The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-12-25 00:00:00

DARING rktAlij)
.9 BANK OP

-ACHESTEIi

(Further particulars)

On Saturday morning last, a most extraordinary and auda-
cious fraud was practised upon the Bank of Manchester, by
some person who obtained their letters from the post-office
without authority, with the obvious intention of appropriating
to his own use any remittances which they might contain.
It appears, that, in consequence of the delivery on Satur-
day morning being late, several extra clerks were called to
assist in delivering the letters from the private boxes ; and,
amongst them, one who had had very little previous experi-
ence in that duty, and who, consequently, was by no means
so well acquainted with the persons of those who fire in the
habit of applying for letters. This clerk happened to be sta
tioned just opposite the box appropriated to the letters of the
Bank of Manchester ; and, as soon as the window was raised
to commence the delivery, a young man who stood close to
the window called out the number of that box, which he re-
peated two or three times, as if very impatient to obtain the
letters. The post-office Olerk—who, we believe, was not at
the moment aware that the box in question was that of the
Bank of Manchester, and being somewhat annoyed by the
importunity of the applicant—took out the letters (which

were apparently about twenty in number), all paid or bear-
ing postage stamps, and gave them to him, observing that he
need not be in such a violent hurry. In less than a minute
afterwards, the clerk employed by the Bank of Man-
chester to attend the post-office, who had been waiting
in the lobby for the commencement of the delivery, but
who, from the great crowd, had been unable to make his
way to the window exactly opposite the box, presented
himself at the next window, where another clerk was
serving, and asked for the letters. The clerk went to pro-
cure them ; but found, to his great surprise, that the box
was empty ; and, on inquiry, was informed by the clerk who
had delivered them what had occurred. This was immedi-
ately communicated to the bank-clerk, who, thinking at first
that the matter originated in mistake, looked about in the
lobby, and in the adjoining street, hoping to find the party
who had got possession of the letters, and who, he thought,
might probably discover the error. Not succeeding in this,
however, he returned to the window, and informed the clerk
to whom he had previously applied, and who then gave him
a parcel from London, which, being too large for the box,
had been placed on a shelf beneath it, and, being unknown
to the clerk who had delivered the letters, had fortunately
escaped their fate.
The bank-clerk frnmediately hastened to the bank, where
he related what had happened; though a strong hope was
there entertained that the erroneous delivery had originated
in mistake, and that the letters would be returned to the
office, it was considered necessary to send immediate notice
of the fact to the other' banks, in order that' they might
refuse payment of any cheeks or orders which might be pre-
sented under doubtful circumstances. We understand that
this notice was given at all the banks, except the Branch
Bank of England, which, in the hurry of the Moment, was
overlooked. A clerk was also despatched forthwith to
Liverpool, to put the bankers there upon their guard.
The notices to the different banks in Manchester were de-
livered about ten o'clock; and, about an hour afterwards, a
young man, apparently about eighteen years of age, went to
the bank of Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co. and presented for
payment a check for £47 9s, drawn upon them by Messrs.
Kessler and Co., of this town, in favour of Mr. Samuel Wood
or bearer. This check, pursuant to a practice very common
in London, but scarcely known here, had been " crossed" to
the Bank of Manchester ; that is to say, the words " Bank
of Manchester" had been written across the face of it. thereby
intimating that it was to be paid only to that bank; but the
words had been struck out with ink, the paleness of which
showed that it had been very recently done ; and the words
" Thomas Brown, Preston," had been written beneath them,
apparently with the same ink and at the same time. The
clerk to whom this cheque was presented, saw at once that
it was irregular, and referred the applicant to Mr. Edward
Loyd, who asked him where he had obtained the check.
The young man replied that he had it from Mr. Brown, whose
name was written upon it, with whom he had come from
Preston that morning, and who had sent him to get cash for
it. Mr. Loyd told him that the check could not be paid
without first sending it up to the Bank of Manchester to in-
quire. if it was right ; on which the young man said he would.
go and fetch Mr. Brown ; and he was, most unfortunately,
and we cannot help thinking rather unaccountably, permitted
to depart. Of course we scarcely need add, that neither he
nor " Mr. Brown" ever appeared afterwards, to claim the
check, or the money which it represented.
Messrs. Jones, Loyd, & Co. having sent up the check to
the Bank of Manchester, the lingering hope which had been
up to that time entertained, that the matter might prove to
be a mistake, and the letters be restored, was at once dissi-
pated. No doubt was entertained that the check had been
enclosed in one of the letters which had been surreptitiously
obtained from the post-office; and this conclusion turned out
to be perfectly correct, for the check had been remitted by
the Bury Banking Company to the Bank of Manchester in a
letter, which, in due course, would have been delivered on
Saturday morning. The description of the party by whom
the check had been presented was then obtained from Mr.
Loyd, and the police were set in motion in all directions,
with the view of apprehending him ; but, hitherto, we are
sorry to say, without the slightest success. The offender is
described as being about 18 years of age, 5 feet 2 or 3 inches
high, stout made, with full face, dark and sallow complexion,
with inflamed eyes, and dressed in dark clothes, rather shab-
by, and a black hat. We understand, that the post-office
clerk who delivered the letters did not take such notice of
the person who received them as to be able to give a particu-
lar description of his person ; but he did observe that it was
a young man, with something peculiar about his eyes, so that
there can be little doubt that the letters were received and
the check presented by the same individual.
We are glad to learn, that although the letters thus ob-
tained are known to have contained bills of exchange to a
considerable amount (we understand about £7,000), which
may cause some trouble and inconvenience, it is believed
that the only remittance at all likely to be negotiated by the
offender was a bank post bill for £5O, numbered Y 2-E 6288.
dated London, Oct. 12, 1840, payable to and endorsed by
Croxon and Co., and signed N. Stock. This bill had been
remitted from Holywell to the Bank of Manchester, but
whether specially endorsed or not is at present unknown.
if it was so endorsed, in all probability the publicity which the
affair has obtained will prevent the offender from reaping any
advantage from his most audacious proceeding.
This occurrence has very naturally given rise to much dis-
cussion and speculation as to the propriety of introducing
some change in the mode of delivering letters from the pri-
vate boxes at the post-office. The convenience of those
boxes to parties receiving a considerable number of letters is
so great that they will not readily be dispensed with ; but it
is manifest, that some additional precautions are necessary to
prevent a repetition of frauds like that which we have been
describing ; and we believe some such precautions are in con-
templation at the post-office.

