#forging cheques

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"DEBONAIR PRISONER ADMITS MANY CRIMES," Toronto Star. September 20, 1930. Page 2. ---- Youth in Blue Stole Car, Broke Into Office and Forged Cheques ---- Wearing a blue sweater and the jauntiest of airs, Stewart Henry McAleer coolly pleaded guilty this morning to charges of shopbreaking, theft of a car, of a number of cheques, and forging names taken from the stolen cheques. The amount obtained from the banks by these forged cheques totalled $415. The cheques were stolen from the offices of Lee Cummings and Co., 21 King E.; the car was got from Fred Powell Motors Ltd., and after the theft the gay young prisoner in blue painted it a new color. This was another case to illustrate the operative way in which detectives and police work. Nor is that co-operation confined to one force. The prisoner was arrested by P.C. Creighton of East York, on a charge of vagrancy. That was the starting point. "Get your man, then find out all you can about him." Detective-Sergeant Johns and Detective Mümberson concentrated on the "vagrant' 'in blue, and this morning's list of offences, to all of which the prisoner pleaded guilty. testified to the co-operative work done by the police. To a lady, unnamed, belongs the credit of locating the newly-painted stolen car. Incidentally it was revealed that to gain entrance to 21 King E. the prisoner pushed back a lock with a piece of card-board. At one time, the prisoner worked for a magazine company in the building, and thereby "knew the ropes." A warrant had been out for "an unknown man" for some time.

"Any previous convictions?" asked. Magistrate Browne.

Crown Attorney McFadden recalled one in October, 1928, for criminal negligence, when the prisoner was placed on probation by Judge Coatsworth for two years.

"Everything I did was premeditated. with the exception of taking the car." said the prisoner, ere going to the Ontario reformatory for one year, plus one year indefinite.

Traitor Bacchus King Bacchus led them on last night, He was their guiding star. And when he saw them all to-day.

He laughed a loud "Ha! ha!" This morning's drunks were, with one exception, treated as first offenders, even if some of them had, like the stars of heaven, been seen before. The exception, James Welsh, who was fined $50 or one month.

Lingered Too Long A while ago, Roderick McKinnon was given a chance to leave town. But he loved the dear old place so much he simply couldn't go. Today he was fined $25 and costs or 60 days for creating a disturbance on the side-walks of Toronto. James Tennant, a companion, suffered the same fate.

"How many times have you been here?" asked Magistrate Browne.

"Oh, two or three," replied Tennant. "You're leaving out the hundreds," said his worship.

Too Sociable

This beak's prepared to give nice girls Unlimited protection Against young gentlemen who have Unlimited affection.

A charming young lady complained that when she was going home last night about 10.30, John D. Rowntree, a young married man, approached her and said: "Hello! Can I see you home?"

"I said, 'certainly not.' He's a stranger to me," testified the maiden.

"I thought I knew her," said Rowntree.

"The same old exscuse, remarked his worship. "If you had known her, what right would you have had to put your arm around her.

"I didn't."

"Two witnesses have said you did. I prefer to believe them. Fifty dolars and costs or 60 days."

Nursed Him to Health "Man's inhumanity to man, Makes countless thousands mourn."

So said Burns, but in this case victim happens to be a woman, Joan McBride's lanldy, who, during the time that he lay sick, cared for him. Compensation was due to the sick man and when the money came he seized an opportunity not to pay the bill he had run up, but to disappear from the house. The amount owing was $15.

Fining him $15 or one month, for fraud, Magistrate browne gave him one week in which to get the money.

Two Black Eyes For the life of him, Harry Harvitz couldn't say why Edward should give him two lovely black eyes. "I've never had black eyes in my life before," said the victim. McCullough, a plumber, claimed that Harvitz had chewed the rag for an hour" about some work he had done, and struck the first blow. "I hit back," he added.

The blows were aimed with telling force.

Each one a reg'lar hummer. A boxing lad he might have been, Instead, he's just a plumber. Magistrate Browne committed accused to jail for 60 days. Reckless Driving the

Guilty of reckless driving on Dundas St. W., W. H. Buil was fined $25 and costs or 50 days, plus loss of license for 60 days.

