The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-06
Presents a Bad Check, Calling
For $25, to Proprietor of
Westcott Hotel, and He
Gets the Money.
LAD GIVEN RELEASE
WITH STIFF LECTURE
Lad Breaks Down, After His
Arrest, and Makes a Con-
fession Which Was a Very
Pitiful Recital.

Because his aged and greatly en-.
feebled mother was In destitute cir
cumstances and he had no way OF
meeting the payment OF large coal
l9 years, of Eaton. o.. cashed q forS-
ed check for the sum of SIS on George
Gay, proprietor of the Westcott hotcl.
on November %. The boy was ar.
rested late Saturday. night at his homo
in Eaton and brought to Richmond.
where, after stiff administration oe
the third degree" he broke down
and confessed that he had committed
the forgery. Grouse was released af-
ter a severe lecture by Judge Fox In
the circuit court this morning. upon
his promise OF future good behavior.
Grouse registered at the Westcost
on November IS. under the alias OF
Henry Campbell, indianapolis. Ind"
On the following day he presented =
check TO George Gay. made out on tho
American National hank At Indiana
polls purported to have been filled
out by William Hutton In favor OF
Henry Campbell. The check was
properly endorsed and the money was
paid over to Grouse. alias Campbell.
Several days afterwards the check
was returned to Mr.. Gay from tho
bank at Indianapolis where It has
been marked mo account"
polies Ars heetssed.
The police we're notified and ascer.
tanned the forgers residence from
Roll Smith, night clerk at the West.
colt, who was personally acquainted
| with Grouse. Superintendent OF Po-
lice Staubach telephoned the marsha.
at Eaton Saturday afternoon. explain
ed the case and told him to hold
Grouse. So confident. however. was
the marshal of the boys innocence
that he stated he would not hold him
for the local authorities. After re-
ceiving this information Harry Heb
BILE. patrolman, was Immediately dis
patched to Eaton where he arrested
the young man and brought him 20
this city.
Grouse stoutly denied his guilt al
though he was positively identified.
promptly by a defect in speech, by
George Gay and Matthew Balfour. day
| clerk at the Westcott. as the man
who had cashed the worthless check.
The boy declared that he had never
been in the westcott hotel and knew
nothing whatever about what :licy
were talking. However. he was not
able to keep up his bluff and yester-
day morning broke down with q conn
plete confession.
| Support of HE Mother.
| He stated that for the past two
years. ever since his father. Ezra
family destitute, he had been the solo
support of his aged mother. who was
in very poor health. He stated that
he was able to earn q scant livelihood
as agent for several magazines, bat
that he had a tough time of 1t and tho
bills piled up on all sides. Grouse
stated that after receiving the money
from Mr.. Gay he went immediately
to his home in Eaton. Where he paid
the bills and gave his mother the re-
mainder of the money.
Attorney A. c. Risinger Judge A. ID.
Davis and William Hambidge, all Of
Eaton. interceded in the boys behalf.
after learning of his arrest Mr. Gay
on learning OF the circumstances
which surrounded the case. declared
that he did not wish to prosecute
Grouse. The boys pidful story 80
worked on the sympathy Of Judge Fox
as to secure his immediate release
this morning. Grouse had never been
in trouble before and has borne an
excellent reputation in the community
in which he lived