The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-09-04
mere Lad PASSES
WORTHLESS CHECK
Paper Drawn on MelrOse Bank
Offered at Local Store Sat
urday Evening
CULPRIT EASILY CAPTURED
Boy duplicates Another Man
Who is Later Arrested at
Little Falls
CULPRIT EASILY CAPTURED

A dapper appearing young man
dropped into the Model Clothing
Store Saturday evening about nine
o'clock and after purchasing sweater
gave $50 check drawn on the Bor-
gerding State Bank of Melrose, signed
by a man named Carl Brandtener and
made out in favor Of j. B. Miller. r.
E Hanson questioned the young man
who said that his name was Miller
and that he had received the check
from Brandtener Cor whom he had
been employed on the farm. The
statements seemed reasonable, after
deducting the price of the sweater he
was given S43.5O in cash. From The
Model the young man went to The
Boston where he purchased a pair of
pants paying 81 for them and then
across the street to Vandesteeg's
jewelry store where he bought two
rings costing $21.
~ The more Mr.. Hanson thought
about the deal the more convinced he
became that the check was not right
and investigation soon proved to his
satisfaction that it was a forgery.
Chief 81, Police Costello was put on
the case and rounded the youngster
up just as he was about to retire at
the Commercial House.
At the preliminary hearing Mon
day morning before Municipal Judge
inl q Il CT tnG fhnf hi
true name Was Gaylord Wiley. He
he had not seen his mother since he
was 2 years old, nor his father for
five years. He had two sisters some
where, he said. According to his
story he had been up against a pretty
hard game most of his life. He is
bright lad and seems fairly well edu-
Gated.
For the past month Wiley had been
employed in the round house at Mel
rose and Saturday morning he had
taken and passed the examination to
become fireman on the G. N. Rail-
way. On being questioned by the
Court he first claimed that he had
found the check on the railroad track
near the depot in Melrose. He said
that he had showed the check to a
couple of street carnival roustabouts
who were i'm Melrose at the time with
the Corey Carnival Company, and they
had informed him that he was very
lucky and suggested that he 60 to
Sank Centre or some place outside of
Melrose and have it caShed.
Wiley claimed that he arrived in
this city on the 8:l6 train and shortly
after he passed the check. He said
that after making his purchases he
expected to take the freight back to
Melrose but when he reached the
depot he found that he was too late.
He left his packages in the depot
and came back up town and went to
bed, expecting lie said to catch the
early morning passenger.
Wiley admitted that he had forged
Miller's name on the back of the
check but insisted that he had found
it. Judge Diehl was not thoroughly
convinced of the truthfulness of the
story. feeling that some one older and
more experienced was back of the
forgery, and explained to the boy that
the best thing he could do would be
to tell the absolute truth. Wiley
stated that If he did so he would pay
for it with his life. Later however
IlC SdIU llidt ClIO CIlCCh was OIdWH Uy
a man called Shorty with the car
nival company, who urged him to
bring the check 20 Sank Centre, cash
it and return with the money For
pulling off the stunt Wiley was to re-
receive $40. Reclaimed that :sShorty"
said he would kill him if he gave him
away.
The boy gave a very complete des-
cription of 'sShorty" who was APP.
pretended at Little Falls and brought
to Sank Centre Tuesday evening.
Upon being arraigned the man gave
his name as Mike Collier and his home
as Wabasha, Mimi He plead not
guilty and has employed Attorney
VanCamp to look after his interests.
Wednesday morning he asked for an
adjournment in order that he might
secure witnesses to prove his In
nocence, and the case was set for
September 9th at 10 q. M. Mean
while Collier was remanded to the
city Jail.
Young Wiley entered 4 formal plea
of guilty Wednesday morning and
will make application before the dis
trict judge in chambers to plead and
take his sentence.
The boy claims he was never ar
rested before and because of his youth
no little sympathy has been expressed
for him. His lesson should be OF
benefit to him and the term in the
reformatory ought to make him a
better man.