The Carthage Republican
Carthage, Illinois
Wednesday
December 5, 1923
Page 4
Column 4SHERIFF'S SALE
By virtue of a writ of Execution to me directed from the Circuit Court of Hancock County, State of Illinois, in favor of Marine Trust Company of Carthage, a corporation, and against Tracy C. Wright and Leafie M. Wright, I have levied upon the following described personal property to wit:
One Fordson tractor, including plow, disc, harrow, etc.; 1 two-horse wagon; 1 low wheeled wagon; 3 cultivators; 1 corn binder; 1 drill; 1 binder; 1 food grinder; 8 head of horses; 26 head calves; 3 cows; 16 brood sows; 60 shoats, of all ages; 4 sets work harness; about 156 bushels of soy beans; about 700 bushels of oats; about 400 bushels corn in crib; 40 acres of corn standing in the field; 1 mower; 1 hay rack; about 20 tons of hay, in barn; also a lot of small tools; 1 Ford truck and
1 Ford coupe; 8 bushels clover seed; 1 saddle and bridle; situated in Hancock County, State of Illinois, and taken as the property of said Defendants, which I will expose to public sale onSaturday the 15th day of December,
1923,at the residence of Tracy C. Wright and Leafie M. Wright, situated one-half mile southwest of Webster, Hancock County, Illinois, to the highest bidder for ready money.
Sale to be between the hour of 9 o'clock a. m. and the setting of the sun the same day. Sale to commence at 10 o'clock a. m. of said day.
Dated at Carthage this 4th day of December, 1923.
EDGAR A. TANNER,
Dec.5-12 Sheriff.
Dallas City Review
Dallas City, Illinois
Tuesday
April 26, 1938
Page 4
Columns 1 & 2JESSE STIDUM
IS EXONERATED
IN U. S. COURTTracy Wright Sentenced
On Plea of Guilty To
Counterfeiting(From Thursday's Hancock County Journal)
A federal district court jury late Thursday took only about two hours to acquit Jesse D. Stidum of Burnside of charges of counterfeiting United States coins.
Stidum's brother-in-law, Tracey C. Wright, also of Burnside, had previously entered a plea of guilty and he was sentenced by Judge J. LeRoy Adair to serve two years and nine months in a federal penitentiary for counterfeiting. Wright pleaded guilty on his arraignment but was held in jail for several months pending sentence. In view of the time he has served in jail, the court curtailed his sentence to two years and nine months instead of three years.
Stidum went on trial in federal court Wednesday morning before Judge J. Leroy Adair and a jury on charges of counterfeiting United States currency.
Ed Martin Defense Attorney
In his opening statement, United States Assistant District Attorney Paul Plunkett told the jury that Stidum and Wright had passed several counterfeit 50 cent pieces in and near Hamilton on December 27, 1937.
Defense Attorney Edward S. Martin of Carthage said the defense would show that the defendant, a former farmer and road commissioner, had been engaged in the trucking and that Tracey had been taking his meals with his brother-in-law and sister. On December 27, Attorney Martin said, Stidum and Wright took the truck owned by Stidum out for a trial following repairs. The truck developed a knock, the attorney added, and the men decided to drive to Keokuk, Iowa, and consult with the dealer from whom the truck had been purchased.
On their way from Burnside to Keokuk, the men stopped in Oakwood on the outskirts of Hamilton where Stidum purchased cigarets, tendering a 50 cent piece in payment. The government charges this 50 cent piece was counterfeit.
Later the men continued on into Hamilton, Attorney Martin continued, where the men stopped in a tavern, Stidum buying a soft drink and Wright a glass of beer. Stidum also paid for this, and the government contends passed another counterfeit piece of money.
The men then went across the street to a book store where Wright purchased a magazine and Stidum a tablet. Stidum handed the proprietor a 50 cent piece which was dropped as the store owner reached for an electric light switch. The proprietor called Stidum's attention to the fact that the coin was counterfeit and the latter handed the proprietor another coin, placing the counterfeit 50 cent piece in the pocket of a jacket. Stidum lingered to talk to the proprietor while Wright departed.
Victim of Circumstances
A few minutes later, Attorney Martin continued, Stidum saw Wright running up the street while a woman cried "stop that man." Stidum continued to stand on the sidewalk outside the store for sometime waiting for his brother-in-law to return, the government charges and was finally arrested by the town marshal. He was lodged in the Hamilton jail, still having the 50 cent counterfeit coin in the pocket of his jacket. Some time later, the attorney added, the marshal asked Stidum for the coin which was surrendered. Later, Stidum was taken to the Hancock county jail in Carthage. Wright was arrested later. The defense contends Stidum was a victim of circumstances and had nothing to do with the manufacture or passing of the counterfeit coins.