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"Forger to Reformatory," Ottawa Citizen. October 3, 1932. Page 2. --- William H. Taylor. 95 Nelson street, who, a week ago, pleaded guilty to a charge of forgery, this morning in the police court was sentenced to one year definite and not more than one year indeterminate thereafter in the Ontario reformatory. Taylor pleaded guilty to forging a check for $25 on Sept. 20th.

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“Two Years Is Term Imposed,” Kingston Whig-Standard. May 23, 1931. Page 02. ---- William Keill Wood Will Go to Reformatory for Forgery ---- William Keill Wood, who pleaded guilty to six charges of having uttered forged documents in connection with pay cheques, and who also pleaded guilty to six charges of stealing pay cheques, was sentenced in the police court this morning to two years less one day on each charge, sentences to run concurrently. Nothing was said during the session about restitution being made.

‘This is a case that cannot be overlooked no matter how strong sympathy may be extended for those dependent on you,’ said Magistrate Farrell, to the accused, in passing sentence. ‘One cannot overlook the fact that you were placed in a position of trust. If there is to be a question of leniency, I think it should be taken up through another source. I will impose a sentence of two years less one day in the Ontario Reformatory, on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently.’

Wood, it will be recalled, was taken into custody ten days ago at Montreal, he having disappeared from the city at the time a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with the forging of military pay cheques.

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“Charged With Forging and Uttering Cheques,” Cobalt Daily Nugget. June 2, 1911. Page 03. ---- Jerry Hagarty has been before the town police court for the past week on trial for forgery. The charges are, that he forged three cheques to the amount of $20.00, $17.00, and $25.00, respectively using his brother’s name. He is also charged with uttering. Several times the case has been before the magistrate, and in each instance Hagarty has asked for a postponement. The case was to have been definitely settled today, but owing to the non-appearance of Hagarty’s brother, but, Hagarty states, gave him the permission to sign the cheques, it was again postponed till ten o’clock Monday morning. Magistrate Atkinson stated that a hearing would be given whether Hagarty’s brother is present or not, as the case has been withheld long enough.

When Hagarty was arrested one cheque was found on his person, while with another he had paid a month’s board. The third he had used for the purpose of borrowing ten dollars from a friend.

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“Radio Theft Charge Brings Mercer Term,” Toronto Star. September 29, 1930. Page 02. ---- Sentence to Run Concurrently With Previous Conviction --- Mrs. Annie Clark, on pleading guilty to theft of a radio from S. J. Harvey, was sentenced by Judge Denton to-day in court, of general sessions, to a year indeterminate at the Mercer Reformatory.

The sentence is to run concurrently with a two-year term for forging her husband’s name to cheques, this previous conviction having been made by Magistrate Margaret Patterson in women’s police court last week.

‘I didn’t really steal the radio,’ Mrs. Clark pleaded.

‘Then why didn’t you return the radio?’ inquired his honor. ‘Why should I?’ retorted the accused. ‘I got the radio.’

Mrs. Clark was anxious to know whether her sentence was definite or indeterminate. ‘Why do you want to know that?’ asked Judge Denton. ‘Magistrate Patterson gave me two years indeterminate and I want to get out as soon as I can,’ she explained

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“Une faussaire arrêtée hier matin,” Le Petit Journal. April 26, 1931. Page 23. ---- Nos policiers ne le cédent en rien à Sherlock Holmes et ces jeunes sténos aux yeux tout grands wont rien à envier à la peu scrupuleuse subtilité d'Arséne Lupin, si l'on en croit une histoire quasi sensationnelle que !es détectives nous mettent sous les yeux au moment où nous allons sous presse.

Un gros contracteur de Montreal, Monsieur G..., s'est fait jouer un tour dont ses finances auront probablement à souffrir et dont les consequences légales seront sûrement désastreuses pour une jeune fille de son personnel. 

Monsieur G... est bien connu des banques locales qui ont occasion de manier ses volumineux chèques. Monsieur G... en signe pour $125.000 par semaine et jamais — bien entendu — leur authentisité. ni leur valeur ne furent mises en doute. 

Monsieur G... constate toutefois, ces jours-ci, qu’un billet d'un fort montant et portant sa signature ne pouvait trouver place dans ses souvenirs financiers. Monsieur G... l'étudiant soigneusement mais ce ne fut que pour constater que c'était bien sa signature. L'affaire en resta là, mais bientôt un autre billet lui fut remis dont la vaieur parut encore étrange à sa mémoire. Monsieur G... ne fit ni un ni deux et appela la Sûreté. 

