Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-04-30
From the Massachusetts SDy.
SURPRISING DISCLOSURES

II
/ SURPRISING DISCLOSURES.
Several instances of fraud, forgery and
?. burglary, have taken place within
the last six months, evlncing adrOItness
and skill rarely equalled in this country,
and which have not often been excelled by
I the most accomplished adopts IN the old
world BY the yigilence of the New York
I Police, several of the ringleaders have
/ been apprehended, and are now in a fair
way of meeting their deserts, while such
/ information has been obtained as will, It
/ is believed, lead to the detection and arrest
I gilmore. Itappears that there was a gang,
I regularly organized, and extending thro'
I the whole country, with their committees
I of correspondence and yigilence at every
point where they could be of any USE
Some singularly remarkable clrcumstan-
ces have grown out of these transactions,
of which the following is as brief a detail
as we can GIVE, consistently with the va
riety of the facts related.
Iu the course of the last fall, several
stores, belonging to some of the first mer-
chants in New York, were broken open
and piludered OF money, paper and other
valuable property, to a large amount.
One ofthese was that ofG. q. e. s. How
land. which was broken open on the night
of the 18th October. On the 10th, a
check. purporung to be signed by that firm,
for seven thousand seven hundred and
sixty dollars, was presented at the Union
Bank and paid. 1t was soon ascertaIned
to be a forgery, and discovered that the
bills. (which were of a large den0mInatOn)
jnwbich It had been paid, had been eXchan-
ged atthe IT, States Branch and the Chem
ical Banks. There can be little doubt
that it was ascertained, when Howland's
store was broken open, from their books,
that they had funds in the Union Bank;
and at the same time, probably, their sig
nature was found, and the means thus OBJ
tanned for counterfeting it. Several per
sons were arrested on suspicion, among
them was Timothy B Redmond, keeper
of the United States Hotel in Pearl street,
ON whom suspicion fell, from his resem-
blance to the person who presentented the
check. But on examination they were all
discharged
A few weeks after, q man was arreSed
. at OF near Wilmington, Delaware, in whose
possession was found a large amount IN
money: among which were several bills
which were identified as some of those
which were given at the branch bank in
EXCHANGE for those received on account of
the forged check. This person proved to
be be David Ware, well known in New
York MS anold offender. After being two
days To- prison in the city, and having
communication with his brother and other
persons, he sent for a police officer, and
informed him that Redmond was the per
son who broke open the Howlands' store,
and that he also presented the forged
check at the Union Bank; that, after the
money was obtained, he came on board
I the steam packet at the wharf and divi-
. ded the money with him, Ware, and anoth-
/ or person.
On this evidence, Redmond was again
arrested, and so strong were the circum-
stances against him. that. although he had
/ hitherto sustained an irreproachable char
ac.er, me was unable TO procure bail for
/ his appearance at Court, and was commit
ted to prison. In consequence of this,
. his establishment, ON which he had eXpen-
. ded $4,000 I'm furnishing and fitting 1t
. t0accommodate company, was broken up,
/ and his business brought to a close. He
was committed 10 prison on the DID No
yember, and broughtto trial on the 18th
January. On his trial Ware swore again
. to his passing the check, and TO their de
yidmg the money, as before stated.-The
tellers of the three banks, before named,
swore to their belief that Redmond was
/ the man who passed the check and got
the bills changed. On the other hand IT
was proved that there were one or more
I persons IN the city, who so nearly resem-
/ bled Redmond, that they were frequently
mistaken for him. even by his particular
/ acquaintance. But the most conclusive
/ testimony in his favor was that Of a num-
her of persons, employed 10 his family.
who swore that, on the 18th of October
/ the day the check was passed, he took ply
sic, and was confined to the house during
the day, and could not have been absen
without their knowledge. The jury, there
fore found verdict of Not Guilty. Red
mond now. more fully to clear up his owl
/ character, entered a complaint agains
. Ware forperiury; and he was ordered to
trial at March term of the Sessions Cour
I'm New York.
i Things remained thus, when in the for
part Of February. post note Of the Me
! chanics' Bank in New York, purpOrtln.