Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-08-07
Name Forged to Check

wood last Monday afternoon resulted
In the capture of a young man. Morris
Todd, who had attempted to collect $50
on a check purporting to be endorsed
by Gunnie johnson, an Anglesea fish
erman, and which was said to be q
forgery.
After a chase of several blocks, Todd,
was captured and taken to the city
hall, where In the evening, he was
given a hearing before Squire Coombs
and held for court without bail and
was zen 10 the County jail.
About noon Monday, a young man
entered the Wildwood Title and Trust
bank aud presented a check drawn by
the Hilton aud Hilton Fish Company
to the order of Gunnie johnson for the
sum of $50. This man, who later
proved to be Todd, was told that the
check was not endorsed by johnson.
The young man left the building.
Feeling that Todd might have stolen
the check, the other banks were no.
tittd to be on their guard. Along
about two o'clock Monday afternoon
Todd went to the Marine Bank,
where he attempted to receive the
money. The check bore the endorse
ment of Gunnie johnson, but Cashier
Eldredge knew that it was not John
sons signature and he asked the young
man to step into the office. The latter
instead of going into the office, dashed
out OF the bank and ran along Pacific
avenue. He turned into Pine avenue
and raced toward the Adelphi-W White
with quite a crowd at his heels. As
sistant Cashier Rice dashed out OF the
bank a minute or SO after Todd and
caught a hold of the running board of
a passing automobile and kept right
after Todd. The latter had taken re-
fuge On the top of an automobile stored
in Taylor's garage in the rear OF the
White. He was captured by Chris
Scully, a local contractor who had
followed the fugitive on his bicycle.
He was the first to reach the garage,
and he followed Todd into the place.
He was searching around and about
to leave when he spied his feet protrud-
ing owe the top of the auto. Scully
cody told him TO come down and that he
was under arrest. He was bringing
him from the garage when Cashier
Rice and the Others reached the scene.
Officer Eattell had joined In the chase
and the young man was turned over to
him.
The young fellow told a very straight
forward story at the hearing in Chief
of Police Lester Smiths office the same
evening. He said: II did not try to
cash the check and keep the money.
| was cashing 1t for a fellow named
Jim White, who had asked me to go
to Wildwood and get the check cashed,
as he was too busy. In the morning
a fisherman named Ed. Hand, had
sent me to the bank and | drew over
thirty dollars aud returned the money
to him. About noon, this fellow
White asked me to get him a check
cashed. i went to a bank and they
told me it was no good, as it was not
signed properly. / caught q Car to
Anglesea and I saw White. He said
he would get 1t signed. In a little
while he returned and 1 again went to
Wildwood. l asnt to the bank, and
when / saw a man go TO the phone I
thought that maybe I was going to be
arrested and / ran. l was so fright
ened l did not know what I was do
ing.n
Squire Coombs asked the young
man If he knew of any lawyer he could
send for. Todd said that he did not
know any lawyer. The Squire was
very kind to Morris and said that he
was very sorry, but that he would
have to hold him without bail. He
ex planned that 1t was only a hearing
and that Todd would have an opportu-
nifty to prove his innocence when
arraigned at the Court House. The
young fellows story sounded good TO
some of those present at the hearing,
while others laughed at his statements.
Like other poor mortals he was friend
less and there was no one who cared to
investigate the story. 1t is to be hoped
that Todd is given a chance to prove
his innocence. If he was inpocently
cashing the check for another he is
not so much to blame. On the other
hand, if he is guilty and adding insult
to injury by telling a falsehood, he
should be dealt with accordingly, but
1t seems that his story might bear in
vestigation. II the fellow returned the
money to Hand in the morning, and
was acting for White, if there is such a