Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-05-29
willlam II. wheeler soand Over.
CHARGED WITH SECURING CASH on
BOGUS BANK CHECKS.

II .
CHARGED WITH SECURING CASH OF
BOGUS BANK CHECKS.
In the Norway Municipal Court Satur
day Judge William +. Jones found prob
able cause against William q. Wheeler
charged with passing . worthless checl
on Robert e. Shaw Of South Paris, and
fixed bail In the sum Of $500.
Last weeks Democrat told tho story
OF . number Of bogus checks by meanl
OF which several parties in South Parii
have been victimixed. It did not tell Of
them all, ~ knowledge regarding two
others has since come to hand.
On Tuesday Sheriff Harry D. Cole and
Deputy Sheriff Ernest r. Shaw arrested
William d. Wheeler Of Haley's lumber
camp ct North Buckfeld, the specific
charge being the passing Of the check on
Mr.. Shaw. Wheeler and bis wife and
his wife's parents came to North Buck.
field about year ago, and part of the
time since Mr.. and Mrs. Wheeler have
been at that place, and part OF the time
at Norway.
When srralgned In the Norway Munioi.
pal Court the respondent pleaded not
guilty, and the hearing was continued
at the request OF both state and respond.
emit, until 8 O'Clock Saturday.
At the hearing on Saturday Alton q.
Wheeler appeared for the state, and
James s. Wright for the defence. The
prisoners wife was In court and sat be.
side him.
Without going into the details of indi.
vidual testimony, It may be stated that
Robert E. Shaw testified regarding the
transactions of May I, when he gave q
stranger $40 Is In change for . worthless
check. L. L. Russell, grain dealer. told
of transaction on the same day, when
he gave q stranger 80 65 in the same way.
Miss Eva E. Walker told Of the transac.
ton on April 21st, when she. gave q
stranger $500.
Irving o. Bsrrows also testified regard.
ing Q transaction some time last year,
when he was clerk In the Paris Trust
Co. A stranger presented check for
$7S so, had CSC. 100 credited to checking
account In the name of Walter Chapman,
and was given the balance Of $3.50 In
cash.
All these witnesses were asked by Mr..
Wheeler in their direct examination,
According to your best knowledge and
belief, 10 this prisoner the same manP"
and all answered, "He is." In cross-
examination Mr.. Wright asked, "Would
you dare to swear that he 10 the MANI"
Most of them said that they would not,
one of them saying he "should kind Of
hate to-" On redirect they all asserted
that there was no reasonable doubt In
their minds of the prisoner being the
man.
Howard D. Smith, cashier OF the Nor.
way National Bank, put on Is hand
writing expert, testified to the close re-
semblance between the endorsements on
some of the checks and writing admitted
to be that of the prisoner.
Charles q. Pike of Norway testified as
to the loss of his check book on the Nor
way National Bank, containing eight or
ten blank checks. he drew Q check 10
this book on Friday, April 20, and on
Saturday, the 21st, could not find the
book. On Friday, the Office Of e. F..
Smith, a short distance from Pixies
Office and in an adjoining building, was
entered and some things stolen. William
q. Wheeler was about the building that
day.
Three of the bogus checks, drawn on
the Norway National Bank, are on
blanks exactly like that In Pixies book,
which is q stock form issued by the
bank.
A ripple of laughter went over the
room when Mr.. Shaw was asked on
cross-examination," When did you make
any fuss about it?" and replied, 81 didn't
make any fuss about 1t. We had some
joking about 1t, and I put 1t down a. q
lesson learned"
No evidence was put on by the de-
fence, and neither counsel cared TO
argue. Mr.. Wright asked that II the
court should see At to find probable
cause, the bail should not be increased
from the 5000 fixed on the continuance
of the hearing, and he and Mr.. Wheeler
had some argument respecting the
amount of the bail, when Judge Jones
interru pied, II haven't found probable
cause yet, but will, and now you may
argue the question of bail" The bail
was then fixed ct $500.
In connection with this case 1t may be
we'll to say that Wheeler Is not suspect.
ed In connection With the check passed
on B. P. Adkins as related In the Demo-
crat. The authorities are of the opinion
that that is entirely another matter.
Since the hearing on Saturday Sheriff
Cole has been informed that William b.
Wheeler, q man who answers to the
description of the prisoner, has served q
years sentence In the Somerset County
Jail at Skowhegan on . conviction for
forgery, and that during bis term be
once made his escape by saving bis way
out, but was retaken and completed the
term.
Wheeler has not obtained bail, and Is
now held in Jail.