The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-02-03
SIGNOR ADMITS
GUILT, PLEADS
FOR PROBATION
Judge Brown Decides to Hear
Testimony Regarding Forge
ries Before Deciding Case
responsibility, Due to Use of
Drugs. Urged as Reason
for keniency

OAKLAND. Feb. Frederick B.
signor pleaded guilty today TO two in
dictments charging him with forging
the name of James a. Murray. after
making a clean breast Of the affair to
Assistant district Attorney Hynes.
This was signor's fourth confession.
He then asked to be placed on proba-
tion. but Judge Brown informally de-
MED the plea. saying that he was I'M
able to judge the case even after read
ing Signors elaborate confession.
Signor viii appear Saturday morning
with a number Of witnesses. who viii
be examined TO give Judge Brown fun
light on the involved circumstances.
William c. Henshaw and Tyler Hen
shaw win be subpenaed. and Signor
said his mother VIII be here from the
east. James A Murray viii be called
II he can be found.
Sigror was charged with forging
notes for :SeOooO and a power of at
torney.
SIGNOR TELLS OF DEALS
Signor said that he had reported TO
the .Henshaws that Murray might go
into the cement business in southern
California When they endeavored TO
interest Murray in the purchase OF
blocks Of cement stock Murray could
not be located Signor said that he
forged a power of attorney and showed
Il to the Henshaws. Later when they
..-.--,7 hin - oo.or.,7o +ho 5as1 MIL,
Murray he said he forged drafts and
one day notes, signing Murrays name
and leaving them in escrow with the
Henshaws, pending the transfer OF the
stock which he hoped to consummate-
Signor said that before Murray could
be located ". q. Henshaw became sus-
piciOUs Of the deal and Signor had
TO plead for. more time. The drafts
were upon the National Bank Of Com
merce. Kansas City, which Signor said
he selected at random. Reports from
the bank that Murray was unknown
were brought TO the Henshaws. Finally
upon the return of Murray TO san
Francisco a conference was held be-
tween Signor. Henshaw and Murray,
in which the deception came out.
PLEA OF IRRESPONSIBHITY
Signor told Hynes that he was men
tally irresponsible as d result Of the
use Of strychnia His confession fol-
lowed a long conference with Benjamin
Fay Mills. who afterward acted as
his adviser. Signor appeared alone in
court today.
You knew" Hynes asked. that you
did not have the right to sign the
name OF Murray 10 those notes, did you
not2"
That is something" Signor an
who were in close connection at the
time 10 come forward and make GER
tain statements about"
Who are those peopIe?" demanded
Hynes-
Tyler Henshaw,v was the reply.
Did Tyler Henshaw suggest to Won
that you sign the name of Murray TO
these notes" was asked, and Sigaor
replied. Absolutely, no."
Signor confessed that the power Of
attorney was acknowledged before a
notary at Los Angeles who made
slight efforts TO ascertain whether he
was Murray or not He said that the
signature was not a copy of Murrav's
handwriting. as he had never seen I.
STGNOR GAINED NOTHING
That he received no financial benaft
from the fOrgeries was a point on
which Signor laid stress. He said thar
C. It Walker financial secretary 70
William 9. Henshaw, had lent him
$50 for the trip TO Los Angeles. kut
that that had been repaid. He said
lie had lent small sums to TYLER H.,
shaw personally, but that William q
Henshaw had never advanced him <
cents.
Il asked Mr. Murray whether he in
tended to prosecute me when the whole
business came out" said Signor. ~and
he told me that ne did not care any,
thing about me personally, but was
persuaded that there were others be-
hind it."