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FRANK COTTON GETS IN ^ •I SOME SERIOUS TROUBLE• X. •.Thursday afternoon at: Hartford City Prosecutor Burns filed an affidavit on information in circuit court charging Frank Cotton with obtaining money under false pretense or in other words, using a check to defraud. The case was filed under an act of 1903, which is entirely separate and distinct from forgery. The cases were brought at the instigation of Oscar Hamilton, a Montpelier saloon keeper.Several weeks ago Frank was sent to Montpelier by his father to buy cattle. Mr. Cotton informed a Banner reporter Thursday evening that Frank Mad his authority to sign checks for the payment of cattle and stated that Frank did buy a number of farmers’ cattle and live stock and issue checks in payment thereof which checks were honored at the Studabaker bank in this city.During the time that Frank was at Montpelier,a check for $60 and a check for $20, payable to Oscar Hamilton were presented at the bank here. These checks Mr. Cotton says were signed in the same manner but because he had purchased no cattle of Mr. Hamilton, he refused to honor them and they were sent back.G. E. Cotton claims that Frank was forced to sign the checks or induced to do so while under the influence of an immense amount of liquor or while drugged and he claims to have pretty good evidence that the latter case is the one which applies this time. Frank was In the saloon for several days in company with some fast women and was put to bed for a time. One of the checks‘was signed in bed.It has developed that the boy first made three checks, one for $10, one for $15, and one for $35. These checks were written by Hamilton himself and Frank signed them. Hamilton then accompanied the boy to the Farmers bank where the $60 check was written by Cashier Bryson and signed by young Cotton. It is known that the three smaller checks were to be destroyed but the $10 one has fallen into the hands of Cotton and his friends and is in Hamilton’s handwriting, so they say.The charge of forgery, while it has not been made, could not have been substantiated because the boy’s father could truthfully swear that he had given the boy authority to issue the checks.bFriday A. W. Hamilton is preparing a $5,000 damage suit which will be filed against Hamilton and his bondsmen. Under an act of Indiana, any saloon man who sells intoxicating liquor to any person resulting in any injury to that person Is liable personally on his bond. Frank was brought home in a condition of unconsciousness and $he physicians who first examined him feared that he would not recover. He is a sufferer from heart trouble. The case will be brought by he and his father jointly.Hamilton at one time made a strong effort to have George Cotton settle the case but the father claims he has nothing to settle and will make the other side do that
Newspaper Details
Bluffton Banner
Bluffton, Indiana, US
Wed, Feb 03, 1904
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Cindy B.
MI, USA 02 Aug 2021
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