Thomas Hosclaw testifying for the government, told of Stidum's purchasing cigarets at his store in Oakwood and offering a 50-cent piece in payment and also of finding a counterfeit 50-cent coin in his cash drawer soon after the sale. Ervin Hartrick of Keokuk, a bread salesman, told of tracing Stidum and Wright to several other places where counterfeit coins were passed. Roy Fleming of Hamilton, an employe in a tavern, also told of the men's visiting that establishment and the discovery of a counterfeit half-dollar in the till of the cash register after they had departed.
J. C. Kincaid, employed at the E. M. Hardy store, also told of Wright's passing a counterfeit coin in exchange for a package of cigarets and R. D. Gordon of the men's visiting his store were Wright purchased a magazine, offering a fifty-cent coin in payment. He also told of Stidum's buying a tablet and offering a half-dollar in payment, which when dropped on the counter aroused Gordon's suspicion and refusal to accept it. The witness said Stidum then gave him a legitimate 50-cent piece in payment for the tablet.
Loren P. Jackson, a secret agent told of going to Carthage after being notified a man was being held in the Hancock county jail for counterfeiting, of receiving a quantity of the counterfeit coins from Hancock County Sheriff Earl Main, and of visiting the Stidum home, where he found a quantity of metal similar to that used in manufacturing counterfeit coins. Mr. Jackson and Everett S. Anderson, chemistry instructor in Quincy Senior high school, had testified as to an analysis made of the coins and other metals introduced as evidence. Sheriff Main and the Hamilton City Marshal also testified.
Following the completion of the government's case, Defense Attorney Edward S. Martin entered a motion for a directed verdict in favor of the defendant on all five counts in the indictment. The court sustained the motion as to count 2, the government having failed to connect the defendant with the passing of the coin involved in that part of the indictment.
Six Character Witnesses
The defense put six character witnesses on the stand who testified as to the reputation of the defendant. These witnesses included Ernest Northup, William Hunter, Homer Thompson and Dr. C. B. Tyler all of Burnside; Sheriff Earl Main of Carthage and John Earlston of Ferris. Other witnesses included William Jordon of Burnside, operator of a general store and Carl Bideaux, also of Burnside, who told of making repairs to the Stidum truck.
Tracey C. Wright, brother-in-law of Stidum and a co-defendant in the case who entered a previous plea of guilty, refused to testify when called by the defense, standing on his constitutional rights.
Stidum was the final witness, telling of the trip Wright and he had taken from Burnside to Hamilton, and denying he knowingly possessed any counterfeit money or that he had passed any with intent to defraud.
The case went to the jury at 3:43 p. m. Thursday and a verdict was returned shortly before 6 p. m.
The jury hearing the case was composed of Edward W. Bollman of Payson, Ernest Kesting of Mt. Sterling, W. C. Morrow of Rushville, Russell O'Donnell of Winchester, Wren Scott of Virginia, Guy Scherer of Forest City, Lee Stice of Jacksonville, Ernest Wiebel of Quincy, Tom Daniels of Quincy, William Davis of Ursa, Edward Gaines of Quincy and W. H. Janssen of Quincy.
Dallas City Review
Dallas City, Illinois
Tuesday
May 3, 1938
Page 4
Column 3TRACEY WRIGHT TAKEN
TO LEAVENWORTHTracey Wright of Burnside, who pleaded guilty in federal court at Quincy to counterfeiting, was taken to federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas last week to start a sentence of two years and nine months.
(Hancock County Journal)
Hancock County Journal
Carthage, Illinois
Thursday
June 19, 1969
Page 6A
Column 6Tracy C. Wright
Graveside service for Tracy C. Wright, 76, Burnside, were held at 2 p.m. Monday in the McKay Cemetery near Burnside with the Rev. Keith Elliott officiating. Kilgore-Palmer Memorial Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wright died Saturday morning, June 14, 1969, at Newland Nursing Home in Blandinsville.
He was born April 8, 1893, in Hancock County, a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Wright. He was a retired farmer and lived most of his life in Hancock County. He married Leafy Thompson in 1911 in Webster.
Surviving is one daughter, Mrs. Waldo (Frances) Harrington of Carthage; three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, one sister and one brother.
Father: John Wright
Mother: Capitola Robinson
