Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-05-25
MAHER's CARELEsshEss
NOT CR|M|NAL|TY
KEPT HIM IN JAIL THREE WEEKS
The Problem Presented in a Case of
Forgery.

A combination of thirst and an ac
Maher into a great deal of trouble and
held him in Jail for nearly three weeks.
He was delivered yesterday though the
authorities entertain some doubt
whether he ought not to have been
! kept there until the grand jury meets.
He was the careless instrument en-
ployed to float forged check. 1t was
by no means certain that he had not
forged il himself but there were two or
three circumstances that weighed IN
his favor.
According to his narration, about
April 26th he met in the Yellowstone
saloon a red haired person who said
his name was ]. NJ. Wilson and that
he was from New York. Maher him
self had been raised below Harlem and
whenever two former residents of that
little old village meet a bond of friend
ship is at once established. This bond
was further strengthened by numerous
drinks within a period of the ensuing
three days until both were out OF
money.
Wilson then bethought of check
for Sl3S5 which Ernest Crismon of
Mesa by whom he had been employed
had given him. 1t was drawn on the
Salt River Valley Bank of Mesa. Wei
son was under the disadvantage of
having no financial acquaintance with
the moneyed men of Phoenix, and
Maher undertook to get the check
cashed He took it to the cigar stand
in front of the Herlick saloon leaving
Wilson waiting for him at the Yellow
stone. Maher was asked in his trial
before Judge Parker why he did not
apply at the Yellowstone. He replied
that he was a member in good stand
ing of the club of the other saloon.
He received the money for the check,
took it back to the Yellowstone and
turned it over to Wilson who gave him
a half dollar commission and gave an
other man So. That was on Thursday.
April 90. Maher saw Wilson now and
then until Sunday Then Wilson told
him that he believed he would not
wait for the election but would go
back to Mesa and look for another
job.
on Tuesday, C. L. Smith who had
cashed the check told Maher that il
had been returned from Mesa with the
information that it was forgery, and |
that somebody would have to make il |
good There wasn't anybody on the |
horizon but Maher and he had no |
money for the election had not yet |
come off. He was arrested that after
noon and his trial was put off from |
day to day in the hope that some in
formation regarding Wilson might be |
unearthed.
The only witness for the territory |
was Mr.. Crismon who only said that |
the check was a forgery. He thought |
he had seen Maher but it must have
been several years ago. Maher said
that he had not been in Mesa for four
years He had then worked for
brother of Mr.. Crismon and had work
ed half a day for Mr.. Crismon him
self.
There was one awkward circum
stance for Maher and that was that
the check bore the date of April %
when he had been with Wilson since
the &c, so that the latter could not
have been in Mesa on the day the
check was cashed seemed to have been
issued. Assistant District Attorney
Lyman admitted however that a man
as careless as Maher seemed to have
been might easily have taken no no.
tice of the date. 1t was plain that the
check had been brought from Mesa
endorsement was apparently
in the same hand as that of the man
who filled out and signed the check.
Maher had also endorsed it but his
was of an entirely differ
ent character. The assistant district
attorney said that he was not at all
with the case from the point
Of view of the prosecutor and he in
timated to the court that the district
attorneys office would not feel slight
ed if the matter were dismissed. 1t
was done.