The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-12-16
M. E Tipler Signs Name Of
Henry Bergman to a
Large Check
OFFERS GUILTY PLEA
Is Sentenced to Not More
Than One Year at State
Reformatory.

M T.. llpleT, HO-ySdI- oio
rum runner of Pope county land
ed in Jail in Sank Centre Saturday
afternoon when he attempted to
pass a forged check for $3.50, bear
ing the signature of Henry G.
Borgmann, well known Holstein
breeder, residing just south of the
city.
Tipler gave the alias of Walter
Johnson. Before presenting the
check for payment he had made
careful inquiry in several places of
business relative to the standing of
Mr.. Bergman. A blank check
on the First State Bank of this
city was secured in one of the
Sank Centre business houses. He
first presented the check for pay
ment at the Merchants National
Bank. He stated at the Jail Mon
day morning he was about to
get it cashed when the young man
at the window turned the check
over to his superior who immed-
lately refused ito allow payment.
johnson, or Tipler, was directed
to take the check to the First
State Bank. When the check was
presented Vice President B F.
Dubois was at the window. He at
once recognized the signature as a
forgery, and began to question
Tipler. He claimed lie had sold
Mr.. BorgnJlpn several Holstein
heifers and the check nah been
given in payment for chem. While
the argument was going m Mr.
Borgmann happened to drop into
the bank. When Mr.. Dubois
called attention to Mr.. Borg
mann's presence Tipler did not
recognize him, neither did he be-
come excited; he claimed the heif-
ers had been sold to Mr.. Borg
mann and the check had been
signed by woman of the house
hold.
Tipler kept his nerve until Mr..
Dubois put in a call for Chief of
Police Miller when he hustled
out of the bank and turned east on
Fourth street. Mr.. Dubois lost
no time in following his man and
the race ended in the alley between
Third and Fourth streets.
Tipler was landed in Jail and
later in the afternoon was taken
before Municipal Judge R. R.
Kells, where he waived examina-
ton.
Monday morning when cues
toned by City Attorney Kells, B.
F. Dubois and Chief of Police
Miller at the Jail, the prisoner said
his name was M. E. Tippler; he
was 26 years old and married. He
said for the past few months he
had been carrying liquor from a.
bootlegger in Melrose, much of
which he delivered to a business
man in Glenwood. He said this
party received deliveries at least
once week in quantities ranging
from two to four gallons. He
claimed the party he delivered to
divided the booze with another
business man in Glenwood.
On being questioned as to
whether it was the first check he
had ever forged he said he had
used his fathers signature once
From the story told by 'Tipler
gambling and other forms of di-
version followed in the wake of
bootlegging and rum running and
the money he earned in this man.
ner did not do him any good. He
admitted that his gambling cron-
les had talked of check raising and
forging but he did not know of
any instances where the crime had
been committed.
The young man signified "a de-
sire to be taken before Judge
Roeser as soon as possible where
he could enter a plea of guilty.
Chief of Police Miller took him to
st. Cloud. He was taken before
the District Court Tuesday and
plead guilty to second degree for
gerry. Judge Roeser questioned
him very carefully after which he
sentenced him to the st. Cloud
Reformatory for a period not to
exceed one year. He began his
sentence at once. Minnesota does
not have definite time sentence
for crimes of this sort, and with
good behavior Tipler will likely be
eligible for parole in the course of
six months or so.
The car used by the prisoner
contained two gallons of moon
shine, the Herald understands. It
belonged to the young mans faith
er who did not know that his son
was using it for rum running pur-
poses.
The elder Tipler owns . farm
about four miles south of Willard.
he has lived there for many years.