Clarion-Ledger clipping
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THE FORGERY CASE.
A Condemned Report of the Testimony Before the Examining Court.
The Links in the Chain of Evidence Complete.
A LIVELY PICTURE OF THE FORGERS AT THEIR DEVIL-WORK.
THE DETECTIVE SWORN.
C. S. Bell sworn - Is employed by the Governor; has several times been sent by him outside of State for parties charged with crime. Arrested the prisoner in Louisiana and brought him to the State.
HE, SWAN, WAS PASSING UNDER THE ASSUMED NAME OF ST. CYR;
found several documents on his person at the time he was arrested. Got this letter from his valise (the letter published in our last issue addressed to L. St. Cyr.) Knows hand-writing of Mrs. Swan, believes part of it to have been written by her and the other part by W. G. Steele. The other letter I believe to have been written by Steele, (the letter of warning.) It was handed to him (Swan) after his arrest. Identifies the forged warrants; they were given to me by Mary McBride in New Orleans. Has no personal knowledge of these warrants being altered by any one. Cross-examined. Particularizes about when he left town and about the arrest. Have been offered no reward. I am a salaried officer at $6 per day and expenses. I am a special officer, detective or agent of Mississippi by appointment of Gov. Powers.
WHAT THE AUDITOR PROVES.
H. Musgrove sworn - I am Auditor of Public Accounts. Testified that
THE WARRANTS WERE "RAISED" OR FORGED.
I have no personal knowledge of Dr. Swan's connection with the "raising" of the warrants. Stated particulars about the box of counterfeit warrants that were captured in the possession of Cunningham last summer. Cross-examined. All the warrants has his genuine signature. Knows them to be "raised" for he has carefully compared them with the records in his office. Particularly explains in what the forgery consists. Tells who has charge of the warrant department of his office. Re-examined. Warrants of certain numbers (which were stated)
NEVER DID ISSUE TO J. AARON MOORE
or J. Aaron Moreton as expressed on their face. Re-crossed. Further particularizes about the manner in which the forgeries are made.
THE WARRANT CLERK TESTIFIES.
R. A. Belch, Warrant Clerk, sworn - Testified as to whom
THE "RAISED" WARRANTS
were issued, and what were their original amounts. The cross-examination was upon these points, and as to how warrants are numbered and issued.
THE FORGERS IN THEIR WORK SHOP.
What a Little Fifteenth Amendment Saw.
"I Hope I Don't Intrude."
Allen Smith, colored boy, who lived at Dr. Swan's house, sworn - Dr. Swan was in his little office, back part of house,
WITH STEELE, CONSIDINE AND CUNNINGHAM,
with door locked; saw him with a smoothing-iron on a blanket when I used to go in to carry the water; saw the iron heated 8 or 9 times a day;
DR. SWAN WAS IRONING
on a little box in the corner; thinks it was paper. The balance of the men were sitting around the table writing. Swan went out and heated the iron himself; this ironing went on nearly a week.
HEARD AARON MOORE AND SWAN TALKING
about State's warrants; Swan wanted Moore to get him about $20 of small warrants; had blotting paper in the room.
THEY WERE LOCKED UP ALL THE TIME;
the men were there; Considine was there 3 days. Saw paper and ink;
BLUE, RED AND BLACK
ink; recognized Considine and Steele in jail as the men at the house. I peeped through the key-hole for fun. They were writing at the table, Considine, Cunningham and Steele; Swan was in the corner. They were
PASSING PAPERS ROUND TO ONE ANOTHER
and laughing. They took turns writing. - Sometimes I would get inside when I carried ale to the Doctor. They were there about a week. Room always locked in day time. Swan took the irons himself in the kitchen to heat. Lizzie Anderson was the washerwoman that ironed the clothes. There was right smart of paper on the table, and had
SOME MEDICINE BOTTLES
in his room that he told me to take to his office.
HONORABLE J. AARON ON THE STAND.
J. Aaron Moore (colored) sworn. Testified that
HE HAD SOLD WARRANTS
to Dr. Swan. Didn't know whether the "raised" warrants were the same or not.
Several other witnesses were examined, but as their evidence is not of great importance we omit it.
A Condemned Report of the Testimony Before the Examining Court.
