The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-02
George Henry, Known as H. l.. Taylor, Summons Judge Douglas and Makes a
 Complete Confession
USED PART OF MONEY TO PAY THE DOCTOR AND HOUSE RENT DUE
Says ]. Is First Time He Has Ever Been in Trouble - Could Not Make More Than Five Dol
 lars Week Canvassing

Repentant over his acts, H. l.. Tay- Tor, who was arrested Thursday aft ernoon by Detectives Alexander and Watson on charges of forgery and em- hezzlement, summoned Judge Alvin NJ. Douglas to his cell at the county jail yesterday and confessed to the whole affair. He also admitted that his name was George Henry, and his home was in Macon, Ga.
 Taylor. or Henry, was arrested fol lowing an alleged confession on the part of c. NJ. Buckley. young man who was captured by Detectives Thurs day at noon while attempting to pass check on the Jefferson County Saw ings bank with the forged signature of Judge Douglas. Buckley, at the time of his arrest, stated that the young man known as Taylor, who was em- ployed as a canvasser for the S. NJ Bernheim Electric company on First avenue, near Twentieth street. had forged the check and instructed him to pass it and keep half of the pro- ceeds
 Yesterday afternoon Taylor, or Hem ry, sent for Judge Douglas and when the former city recorder entered his cell the young man made a complete
 confession of the forgeries and the
 method in which they were carried out
 He also told of the poor circumstances T %.l hot 1,A of his downfall was poverty.
 Wants to Take His Medicine
 Judge Douglas, I want to ket this off my chest,' said the young man known as Taylor, "and before I take my medi- cine I feel that it would be better to come clean and tell you everything. This is the first time that I have ever been in trouble.
 My name is George Henry and I am 26 years old. My home is in Macon. Ga., and I also have some relatives in this city. I am married and have two chill dren. one years old, and the last barely month old. It was for this little child that I forged the checks. Tn my employment as a canvasser I d not support my wife and kiddies and therefore they suffered. Near Christmas I was up against it, with heavy doctor bills and rent facing me, and I made up my mind to get some money somewhere somehow.
 Judge, I happened in your office and picked up a cancelled check with your signature; then I reached over in your check book and took three blanks If that was waiting to sell some electric lamps. but I wasn't caught. Traced to the Signature with the three blank checks and the cancelled check 2 walked about the city for a while and finally went into an em! ty
 house adjacent to the Tutwiler hotel There I pasted the cancelled check on
 the window pane and traced the sigma ture on the other checks for various amounts, in all about hundred dollars I succeeded in passing these checks
 without trouble
 "As for the money. I spent 1t in giving my wife and kids Christmas present Of something to eat. I also bought them some clothes and paid the doctor and the rent-and now there Is only $2 left. As for the last check, I gave that to Buckley to pass with the full understanding that he was to get half of the proceeds. He was caught and my arrest followed. It just shows that it is awfully hard to get away with anything crooked. especially if it is of a petty nature. Well, Judge. you know the whole story now, and while I am not whining for mercy, sincerely hope that you wil.
 investigate my story and not be too hard on me-"
 In repeating the confession of Henry to I reporter last night, Judge Douglas { stated that he was perplexed about what course to pursue in the whole affair. From | the words of the former recorder 1t doeg not appear that Henry will face very ac- tive prosecution for his dereliction from ! the law.
 l Henry, or Taylor, as he is known, sai6 his family occupy small cottage at 2512 l Avenue l. It is understood that the wife and children of the young man will be looked after by some charitable institu- | ton.