Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-04
WITNESSES SAY
SIGNATURE WAS
NOT CHARNOCK'S
GIVE TESTIMONY ADVERSE TO
MRS. briggs
MOTION TO DISCUSS COMPLAINT
DENIED BY COURT
Attorney for Prisoner Describes Visit
20 pecedent and Interview at
Which Acknowledgment
Was Obtained


Denials that John ]. Charnock, the
wealthy land owner of Chavez sta
ton, had penned his signature to the
recorded ten-year lease and option to
purchase 1877 of his acres, were made
in Justice Ling's court yesterday, an
hour after the preliminary examination
of Mrs. Gertrude briggs, charged with
recording the forged papers. was be-
gun.
A Handwriting expert and bank en-
pioye, the latter stating he had attend
ed to Charnock's bank account for
more than twenty years, were the two
important witnesses, and both ex-
pressed the belief that another hand
than Charnock's affixed his name to
the lease.
The inquiries OF the prosecution fur
thermore indicated belief that Mrs.
briggs had procured Charnock's ac-
acknowledgement to the lease after he
had placed his name on another docu-
ment, the contents of which were OF
little or no Importance.
A motion by Mrs. briggs counsel for
a dismissal of the complaint was de-
MED by the justice, and the hearing
was continued until $3.50 o'clock Mon
day, when the defense will begin the
introduction of evidence.
Charles M. Alderman, attorney and
notary, who took the acknowledgment
TO the signature on the lease, described
his first meeting and subsequent deal
ings with Mrs. briggs. II was intro
duced to Mrs. briggs by Attorney
Charles b. Ladd early in February
he said. Sometime in the latter part
of that month she asked me to go to
Chavez station and meet Mr.. Charnock,
as she wanted me to be able to iden-
tify him at a later date. / went to
Charnock's home and was introduced
to the old man by Mrs. briggs. Mrs.
briggs, a day or two later, came to
my Office and gave me description of
some property which, she said, she was
about to lease for period of ten years
from Charnock, with an option to pur-
chase at any time before the expiration
of the lease. The description was not
good and / searched the records for a
better one, framing the lease in the
best manner possible.
at went to Chavez station March 8
and met Mrs. briggs and her daughter,
Mrs Thorbus, at Charnock's home.
There were several other women pres
ent, whose names do not recall
Charnock was standing on the porch
when I arrived, and after I gave the
lease to Mrs. briggs she and the old
man went INTO tue mousse, rcindinihs
about four minutes.
Signature Acknowledged
Mrs. briggs gave. me the papers
when they came out and I showed
Charnock the signature and asked him
IL 1t was his. He said 1t was, and !
took his acknowledgment"
do you know of your own knowi-
edge whether Charnock ever signed
this paper?" asked w. j. Ford. deputy
district attorney, holding up the lease.
that he did not know whether Char
mock even knew its contents.
The lease, said the witness, was
brought by him to Los Angeles and
kept in drawer of his desk until
March rs, when Mrs. briggs called to
announce Charnock's death. Then"
said the attorney, II recorded the
lease and option. without her knowl-
edge or instructions, but simply as a
prudent attorney, caring for the in
terests of a client. feared there
would be a contest between the heirs
and Mrs. briggs. as the friction be-
tween them was q matter of general
comment"
"Did you go to the Office OF Attorney
Il. e. Powers during the month of
March and ask to see a specimen of
Charnock's handwriting" asked Mr..
Ford.
lnspects Handwriting
Attorney Alderman replied in the
affirmative, saying he visited Mr..
Powers office nearly three weeks after
the lease and option were prepared.
No inquiry as to the reason why Mr..
Alderman wanted to see the writing
was made by the prosecutor, but the
witness, after adjournment of court,
explained that Mrs. briggs told him
she was a beneficiary under Char
nock's will and he feared some at
tempt might be made, through the
filing OF forged will. to prevent his
client from obtaining her rights. "It
was on this account" said Mr.. Ack-
erman, that / wanted to familiarize
myself with Charnock's handwriting"
A. c. Way. assistant cashier of the
First National bank Of Los Angeles,
said he had known Charnock for
twepty-three years. much of the lat
ter's banking business being transact
cd at banks where the witness was
employed. Mr.. Way compared, under
a strong glass, the signature on the
lease with that of Charnock written
on an Identification card from the
bank.
''In my opinion this is not the gen.
uine signature Of John Charnock," he
said, pointing to the name on the
lease.
Expert Gives Evidence
C. K. Isaacs, handwriting expert,
compared the signature on the lease
with Charnock's name as shown on a
number of bank checks, several of
which were drawn during the present
year, and one as late as March TO-. a
week after the lease is claimed to have
been signed.
1.-THE signature on the lease was
written by another person than the
one who signed the checks" said the
witness.
A motion on behalf Of Mrs briggs
to dismiss the case was denied and
the hearing was continued until $3.50
D. clock Monday. Another appeal was
made yesterday to have the bail of
$4,000 reduced, but this was refused.
w. J. Ford and Percy Harmon.
deputy district attorneys, and Attor-
ney Walter r. Haas are associated in
The prosecution, while Attorneys Rob-
srt G. Noleman and Charles M. Ack-
srman represent Mrs briggs.
S>S-
Pays $4,000 for Grove
H. e. Bonner reports the sale of a |!