The Links in the Chain of Evidence Complete.
A LIVELY PICTURE OF THE FORGERS AT THEIR DEVIL-WORK.
THE DETECTIVE SWORN.
C. S. Bell sworn - Is employed by the Governor; has several times been sent by him outside of State for parties charged with crime. Arrested the prisoner in Louisiana and brought him to the State.
HE, SWAN, WAS PASSING UNDER THE ASSUMED NAME OF ST. CYR;
found several documents on his person at the time he was arrested. Got this letter from his valise (the letter published in our last issue addressed to L. St. Cyr.) Knows hand-writing of Mrs. Swan, believes part of it to have been written by her and the other part by W. G. Steele. The other letter I believe to have been written by Steele, (the letter of warning.) It was handed to him (Swan) after his arrest. Identifies the forged warrants; they were given to me by Mary McBride in New Orleans. Has no personal knowledge of these warrants being altered by any one. Cross-examined. Particularizes about when he left town and about the arrest. Have been offered no reward. I am a salaried officer at $6 per day and expenses. I am a special officer, detective or agent of Mississippi by appointment of Gov. Powers.
WHAT THE AUDITOR PROVES.
H. Musgrove sworn - I am Auditor of Public Accounts. Testified that
THE WARRANTS WERE "RAISED" OR FORGED.
I have no personal knowledge of Dr. Swan's connection with the "raising" of the warrants. Stated particulars about the box of counterfeit warrants that were captured in the possession of Cunningham last summer. Cross-examined. All the warrants has his genuine signature. Knows them to be "raised" for he has carefully compared them with the records in his office. Particularly explains in what the forgery consists. Tells who has charge of the warrant department of his office. Re-examined. Warrants of certain numbers (which were stated)
NEVER DID ISSUE TO J. AARON MOORE
or J. Aaron Moreton as expressed on their face. Re-crossed. Further particularizes about the manner in which the forgeries are made.
THE WARRANT CLERK TESTIFIES.
R. A. Belch, Warrant Clerk, sworn - Testified as to whom
THE "RAISED" WARRANTS
were issued, and what were their original amounts. The cross-examination was upon these points, and as to how warrants are numbered and issued.
THE FORGERS IN THEIR WORK SHOP.
What a Little Fifteenth Amendment Saw.
"I Hope I Don't Intrude."
Allen Smith, colored boy, who lived at Dr. Swan's house, sworn - Dr. Swan was in his little office, back part of house,
WITH STEELE, CONSIDINE AND CUNNINGHAM,
with door locked; saw him with a smoothing-iron on a blanket when I used to go in to carry the water; saw the iron heated 8 or 9 times a day;
DR. SWAN WAS IRONING
on a little box in the corner; thinks it was paper. The balance of the men were sitting around the table writing. Swan went out and heated the iron himself; this ironing went on nearly a week.
HEARD AARON MOORE AND SWAN TALKING
about State's warrants; Swan wanted Moore to get him about $20 of small warrants; had blotting paper in the room.
THEY WERE LOCKED UP ALL THE TIME;
the men were there; Considine was there 3 days. Saw paper and ink;
BLUE, RED AND BLACK
ink; recognized Considine and Steele in jail as the men at the house. I peeped through the key-hole for fun. They were writing at the table, Considine, Cunningham and Steele; Swan was in the corner. They were
PASSING PAPERS ROUND TO ONE ANOTHER
and laughing. They took turns writing. - Sometimes I would get inside when I carried ale to the Doctor. They were there about a week. Room always locked in day time. Swan took the irons himself in the kitchen to heat. Lizzie Anderson was the washerwoman that ironed the clothes. There was right smart of paper on the table, and had
SOME MEDICINE BOTTLES
in his room that he told me to take to his office.
HONORABLE J. AARON ON THE STAND.
J. Aaron Moore (colored) sworn. Testified that
HE HAD SOLD WARRANTS
to Dr. Swan. Didn't know whether the "raised" warrants were the same or not.
Several other witnesses were examined, but as their evidence is not of great importance we omit it.
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Clarion-Ledger, “Clarion-Ledger clipping,” Mississippi State University Libraries, accessed December 25, 2024, https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/items/show/816.
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