Frank Forlow began his law practice in Defiance, after graduation from the law school at Ohio Northern University. Then he was charged with embezzlement and forgery, and although acquitted, he had a reputation to restore. Unfortunately, a disgruntled acquaintance sought to slander him more in the Cincinnati Enquirer, causing quite a scandal concerning an illegitimate child. Could he fight these claims and restore his practice and esteem in the community?
The following article appeared in the Huntington Democrat, Huntington, Indiana on Thursday, June 8, 1893 on page one:
"A RAW DEAL
IS GIVEN ATTORNEY FRANK FORLOW BY THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
A SENSATIONAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED WHICH MR. FORLOW DENIES.
The following telegram from Defiance, Ohio, was published in the Cincinnati Enquirer Tuesday. It says:
'Defiance, O. June 2. Hicksville society is much wrought up by tonight over the separation of Mr. Forlow and his wife. Mr. Forlow, it will be remembered, is the man who a year ago was arrested and stood indicted on eleven counts for forgery and embezzlement. He was for several months confined to the county jail, after which he stood trial on one of these counts, but the accusers failed to connect him. During all these trying times, his young wife stood nobly by him, and did all in her power to bring about her husband's acquittal.
Having won in the first suit, the other cases against young Forlow were all nollied in court last week, and he was again a free man. Forlow raked together some money after this and went to Indiana to look up a location to again renew the practice of law, finally deciding upon Huntington as the field of operation. He had secured what seemed to be a good opening there and expected to return home and removed there in about a week.
But on arriving at Hicksville, he found his wife ill and ease and unwilling to receive him. In his absence in Indiana, she had made the astounding discovery that her husband was the father of an illegitimate child now one year old, its mother being Miss Ella Wolfrum, formerly private secretary to Mr. Forlow in his law office. The mother told Mrs. Forlow that her child belonged to Mr. Forlow and that he would be compelled to make good the damage she had sustained. This was too much for the brave little woman. She broke completely down and wept bitterly. Mrs. Forlow is the only daughter of a prominent and wealthy lawyer and judge of Jopland (Joplin), Missouri. She separated her effects from his, and when Mr. Forlow arrived, she told him that she would ship his goods to Huntington and hers to Jopland.
Forlow confessed all to his wife and begged her to accompany him to Huntington. This she refused, saying that she could not spender her money to pay for an illegitimate child. Forlow told her he could not in the bottom of his heart, blame her, and finding no way of reconciling her, he left last night for parts unknown. It is likely that Miss Wolfrum will attempt a restitution. Mrs. Forlow, the noble. but now broken-hearted wife, left tonight on the Wabash for her father's home in Missouri.'
And so ended the report of the Cincinnati Enquirer, all based on purposeful lies, according to Frank Forlow. Someone wanted to discredit him, and he knew who it was. The Huntington newspaper article continued...
"The article was shown to Mr. Forlow by a Democrat man Tuesday. He said, 'There is nothing to that story. I am perfectly able to clear myself of everything and will do so. My wife has not left me. She has only gone to Joplin, Missourie, to remain until I get settled here and as soon as that is done, she will return here. She has not been home for three years. She went to Joplin today and I came as far as Huntington with her. I will give the Democrat a complete statement in a day or two that will tell my side of the case.'
SAYS HE WILL RETURN
The approach of the Cincinnati Enquirer in this city Tuesday containing the sensational article concerning Frank L. Forlow, the young attorney from Hicksville, Ohio, who proposed to locate here, created quite a surprise. Mr. Forlow was shown the article and advised the Democrat to print it, saying he had nothing to conceal.
He was asked in regard to the charges in the article and said:
'It is a fact that I was arrested, charged in embezzlement and forgery on several counts. It is also a fact that I was tried on both charges and acquitted in the common pleas court of Defiance County, Ohio. I was, for a short time, confined in the county jail on the above charges.
I was in Muncie, Marion, Bluffton, and Huntington last week, looking up a location and decided on Huntington.
Ever since my trouble above referred, my wife and I have been boarding at the Swilley Home in Hicksille, Ohio. Our goods have been packed for more than a year - whatever was not sold two years ago. My wie had arranged to go home for the summer two months ago and only waited until I had a place to locate before going.
I arrived home from Huntington last Saturday and found my wife at the Swilley House and made known to her my plan. Monday morning I hired a dray and took part of our goods to Antwerp, leaving part in Hicksville, and shipped them to Huntington, except trunks, etc. my wife took with her.
My wife accompanied my as far as Huntington and I purchased her ticket for Joplin, Missouri. In Fort Wayne, we stopped off there between trains. My wife and I have had no trouble over any woman on earth.'
Who is this Miss Wohlford (Wolfrum) mentioned, Mr. Forlow, was asked.
Miss Wohlford was at one time a clerk in the office of which I was a member of the firm, but left and went to Toledo about three ears ago and for the past year has been in Cleveland, O. My wife, I know, has not seen Miss Wohford for three years past and I have not seen her for more than two years. I am not the father of any child either legitimate or otherwise. We have never had any children. I have been married for 7 1/2 years. My wife and I have lived pleasantly together during all those years and our relations are now what they have always been. It is absolutely false that our effects were divided in any way.'
'Do you know the Enquirer correspondent at Defiance?'
'I know him and know that he entertains no feelings of friendship for me and he owes me $40 for which I have his note, being past due.'
'Can you give your references from Defiance?'
'I refer anyone desirous of learning the truth of this whole matter to any resident of Defiance society where I am well known and have lived all my life.'
Mr. Forlow said that Rev. Miller, the M.E. minister of Defiance, was on the same rain as he and his wife came west on and knew him very well.
Mr. Forlow was then asked what he was going to do. He said: 'In locating here now, I should be placed at a great disadvantage by the publication of this story which has appeared in the Enquirer. I have just been to the Wabash freight office and had my goods rebilled to Joplin, Missouri, where my wife will refute these slanderous charges against me, as she is well known there. Her father is a large manufacturer of mining machinery, not a judge as the Enquirer correspondent says. I like Huntington, and would liked to have located here now, had not the disadvantage arisen that I speak of.
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| 1908 Joplin, MO |
Mr. J. G. Parrot, the well known machine man, who was formerly of Defiance, O., came into the Democrat office at this time with a copy of the Enquirer at hand and seemed very angry over the appearance of the article. 'Stay here, Frank,' he said, and we will prove these charges false.'
Mr. Parrot said 'Frank has an uncle who is very jealous of the boy. His grandfather left Frank quite a good deal of money and this uncle has tried to put him on the wall. In this way, these charges of forgery were brought. I don't think there is a word of truth in that woman story. A. Schrack, the Enquirer correspondent at Defiance, O., is the editor of a one horse paper at Defiance called the Crescent. He has been trying to down the Defiance Democrat and regular Democratic organizations. I don't think Schrack is worthy of belief in this matter. I think the Enquirer has done the young wife a great injustice.'
Mr. Forlow left on the 9:00 train for Joplin, Missouri, to which place his goods had been rebilled. In leaving, he said that after remaining at Joplin, perhaps a month or so, he expected his return to Huntington with his wife and locate here in the practice of law."
to be continued...
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