The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1916-06-29

long. guess he can tell you all about
that check
More CONSERVATION, but this time
among the police, who had been con-
fident that Dingfelter was one of the
leaders of the bank robbers on the
Pacific coast. The moment Dingfelter
stated that he was a detective one of
i the city detectives rushed out of the
court to the office of the chief of po-
lice, who was in the opposite end Of
the building, and informed him what
had occurred The chief rushed into
the court room, and from that time
consterns ton prevailed among all the
authorities around the building.
For two days Dingfelter was kept
upon the stand. After he had been
excused | was called Having been
! duly sworn. was told by the prose-
cutting attorney to state to the court
and jury how | had been approached
by Mr.. Glover and himself, and what
/ had done in connection with the
case. ] gave detailed account of my
work from the beginning When I
had finished my direct testimony the
counsel for the defense began to
! cross-examine me.
Where did you get this check?" he
asked. exhibiting the check which
Dingfelter had presented.
This is one of the blank checks
that l took from DR. Smiths office
in the manner already described"
answered
Then you stole this check from Dr.
Smiths Officer" was the next ques-
! ton.
Il took that blank check from DR..
! Smiths Office without his knowledge
| or consent"
@. Who filled out this check and
signed DR.. Smiths name? A That
check was filled out by one of my
employees l stood alongside OF him
while he filled it out. He did 1t under
my instructions, and If he had refused
to do it would have discharged him
and he knew it; and If the law has
been violated in any way / am respon-
sible for it.
You knew that 1t was forgery.
and that forgery is crime under the
law" inquired the opposing counsel,
/ To which replied that, inasmuch as
/ intent is the essence of crime, and as
there was no intent to obtain money
or other valuables by means of the
| check, | did not believe | had been
guilty Of forgery. | pointed out, fur
thermore, that had been at the bank
on the morning when McCulloch pre-
! sented the check, for the purpose OF
preventing the teller from cashing it.
in case he had failed to perceive that
the signature was not genuine.
Almost every person in the court
room had been of the opinion that |
had got myself into serious trouble
| by obtaining the blank checks and
causing one to be filled out and signed
and presented. But after my explana-
ton it was evident that | had re-
manned well within the letter of the
law
The testimony was overwhelming
against Maxwell. and the jury quickly
returned a verdict of murder in the
first degree. 1t Is satisfactory to add
that Maxwell, or Brookes, paid the
penalty of his crime by hanging.
The psychology Of this case makes
1t unusually interesting. Why"
have been asked many times, did
you cause McCulloch to knock you
down and strip the policeman and
yourself, compelling you. furthermore.
to go around for several days with
your right eye and one side OF your
face discolored?"
l knew that Maxwell was enjoying
the notoriety which the newspapers
were giving him. | knew, also. that
the public was growing tired of read.
ing about him, and. therefore, believed
that If l could paint my assistant as
a more desperate criminal for the time
being, by the notoriety which he, in
turn, would gain through the news.
papers, 1t would have the effect of
attracting Maxwell's attention to him,
SO that he might bask In the light
which was shed upon McCulloch. |
considered 1t necessary to have Nc
Culloch slug me and the police officer
might have arisen in the mind of the
chief of police or any of his men. The
chief was an alert and experienced
officer, and If he had for moment
suspected that McCulloeh was not
what he represented himself to be. or
that he was connected with me, he
would undoubtedly have exposed the
scheme.
could have obtained the blank
check from DR.. Smith for the asking.
but DR.. Smith would. of course, have
wanted an explanation, and II l had
given 1t DIR. Smith would have been
obliged to state the facts on the wit
ness stand when called before the
grand jury and this would have been
fatal to the plan. BY keeping my
plans and motives profoundly secret
| produced this result: that each per-
son told the truth, as he believed it
to be.
AS there was no city fund for the
payment of the expenses of outside de-
tectives, Mr.. Glover paid McCulloch
out of his own pocket. the total sum
expended amounting to about six hun
dred dollars. | got. as my compensa-
ton, the aforementioned black eye.
a swollen jaw, and number of bumps
and bruises.