The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-05-26
Shelton Explains the Fraudulent
Check Affair.

Sheriff Ransom returned on Friday
evening from Cheyenne, Wyo., with his
prisoner, w E. Shelton, accused of
passing a worthless check upon the
Tobacco Exchange bank of this city in
September last.
According to the prisoners story, he
was working on a ranch in Montana
last September and while out rounding
up sheep on the ranch of his employer
he came across number of the ami
mails belonging to the proprietor of an
other ranch. As is the custom out
west, he gathered in the stragglers and
turned them over to Earling j. Thomas,
who was employed by the owner of the
vagrant sheep. According to the IN
written ranch law, a compensation is
usually given to the finder OF strayed
cattle and sheep, and IN accordance
with this law Mr.. Thomas took out his
check book and wrote check for S75
and gave it to the defendant. Mr..
Shelton said that he thought the check
was good as he noticed that the book
contained a number of stubs Of checks
already drawn, and so after putting the
paper in his pocket he dismissed the
matter from his mind for the time be-
ing. A few days later he was sent
east with a car of sheep and it was at
this time that the worthless piece OF
paper was converted into cash at the
Edgerton bank. The car was retained
at the Rock county city, and while
there he ran out of money and so went
to the bank and obtained the money,
never thinking that anything was
wrong. After the sheep were deliver
ed he went directly to Belle PLANES,
Iowa, where his wife resides, and re-
NAMED there all winter. He worked
for the Chicago & Northwestern Rail
way company during his stay in Belle
PLANES, and never heard of the inquiry
regarding the bad check. This spring
he again went west and obtained en-
ployment on ranch, and it was at this
stage of the game that the sleuths ar
rested him.
The sheriff was supplied with extra
dition papers to be used in case the
prisoner should refuse to come. They
were not needed, however, as he was
plad to come and prove his innocence.
Sheriff Ransom brought Shelton here
Tuesday morning for an examination
held before Justice North. Attorney
John Fisher appeared for the prisoner
and Dist. Atty. Dunwiddie looked after
the interests of the state. c. G. Bed
erman, in charge of the sheep feeding
station, who identified Shelton at the
bank, first testified regarding Shelton's
coming in with train load of sheep
and his representations about being
short of money and wishing to get the
check cashed. Andrew Jensen gave
testimony as TO the cashing of check
upon Miles City bank and the return
of the check as protested. Mr.. l.. A.
Anderson, cashier of the First National
bank, testified as to the similarity of
the writing on the face and the en-
dorsement of the check. And the
state then rested the case. The de-
tense called Mr.. Cutlery to exhibit the
Carlton hotel register to show the ar
rival and departure of Shelton in Sep
TENDER last, and also Sheriff Ransom
to show that the prisoner was left
handed in writing and other uses of his
hands. Atty. Fisher then moved the
discharge of the prisoner because of
the absence of testimony showing in
tent to defraud, which was overruled.
Justice North held Shelton to municipal
court trial on the 31st, fixing the bail
at $500.