Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-12-05
ALEXANDRIA, Nov. 90.
VILLAINY DETECTED

On Wednesday last Mr.. John g. Laid a
respectable merchant of this town, received
letter from person signing himself William
Page enclosing check purporting to have
been drawn by the cashier of the Mcohan-
MICS Bank of Baltimore on the Bank of Po-
tomack for Eight Thousand Five Hundred
and Fifty Dollars, stating that he wished to
invest the amount in -four, and that he should
employ him to do the business for him. Mr..
Ladd carried the Check to the Bank where
1t was regularly carried to his credit with
out any suspicion of its genuiness by Mr..
Ladd or the Bank officers. Yesterday per-
son by the name of Henry Gales presented
to MIR. Ladd an order from the aforesaid
WIN. Page for Eight Thousand Five hundred
dollars, being SO dollars less than the origi-
nal check, stating that he had changed his
mind as to the purchase of -four as his vessel
could not get here, and requested him to pay
the above to Mr.. Gales. Mr.. Ladd thought
it strange that the order should be drawn
for less than the check, but gave Mr. Gales
his check for the amount of the order, and
followed him to the Bank, The teller of the
Bank was in act of paying the check, when
Mr.. Ladd entered and requested the original
check might be examined, which on refer
ence to by the Cashier was pronounced to
be forgery. While this was transacting,
Mr.. Gales attempted to make his escape,
but was Immediately followed and taken and
we are happy to say, together with a com
panion of his has been committed to Jail, to.
await the justice of his country for so daring
an attempt at villainy.
-z:s:s :ns--
BALTIMORE, Nov. 80.
Esraet to the differentiated
WASHINGTON, Nov. %.
"By the director of the mint's report,
fy.an trJ .rt hah 10, H., T.
rotary Gallatin, it appears
"l. That the gold coins of Great Britain
and of Portugal are all uniformly of the
same quality, and exactly equal to that of
the gold coins of the United States; and
therefore their intrinsic value is at the rate
of 100 cts. for 81 grains, or 80 30 cents
per dwt.
eli. That the gold coins of France are all
very nearly of the same quality. The av-
erage from the assay recently made being
81 Sill nearly, will give their value at
the rate of 100 cents for 81 37-100 grs. or
81 37-100 cents per dwt.
III. That the gold coins of Spain are
somewhat variable in their qualities The
average being 20 8 2-7, will give their in
trinsic value at the rate of 1000 cents for
90 $500 grs or 81 I2-1o0 cents per dwt.
CIV. That the intrinsic value of the French
crown, supposing its weight Is dwts. IL
grs.is 10 1-100 cents and that of the ecu
or five franc piece of Napoleon, surprising
its weight 10 dwts. 9 grs. (Which is very
nearly the average) 90 14-100 cents.
CIV. That the silver coins of Spain are We
ny nearly of the same uniform quality.
The average being 10 or. IS dwts. 2 grs.
nearly, will give the intrinsic value Of the
Spanish dollar, if of the full weight of IL
dwts. z grs. at 100 24-l0o cents"
"The report Of the director Of the mint,
from which the above is an extract, gives
the precise weight and value of the gold and
silver coins of England, France, Spain and
Portugal, as stamped at different dates. To
| the banks and those who deal with them as
we'll as to merchants general, the informa-
ton now communicated may be useful.
Z" The proceeds of the sale of.the cargo Of
the Hero, which was sequestered in Holland,
but restored to the owners by the French
emperor, amounted to about 70 900 dollars.
| This sum was applied to the payment of in
terest on the Louisiana debt in Holland, and
has been reimbursed at the treasury Of the
| u. States to merchants resident in this coun-
| try. The debt for Louisiana has been called
the Dutch debt, because it is, in whole or in
part, due to Dutch houses, who purchased
it from Bonaparte"