The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-01 00:00:00

The Five-Rouble Note Forgery.

This afternoon Nathaniel Holchester, commission mer-
chant, 125, Englefield-road West, Islington ; Jules Bayer,
11, Russell-street, Camberwell, gentleman; Samuel Berens,
general dealer, 14, New-street, Houndsditch ; Abraham
Davis, general dealer, same address ; Goeschen Silberman,
3, Middle-grove-street, Commercial-road- east ; and Phillip
Braun, alias Bloom, 23, Great Portland-street, Marylebone,
die-sinker, were again placed before Mr. Elliot, at the
Lambeth police-court, charged with having in thoir pos-
session 500 forged five-rouble notes of the Imperial Bank

of Russia.
The prisoners were all apprehended in a room in Rus-
sell-street, Camberwell New-road, and a carpet bag was
found there in which were 500 forged notes for five roubles
each on the Imperial Bank of Russia. The principal witness
examined was Joseph Liban, who had given the informa-
tion to the Russian authorities of the wholesale forgery.
Mr. Sleigh said he appeared that day on the part of the
Russian Government to prosecute the prisoners for being
engaged in the fabrication of Russian forged notes, which
he believed had been carried on to an enormous extent.
He should show that the prisoners were acting in connec-
tion with a number of persons now in custody, both in
London and Paris, for the same offence. The principal
evidence he should offer was that of the approver, Joseph
Liban, a native of Galicia, who had himself purchased a
great quantity of the forged notes.
Joseph Liban said—l reside at 1, Brunswick-terrace,
Camberwell. Two or three years ago I became ac-
quainted with Bayer. I met him in Paris last year, and had
a conversation with him about Russian money. Bayer said
he knew the source where the forged Russian paper
money was manufactured. This year I saw him again ; it
was about the month of May, and after this
I came with him to London. He told me that Landinski
had brought the plates to Paris, and that Kuzynna and
Bayer (the prisoner) were to do tha business together, and
that for that purpose Ruzynna had had a large sum
of money. He further said they told him that they had
nearly been discovered by a priest, and that Landinski had
taken the plates in consequence of that to London. Bayer
and I then came to London in Juno last, and we stopped
at the Terminus Hotel, London Bridge. I first saw Lan-
dinski the day after my arrival ; after that he brought
Berrens to me at the railway station, whom Landinski
introduced to me as the maker of the forged paper. I
then began to discuss the matter with them, and they
asked me to purchase some of the forged paper, and showed
me some as samples. They were forged "fivers." I did
not purchase any of them. The next one I saw was
Braun. Landinski and Berrens brought
,him to me at
Spencer's Hotel. Berrens then said, in Braun's presence,
that as he had already made forged notes in Russia and in
London, and that he was going to make some 25-rouble
notes here. I had a great desire at this time to find out the
maker of the notes. I afterwards saw Braun at 75, Cam-
berwell-road, engrave a Russian eagle on an iron plate.
The place, I discovered afterwards, was Bayer's lodgings.
Landinski and Barrens also came in and saw him at
work, At this time I had communicated with
Inspector Thompson. I did so ten days after
my arrival in London. From that time I have constantly
made munication to the police of the proceedings. I
L:erabout
qt four weeks after my arrival in
first saw
e saw Ho
•• Silber after that, and Davis about
Russell-street the first
two Months ago. I first went :2
day the house as taken. I think it Iv.: s the 14th of June.
I was present when some of the prisoners haj. a conversa-
tion about taking the house. It was Bayer, a7rens,
Braun, Landinski, and myself, who were then presern,
The conversation was to the effect that a house
shcaild be taken in a quiet part of the town,
in order that the forged notes might be made
without interruption. I afterwards saw at different
periods the whole of the prisoners visit the house.
The general conversation was about making money, that
is, forged paper. Several forged rouble notes were fre-
quently produced. On one occar;ion Holchester broughtc
a parcel of 500 forged notes to my plac,2 at Brunswick-
-2
i_
terrace, Bayer was there with me. I cannot Pxac"y. say
the date. Bayer took 200 of the notes, and the othe;.i"
were left in my place in order, as he said, to show his
-s con-
fidence in me. Holdchester, three or four days beforedtheynotes
were taken into custody, showed me 1,000 for
n olitroapuenngwteha
es in
but
lhoen
shade,
butthem
he adsida
npoatrcseeleinthhem.
ispolckdeidt.
the thinness of the paper showed what they were. Hold-
chester told me there were 1,000 forged five rouble notes,
and he wanted me to give him £lOO for them. I did not,
and he took them away. After he had gone I told Barrens,
Bayer,
grythwia.tthHllooldidcohheestsetrer wheoetalludsenhoet
yra,runb,eyanwdere
trust The day before the prisoners were taken
had not done a.. in the house in Russell-street. All
into custody I was
Holdchester then brought a
were there except Brain.,
gave them to Bayer. I
packet of 500 forged notes am:
Holdchester say that
did not see any money pass I heart, _
he (Bayer) had paid him neatly all he hawl had, but there
was still a little money due to him. Holck..l.ester
itohlde
Bayer that when he got rich he should consider the.
owed him £lB. I was at Russell-street just before the pri-
soners were taken into custody. All the prisoners were
there except Braun. 1 snit the 500 forged notes (produced)
on the table. There was a conversation going on. Bayer
and I were to go away and take the notes with us.
Mr. Elliott—What for ?
Witness—To put them in circulation.
Mr. Sleigh—Was it not proposed to take the notes to
Baden Baden ?
Witness—l cannot recollect.

In answer to 'Mr. Lewis, who appeared for one of the
Prisoners, the witness said—l have been arrested in Dres-
den for passing forged notes. That was the only time I was
ever in custody in Germany. I was never in custody in
Hamburgh. I was only in custody 10 or 12 days, as
there was nothing proved against me. I have been en-
gaged in discovering the manufacture of these forged
notes at the instance of the Russian Embassy at Dresden.
It was not that Embassy that prosecuted me ; on the con-
trary, they caused me to be liberated. I have had no
money from Inspector Thomson. I have not had the pro-
mise of any.
Mr. Lewis—What, then, did you do it for ?
Witness—l have acted throughout for humanity's sake,
as half Europe has been ruined through these forgeries.
The Russian Embassy has since June paid me 2,000 francs.
1 have not communicated the fact to the Russian Embassy in
London, because I had no directions to do so. I have
been in custody in Galicia for a political offence. I have
paid my expenses over and above the 2,000 f. out of the
20,000 f. I had of my own.
Mr. Lewis wished to know the name of the person who
paid him the 2,000 f., but Mr. Sleigh objected to the ques-
tion. The magistrate said that it might be put, but tho
witness declined to answer it.

Mr. Sleigh said he was informed officially that upwards
of two or three millions of forged money passed through
Russia yearly, and the present inquiry was therefore of the
highest importance. He had to ask that the prisoners be