Ce furent le capitaine Tourville. et les détectives Laverdure et Lessard qui samenérent envoyés par l'inspecteur Foucault. Les intelligents limiers eurent tôt fait de constater que plusieurs bouts de papier trouvés dans le bureau portaient des essais de signature du plaignant et. après de plus amples recherches, il fut découvert que les billets étaient détachés à espaces distincts dans les livrets et la signature imitée par transparence dans une fenêtre. en coplant le nom par-dessus une signature authentique. Certains faits ultérieurs portèrent les soupçons sur une jeune sténo du bureau, secrétaire de Monsieur G..’ Habile voleuse mais femme sensible, Mademoiselle M... fondit en sanglots et avoua tout. 

Elle est aujourd'hui derrière les barreaux d'une cellule à attendre l'enquête qui sera tenue ces jours prochains.

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“Woman Is Remanded On Forgery Charge,” Toronto Star. September 19, 1930. Page 02. ----- Defence Counsel Argues That Onus Is On Husband Not Wife ---- Annie Clark was charged with forgery in women’s court to-day. She elected through her counsel to summary trial and pleaded not guilty.

‘She put another lady’s endorsation on the cheque because she knew that women had an account at the bank,’ Detective Credduck said.

‘There’s no forgery here,’ defence pleaded. ‘Her husband’s name is on this cheque. I want him here. He’s the man. She had his authority. It hasn’t been shown he didn’t give it. The onus is not on us.’ ‘You should have brought the husband to clear you client,’ her worship insisted.

‘I’m remanding her for sentence until September 25. In the meantime it ca be investigated.’

‘It won’t need much more investigating,’ said Mr. Malone. ‘No. More proving. I should suggest,’ defence smiled.

Dorothy Kempt and Elizabeth May were charged with assaulting May Chambers. They elected summary trial and pleaded not guilty.

Complainant was paled and nervous on the stand/

Over 50 Cents ‘What started this?’ the crown asked. ‘It started over a 50 cent piece. I owed it to her.’

They attacked her, she said, after they had words. Dorthy Kempt had struck her first, but Elizabeth Maker had beaten her with a broom, complainant said.

‘Did you grab a handful of hair out of the head on one of the accused?’ asked W. D. M. Shorey, defense counsel. ‘I don’t think so,’ complainant said, tremulously. ‘It was such an awful mix-up.’

Mrs. Kempt took the stand. She told a much different story, in which Mrs. Chambers was the aggressor - and a very violent one. Mrs. Kemp showed hair that had been torn from her head, as she alleged. She showed a bruise also. And Mrs. Chambers, who had retired from the box, bared her arm and showed a rival mark.

‘How did she get these bruises?’ Mr. Malone asked. ‘She fell down stairs.’

Mrs. Maker took the stand. She, too, blamed Mrs. Chambers for the battle. And then there were two daughters of Mrs. Maker who saw Mrs. Chambers whom they called the aggressor, beat Mrs. Kemp with a broom.

‘Nevertheless,’ said her worship, ‘I’m ordering these people to pay the doctor’s bill, and binding them in the sum of $50 to keep the peace towards Mr. and Mrs. Chambers.

‘Now stop talking,’ called Mr. Malone when the accused protested. ‘This is a courtroom.’ ‘Is it?’ asked Mr. Shorey. ‘I think I’ll appeal this case.’

Gets Six Months John Conson, charged with bigamy, who earlier asked for a remand, signified his desire to plead guilty later in the session of the court, and was forthwoth sentenced by Magistrate Patterson to serve six months definite and a period not to exceed twelve months, indefinite.

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“Three Years in Penitentiary Given on Cheque Charge,” The Globe and Mail. March 7, 1941. Page 04. ---- Harold Northrop was sentenced to three years in penitentiary on each of eighteen convictions on charges of forgery and uttering cheques. ‘You are not safe to be out,’ Magistrate Prentice declared to the proposed sentence. The sentences will run concurrently.

[AL: Northrop had just got out of the Guelph Reformatory when he was arrested for committing more acts of forgery. He was a commercial photographer by trade, and had grown up in Toronto, though his parents were English immigrants. He had two children. At the penitentiary he was convict #6513 and worked in the shoe shop. He was released in July 1943.]