vern Rich
ardson and no man by that name had
any funds in that bank. 1t was then
that the gentlemen appealed to County
Attorney Downey and he filed a com.
plant against the woman. the arrest
on Justice Hynds' warrant following.
Check Not Endorsed.
The case is a peculiar one. Mrs
the Woodruff & Terry company and
did not receive any money On it She
was allowed to take the goods from
the store, but later these were recov-
cred. The officers had Mrs. Duvall
write a telegram and found that her
handwriting and that of the check
were SO similar as to lead them to be-
lieve that she had written the check.
She at one time after her arrest spoke
Of the drawer of the check as Vernon
Rich. There was formerly a man by
that name at walden, but he died a
year ago, being at the time Of his
death a member of Laramie lodge,
Elks, and members Of that order look
ed after the funeral.
Mother of Three Sons.
The officers Of the bank at Fort Col
Inns, of course, knew that Mr.. Rich
was dead and could not have been mis-.
led had his name, and not that Of Rich
ardson, been appended to the check.
Mrs. Duvall has three sons, one aged
IA. another IL and a younger aged 4
years. The man with whom she is said
to have been living here since her ar
rival in the city is declared by the
officers to have been ordered to leave
the city.
County Attorney Not Decided.
County Attorney Downey stated at
noon that he did not know what course
state would pursue in the matter
Of the prosecution Of the woman. He
had been asked to accept the payment
Tor the goods obtained and the clear
ing up Of other debts for the release
Of the woman If she is given a pre-
hearing, it will be later in
Inc week las witnesses from Fort Col
ms and other distant points will hav.
70 be summoned. The matter is in
allegiance.