(From the Manchester Chronicle.)

The amount of remittances contained in the letters cannot
at present be correctly ascertained, but we observe that an
advertisement appears in the London Times, of Tuesday, in
which the enclosures in one of the letters, consisting wholly
of bills of exchange, are, described in the following terms :
Last endorsers2Simpson, Rostron, and Co., drawn by
Brown and Bowen, payable by Simpson and Co., accepted by
Brown, Shipley, and Co., Liverpool, dated Philadelphia.
Nov. 28, at 60 days' sight, £95 18s.
Last endorsers—Crafts and Stell, drawn by William Bat-
cock and Son, payable to order, accepted by George Quayle,
Liverpool, dated St. Andrews, Oct. 30, at 90 days' sight,
£250.
Last endorsers—Crafts
and Steil, drawn by Brown Bro-
thers and Co., payable by A. R. WAlpin, accepted by Brown,
Shipley, and Co. Liverpool, dated New York, Nov. 28, at
60 days' sight, £1875 18s. Id.
Last endorsers—Crafts and Stell, drawn by Brown and
Bowen, payable by Crafts and Steil, accepted by Brown,
Shipley, and Co., Liverpool, dated Philadelphia, Nov. 26,
at 60 days' sight, £l4O.
Last endorsers—Crafts and Stell, drawn by L. Millandon,
payable by J. D. Denegre; accepted by C. Tayleur, Son, and
Co. Liverpool, dated New Orleans, Nov. 6, at 66 days'
sight, £5OO.
Last endorsers—Crafts and Stell, drawn by L. Millandon,
payable by J. D. Denegre, accepted by C. Tayleur, Son, and
Co.. Liverpool, dated New Orleans, Nov. 6, at 60 ys' sight,
£473145. Bd.

Last endorsers—Harvey, Tysoe, and Co., drawn by J. D.
P. Ogden and Co., payable by Harvey and Slagg, accepted
by Roskell, Ogden, and Co., Liverpool, dated New York,
Nov. 24, at 60 days sight, £lOO.
Last endorser—A. G. Rose, cashier, drawn by E. Moly.
neux, jun., payable to order, accepted by the Royal Bank,
Liverpool, dated Savannah, June, 2, at 60 days' sight, £5OO.
Last endorser—A. G. Rose, cashier, drawn by E. Moly-
neux, jun., payable to order, accepted by the Royal Bank,
Liverpool, dated Savannah, June 1, at 60 days' sight, £4OO.
Last endorsers—A. Roxburgh and Co., drawn by A. Rox-
burgh and Co., payable to order, accepted by H. C. Smith,
Liverpool, dated Manchester, Dec. 15, at four months',
£273 15s.

Last endorser—Gisborne and Wilson, drawn by Gisborne
and Wilson, payable to order, accepted by Pritchard Bro-
thers, Liverpool, dated Manchester, Dec. 16, at four months',
£3OO.

Last endorser—W. Blinkhorn, drawn by W. Blinkhorn,
payable to order, accepted by Tennants, Clow, and Co., Li-
verpool, dated Bolton, Dec. 12, at four months',..£7oo.
There is more than one point in this transaction worthy of
notice; in the first place, the mail being late, it is extraor-
dinary that the proper messenger was not among the crowd
collected in waiting at the post-office. Yet a stranger pre-
sents himself, vociferates repeatedly the number of the bank
box, and never attracts the notice of the true. Simon Pure.
Again, we understand the notice sent round to the other
banks did not reach Messrs. Loyd's until after the abstracted
cheque had been presented. That vigilant, and respectable
firm had no, ground for mistrust beyond a vague and unau-
thorised rumour, and yet nothing but extraordinary address
and activity of the culprit enabled him to effect his escape.
There may possibly appear room to tax the parties connected
with the Bank of Manchester with a deficiency in that promp-
titude of-action which the circumstances called for ; but as-
suredly no blame can attach to Messrs. Loyd, who, without
any distinct or authentic ground for suspicion, took precau-
tions which were baffled only by the wary nimbleness of the
suspected party.