The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-01-31
FORGED o. O.
WARES NAME
NAME ON TWO NOTES
For 5000 Wilmington Merchant
Says He Never Signed Them and
win Appear Against wlford A.
Bailey Today in Court.

III ~~"s So ~Nes~
Wilford 4. Bailey, manager Of th'
Massac chusetts Realty and Investment
company, with an Office in Worcester
Mass, was arrested there Monda,
night on charges Of forgery in connee
iion with two notes of $4,000 each OF
which the name Of o. o. Ware Of vii
mington appears as signature and in
dorsement. Mr.. Bailey was arrested
upon his arrival from Boston, where
his business takes him each day
and on being taken TO the police sta
,ion, declared that he preferred TO re.
main there for the night rather than
attempt TO arrange for the bail Of sl0,.
900 which was demanded. His bail
was reduced Tuesday TO $4,000 but he
was unable TO secure bonds and has
been in Jail since his arrest. Ne will be
given further hearing in Worcester
today when Mr.. Ware will be present to
appear against him.
o. .. Ware, whose name appears on
the notes, is merchant of Whining.
ton, and is interested in bank there.
He is said 10 have declared that he
never gave Mr.. Bailey any notes Of
any description and that the signature
and Endorsement on the notes are
clumsy imitation of his handwriting.
Mr.. Ware is 20 years of age.
According to the police Mr.. Bailey
sold the notes in question to Walter
II. Davis, Worcester wholesale dry
goods dealer, who has for years had
business dealings with Ware. Mr..
Bailey said after his arrest that the
charges were absolutely false and that
he could prove his innocence. He said
that he owed Mr.. Davis money, and
there had been some trouble over this,
and that the arrest was an outcome of
it. He retained former Congressman
John r. Thayer and Alexander ii. Bull
lock of Worcester as his counsel. Thorn.
as III. Sullivan is attorney for Mr..
Ware, and Willis B. Sibley for Mr..
Davis.
Mr.. Bailey has been prominent in
for number of years. He organized
and constructed the Worcester and
Southbridge street railroad, which
few years ago went into the hands of
a receiver, and was later sold to the |
New York, New Haven and Hartford |
Railroad company interests.
In discussing the matter with
newspaper man Tuesday Walter II. Da-
Wis said:
"Mr. Bailey brought me note
dated Feb. 81. 1906, for $4,000, pur
porting to be the note of 0. o. Ware,
Wilmington, VT Mr.. Ware is coun-
try merchant, conducting a general
store, and we had sold goods to him
for years. He is well to.do, a director
of bank, trustee of the church, and
knew that he was responsible man
and man who stood very high in the
The note was made pay
able to the order of himself at the Wor
cester National bank, and was four
months note. 1t was signed 90. 0.
Ware, and was Endorsed on the back,
%. o. Ware. Bailey got me to ad-
vance him money on this note, and l
supposed the signature to be genuine.
Then on June "a, 1905, when the note
was not paid, Bailey brought me an
other note similar to the first, signed
O. o. Ware, payable to self and in
lorsed 20. o. Ware for the same
to extend the old note. Bail
" told me they were Ware s notes, and
supposed they were, and on the I
strength of that money was given to
Bailey. L
"Finally, l called Mr.. Wares atten-
ion to the notes, and Mr.. Ware said he
never gave Bailey any notes. Years !
go when Bailey was in the insurance
business Mr.. Ware had some policies :
nature. Mr.. Ware says Bailey per-
uaded him to leave the money in
'ailey's hands, some $4,000. Mr..
Ware says that Bailey has had the
money ever since. Mr.. Ware has been
n Worcester several times in regard to
he matter. He was here Saturday, has
cen the notes and says that they are
bsolute forgeries so far as he is con-
erned, and further that they are only
ungling limitations of his signature.
fr. Ware is nearly 70 years old, and
ian who has commanded the highest
sspect of the people of Wilmington. "
Mr.. Davis says he has at different
ines advanced money to Bailey on
onds and various notes, to the extent
{ about 100000, and that it is princi-
ally on account of his financial trans
ctions with Bailey that he was re-
emily obliged to go into bankruptcy.