The National Register.
London, England, 1811-03-10 00:00:00

160

FORGERIES.
Last week a Forgery was practiced on a very respectable
banking-house in the City., under the following very singular
circumstances, by which they were defrauded of '20901.
and hitherto the parties have avoided the vigilance of the
police. A few days ago a person called at a house in Fran-
cis-street, Bedford-square, a part-of hich was to let, to engage
it for, as he said, a gentleman of the first respectability ; and
having agreed on terms, &c. the better to prevent further in-
quiry, he offered to pay for three mouths m advance, and fir
which purpose presented for change a one hundred pound note,
having several other notes in his hand at the same time, none of
them, he said, were for smaller sums. This manoeuvre had the
success that was wished. The Lady who had the lodging to let,
could not give changetbut the sight of the money lulled her into
security, and the gentleman was allowed to take possession on
the following day. The financier thus seated in fashionable
lodgings, sets about raising the ways and means, and com-
snenced by answering an'advertisement from " a young man
trom the country in want of a situation," who was desired to
call in ferasscis-street, Bedford-square, where, if he -answerekl the
caacription sef the advertisement, he might hear of a situation
likely ro suit him. The young man accordiagly presented him-
selF, and being interrogated as to what he could do, he was
asked for his own references, which he; gave, and was desired
to call on the following day, at twelve, for his answer.
He did so, and was informed that the inquiries respecting
character and connexions were satisfactory, and his salary
being settled, he was to enter on his employment the next morn-
ieg. However, as he was taking his leave, his intended master
asked what Way he was going, or if he was particularly engaged
that afternoon, if not he would get him to do a little business
in the city for him. The youth eagerly expressed his wish to go
any where, when his master taking out a small red pOcket-book,
and from it a cheque for two thousand and ninety pounds, de-
an-ed him to get cash for it at the banking-house, observing at
the time, that as bar.%:ers'clerks were not over accommodating,
he was to take two notes of 10001. each, and the !401. any way,
:anal then to go to the Bank of England, to get notes of 501.
and 301. fur the two 10001. notes, and to meet him at the
Moorgate Coffee-house,, Fore-street. The cheque was paid
by the banker without suspicion, and the large notes having •
been changed at the Bank in the manner desired, the young
man went to the Coffee-house, but no master had conic to meet
• him. After waiting for two hours, in great anxiety, he set off
for Francis-sftcet, and was there informed that his master had
gene out soon after him, and had not la turned. The young
man went a sec.. '.l time to the Moorgate Coffee-house; still no
master, bat he found a note had been left for him, during his
abasce. On opening it it was from his employer, dated the
White-Hari Tavern, Holbarn, corner of Warwick-court,
whither he was desired immediately to repair, where his master
was waiting for him. On his way to Holborn, he was joined
bs a man who forced his conversation on him, and to whom he
related where he 'was going, and what he had been about. They
pasted at the door of the tavern, and the clerk went in to ask
far his master; still no master was or had been there. The
yauog man having been permitted to remain long enough in the
tavern r n. those outside to ascertain that be was not followed by
,any person trom the banking house or Bank of England, the
rson whom he had the conversation with in the street, came
into the house, told him that his master was crossing the way.
Tlse young man looking out saw his master, to whom he went
up, and was ?nos/ graciuz:sly received, and relieved from any
further trouble respecting his charge ; and the, master, to save
troihie, taking the youth's pocket-book, in which were the
I,romising to return it in the morning when he came to
business ; but this trouble was spared bins, by a note which he
teceived the same evening, inclosed in a parcel, in which was
hs pocket book, and two 11. notes. The note expressed that
us:expected business had called the master suddenly from town
for Liverpool, that the two pounds were for the trouble he had
bad ; but that hi; further services would for the present be dis-
pensed with. This strange proceeding awakened suspicion in
the young man's mind, and the following day, by the advice of
seine friends, he went to the banking house, when they first
discovered that the cheque was a forgery.
Another forgery has been committed within these few days,
on a banker in the City, to the amount of 10001, ; and the of-
fender lao 1 ad the ingenuity, it is said, to possess himself .of the
banker's hook, by which means he was enabled to destroy the
false phis check, the only evidence, probably, that could affect •fii

Londuli : and Edited by E. ROCFIF, and Published by JOHN FISHER, No 5, I'ickett-street, Strand, near 'lentple-Bar
anti furvvardt-d by all the New men, the Clerks of Roads) told Luokst:llers tlironhout 11wl-Mitt:4l Kingdom, free of postiv,
tlse Cuuntrya 34d per quarter..