The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-03-28
FORGED CHECK FOR
S2OANDGOTAWAY
WITH MONEY
W. E. Sheldon Worked Sharp
Game on Liquor Dealer
EMPLOYED BY HOSIERY co.
Signed Name Of President Field to
Blank Check Stolen from
Office

w h. Sheldon, who has been en-
ployed as bookkeeper at the Office OF
the Vermont Hosiery and Machinery
company since some time in October
but who had severed his connection
with the company ON the 18th of the
present month, Saturday night passed
check for $40 bearing the forged
signature Of the company's president,
Henry l.. Field, and got away with
the money.
The check was cashed by Eugene
Graham of the firm of Weeks & Ora
han first class liquor dealers of North
street. During the time that he has
been in town Sheldon has occasion
ally come into Weeks & Crahan's
place of business on Saturday nights
with his pay check and received the
money for it, Last Saturday night
Sheldon was given the accommoda-
tion of cash for a check but when
Mr.. Graham made his deposit at the
First National bank Monday Shell
the statement that it was forgery.
The check was made out on one of
the Hosiery and Machinery company
blanks but was not signed in the
usual manner. The company signs
all its checks with a stamp Of the com
pany name and the counter-signature
of the president, Henry l.. Field. The
check passed by Sheldon had the
signature of Mr.. Field in the proper
place but the stamped name of the
| firm in red ink was lacking.
An investigation at the Office of the
company showed that the last sheet
of three blanks in the check book at
present being used was missing.
These three blanks are numbered
1899, 1000 and POOL. 1t was the blank
numbered 1000 that Sheldon used in
drawing his forged check.
Sheldon is upwards of so years old
and was secured as bookkeeper by
the company through the Charles p
Raymond agency for mill men Of Bos-
ton. He took up the duties of the
position in October and when the aud,
itors went over his books on the first
of the year his accounts were all
right. Since January, however, Pres
ident Field stated this morning, there
have been discrepancies in the cash
account and other indications that
Sheldon was not honest. During the
week ending March Is he was at
his desk but a small portion OF the
time and 1t was evident that he was
preparing TO leave town. He still had
the keys to the office and the safe
and paid no attention to requests to
turn them in. Finally President
Field caught Sheldon at his boarding
place. The bookkeeper insisted that
he would not turn over the keys un
less paid a certain sum OF money but
President Field had already made ar
rangements for his arrest in case he
refused TO do the right thing and the
matter was finally compromised by
the payment OF weeks wages, Sl5
and the delivery OF the keys.
Sheldon's home is probably at Fit
chburg as he claimed to have broth
er in that city. He was considered a
fairly good bookkeeper by President
Field who would have given him
steady employment had he seen III
to do his work honestly. President
Field is OF the opinion that Sheldon
had been guilty of small populations
from the cash drawer for some time
but as all the company's business out
side Of small trucking and express
charges is done by check the book
keeper had no opportunity to secure
any considerable amount of money
An auditor is expected today to &
over the books.
Inquiries at both banks TO-DAY
showed that neither OF the two blanl
checks which Sheldon appropriate,
with the evident intention of usinl
them in n fraudulent manner had al
yet put In an appearance.
Mr.. Graham took the forged checl
to States Attorney W. J. Meaghe
yesterday but that official was unable
to start any proceedings looking t
the arrest OF Sheldon for the reasol
that his time is entirely taken up O
present with the preliminary hearinl
In the Motif case.