Bio: Luepke, August & Amelia (1897 Trial)

Contributed by Family Member

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Luepke, Pulling, Hayes, Kretlow, Wallber

----Source: Marshfield Times, (Marshfield, Wisconsin) Friday, October 15, 1897, Page 1

FOUND GUILTY.

B. W. Pulling on Trial at Milwaukee

Found Guilty of passing Forged Papers.

A STAY OF JUDGMENT GRANTED.

Everybody is interested In the trill of Bradley W. Pulling which has been in progress at Milwaukee a part of last and this week, and in consequence the daily papers have been watched with keen interest. Mr. Pulling was arrested a year ago, since which time he has been confined in the Milwaukee jail. S. V. R. Hayes, a loan agent of the later named city, and for whom Mr. Pulling done business in this part of the state, caused his arrest, charging him with forgery. Mr. Hayes alleged that he loaned Mr. Pulling $650 on a mortgage of the farm of August and Amelia Luepke, in Marathon county. The mortgage was signed by Mr. Luepke and his wife April 10th, 1800, and called for $910. Pulling was charged with accepting $650.50 upon the montage, which was of no value. Mr. Luepke's evidence was that the signature, purporting to be his, was false, and further testified that he had no dealings with Mr. Pulling in 1800, but that in 1804 he had executed a mortgage in defendant's office for $650. Correspondence had by Mr. Pulling with S. V. R. Hayes and E. C. Kretlow, register of deeds Marathon county, relative to the case, was produced in evidence, but Mr. Pulling denied having signed or had anything to do with them, except a very few. Mr. Pulling denied even the acquaintance of August and Amelia Luepke and did not remember of ever having seen them or having any dealings with them. He said the names of August and Amelia Luepke were on the mortgage when he signed his name as a witness. It was the custom in his office he said, for one of the clerks to take the papers and have them signed and afterwards, when brought to him, he would affix his signature. When asked if he had signed the forged mortgage he said he did. A number of witnesses from this city were called as witnesses and testified to Mr. Pulling's reputation before his arrest.

The case was tried in Judge Wallber's court before a jury who after hearing the evidence were out 15 minutes, returning with a verdict of guilty. On Tuesday the attorneys for the defense asked for a stay of sentence, which was granted until next Saturday.