Peggy Newton trial delayed until October 24

Joplin businesswoman Peggy Newton's trial on 25 fraud and forgery counts has been pushed back a month at her request.

The trial is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Springfield.

Court records had indicated several months ago that the government and Mrs. Newton, a former co-owner of Evergreen and Amber, were nearing a plea agreement, but later filings have given no such indication.

The Feb. 8 federal grand jury indictment alleged that Mrs. Newton forged the name of her business partner, Diane Pine, setting up numerous credit card accounts, wrote 393 checks for her personal use, wrote four checks to her husband, Newton Jewelers owner Brian Newton "for unauthorized reason", used company money to make one of her husband's car payments, and "altered or falsified" documents to make it appear that payments were less than they actually were, or were to someone else rather than the actual recipient.

On approximately 500 occasions, the indictment says, Mrs. Newton took money from Ms. Pine's personal credit accounts and Evergreen and Amber accounts "for personal use."