The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-02 00:00:00

The Fifty-Rouble Itiote Forgery.
Th. following appeared in our third edition of las
evening :

The case against the prisoner Anceney, wL o was charged
with being concerned in the manufacture of an immense
quantity of fictitious notes for 50 roubles on the Bank
of Russia, was completed this afternoon at the Marlborough-
street Police-court.

The case has been fully reported in The Sun. It will De
recollected that the prisoner Anceney had occupied a house
at Datchet, and that there Inspector Thomson and Ser-
geant Mulvany captured a printing press, some rough
copies of the forged notes, and a variety of photographic
plates, from which the notes had been struck. There was
a man named Nicholas, in whose apartments a box con-
taining some more plates were found, but it was believed
that he was not at all 'concerned in the forgery. Sergeant
Mulvany, to-day, said, in addition to his evidence, that he
was left in charge of the house at Datchet after the pri-
soner had been taken into custody, and that he had found
another lithographic stone, upon which was the form of a
Russian note for 50 roubles, and also an envelope addressed
"M. de Mascaras," and that the press and other articles
were all directed Mr. B. Anceney, London, in the same
handwriting as the envelope.

The magistrate discharged Nicholas, and fully committed
Anceney for trial.

Th 3 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 their 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 thil
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 the business together, and
that for that purpose Kuzynna 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 June 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 Berrens also came in and saw him at
work, At this time I had communicated with
Inspoetor Thompson. I did so ten days after
my arrival in London. From that time I have constantly
made communication to the police of the proceedings. I
first saw Holchester about four weeks after my arrival in
London. I saw Silberman after that, and Davis about
two months ago, I first went to Russell-street the first

day the house was taken. I think it was the 14th of June.
I was present when some of the prisoners had a conversa-
tion about taking the house. It was Bayer, Berrens,
Braun, Landinski, and myself, who were then present.
The conversation was to the effect that a house
should 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 occasion HOlchester brought
a parcel of 500 forged notes to my place at Brunswick-
terrace, Bayer was there with me. I cannot exactly say
the date. Bayer took 200 of the notes, and the other 300
were left in my place in order, as he said, to show his con-
fidence in me. Holdchester, three or four days before they
were taken into custody, showed me 1,000 forged notes.

He had them as a parcel in his pocket. Braun was in the

house, but he did not see them. I did not open them, but
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,
Davis, Braun, and Bayer, that Holdchester would not
trust me. They were angry with Holdchester because ho

had not done so. The day before the prisoners were taken

into custody I was in the house in Russell-street. All
were there except Braun. Holdchester then brought a
packet of 500 forged notes and gave thorn to Bayer. I
did not see any money pass. I heard Holdchester say that
he (Bayer) had paid him nearly all he had had, but there
was still a little money due to him. Holdchester told
Bayer that when he got rich he should consider that he
owed him £lB. I was at Russell-street just before the pri-
soners were taken into custody. All the prisoners were
there except Braun. I saw 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
ilamburgh. 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 Juno paid me 2,000 francs.
1 have not communicated the fact tothe 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 the
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
remanded to the latest day allowed by law, as the task of
collecting the evidence was very
The magistrate acquiesced, and the prisoners were ac-
cordingly remanded. difficult.

" CHANSONS des Rues et des Bois" is the title of
Victor Hugo's forthcoming volume of poems.—The Reader.
A HITHERTO unknown pianoforte composition of
Beethoven is reported to have been discovered by Profes-
sor Nohl, of Munich— a piece in A minor, written in the
composer's gwn hand, and inscribed " Pour Elisa, April
2

•
FRENCH MARRIAGE LAWS.—The Civil Tribunal
of the Seine has just given judgment in a suit for
declaring illegal a marriage contracted under the following
circumstances :—ln 1860 a young man named Cairo, only
19 years old, became enamoured of a young person named
Bertrand, two years his junior. As Cairo's mother refused
to consent to his marrying so young, he persuaded his in-
tended to go with him to Rome and get married there.
With this view he obtained from Mgr.Mazenod, Bishop of
Marseilles, a dispensation of banns, by which that prelate
authorised " any priest at Rome or elsewhere " to celebrate
the marriage. The young couple were accordingly married
on the 17th August, 1860, at the Church of Santa Maria
Sopra Minerva, at Rome, without any of the civil formali-
ties required by the French law. They afterwards returned
to France, and lived together as man and wife at Paris and
Marseilles without apprising their friends of the step they
had taken. It appears that wedlock did not offer them the
charms they expected, for both of them now applied to
have their marriage declared invalid. After hearing coun-
sel, the tribunal declared that, as the formalities required
by the French law had not been fulfilled, the marriage was
null and void, and ordered each party to pay a moiety of
the costs of the suit.

THE GREAT ItIISSIAN BANK NOTE
FoiNERIES.