Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-21
F. H. Hamilton, Formerly Queens
Counsel in Australia, is
Accused of Forgery.
FRIENDS DO NOT DESERT HIM
several Members OF the Local Bar
Standing With Him to Save
Him from Prison.

Frank III. Hamilton, white haired and
With the pallor of the prison stun
marking his features. pleaded no.
gunty 10 forgery before Justice Dana
y. Slnith this morning. Thus for the
scGoLd time the aged attorney IL fac
ing the charge of forging a friends
name to bad paper. Four checks are
to oc offered in evidence against him.
Hamilton came to this city from the
west just after the San Francisco
earthquake, He claimed to be at one
TIME queens counsel in Australia and
subsequently a member of the bar in
several states and sought a practise
here He was affable and made MANI
friends He was in poor health ana
with little money. His friends gave
him a good start and tried in every
WAY to help him. He seemed to be
progressing and had opened Il law Of
flee Then a check appeared with the
naiEe Of one of his bonefactors signed
to it It VAS a forgery and, though his
friends came to his assistance trying to
course and a sentence of five years III
the state prison ut hard labor was
nteted out to the old man.
PARDoNED RECENTLY.
Two months ago, through the efforts
of fis old friends Hamilton WAS par
doned He returned to his old circle
of acquaintanGes and they We're Will
ing to help him again. They did help
hito and for time Hamilton seemed
to be repaying his debt of gratitude
by trying to do better. Among his
friends, none was more devoted than
job p. Lyon. former assistant county
attorney ana now candidate for coun-
ty attorney. He offered & friendly hand
ITO Hamilton in his every predicament
Hamilton appeared in new clothing.
Then checks came to light. The name
Of Job Lyon was signed to a check
passed at local clothers for a pair
of shoes. There are three other checks
and Hamilton has pleaded not guilty
ard is tishting for MS freedom. After 1
his first offense, he had been restored
to Els rights as citizen by his par
don. but, he fell again and now in his
declining years he Is facing another
term in prison if his guilt Is estab-
5lished. There are four counts against
him and four checks arc to be offered
in evidence against him.
Still his friends have not deserted
him. There are several members of
the bar who are standing with him to
aid him in gaining his freedom. They
are fighting his case in. the courts,
iii
LEADING QUESTION.
This morning when Deputy Sheriff
Ike Emery took him from lie city jail
to be given "A. hear ing before Justice
Smith, the first step in his; second trial.
his step was faltaring. His face was
pale and his2eyes waterS. Still he MAIN
talned the peculiar attitude that has
marked all his actions since he first
came to this city after losing all he
had in the San Francisco earthquake.
Lieut. John Hempel bluntly asked him
how many years he had put in at Fol-
som, the California state prison. For
the moment Hamilton was staggered
mot very long, Where did you dig
that up?" Hamilton asked Hempel
Hempel pressed him for an answer.
but Hamilton tried to turn the talk in
| another line. When Hempel said his
record could be got from California,
| Hamilton seemed to falter q little more.
but still he did not answer and as he
left the door of the desk sergeant's
| office, he said.
| "You don't get me that way"
| Hempe told him that If he would
| plead guilty he could get off with a
10-year sentence. Hamilton maintained
| that he could do better than that"
| and was led away to the courtroom
| His case was not concluded at the
| noon adjournment of court