Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-06-02

letters to his fair friends. Mrs Well issued cards
for grand party on one occasion. Her rooms were
brilliantly lighted-the music ready-the supper
prepared-but no guests came. The whole family
were perplexed, but the next day unraveled the
the whole my stery. Some person had counterteIted
the signature of Mrs w and sent an excuse to near
ly every invited saying "that the fete was post
poned on &C count of domestic calamity. Several
other Of those wtless tricks termed a hoax were
PLAYED off, none of which were ever traced to the
proper source. Col T and his family were par
ticularly annoyed and applied to the American CEN
sui the subject That digntary instituted an IN
vestigation but it resulted in nothing satisfactorily
In the fall of 1888 il is believed that Dr. Mott aud
his talented friend returned to this city, and IN the
following spring Mr. Lowndes, though oat OF once,
was consulted by the Directors of the Butchers x
Drovers' Bank, and the officers Of the seventh
Ward Bank. in relation to fraud which had been
perpstrated those I'M titutions. This was SINH
lar trick to that practised on the Merchants and
other banks, by opening two accounts, aud over
drawing them by paying IN checks on each ana
drawing out the credit before the checks could be
presented. Mr.. Lowndes said then that he was
satisfied this fraud committed by the same party
but he was unable to trace it TO him.
In the course of these events, man OF the name
of Douglass under the eye OF the foice OF the
city as forger. This fellow was clever rogue,
and had perpetrated several successful forgeries,
for which it was evident he could not escape the
state prison. Mr.. Lowndes visited Douglass seve
raj times and offered to him some communication of
his punishment provided ne would disclose any
Drake or the other fictitious names which had
been entered on the books OF the banks. Douglass
denied all knowledge of those frauds, and, at the
time, he deemed obstinate fool, and sent for
a long term.
1t would appear that some person has been, from
the time of the first application to Mr. Lowndes,
in the year 1875, in constant correspondence with
that gentleman the subject OF these mysteries;
and that when the recent fOrgeries on the Phia-
delphia banks came to light, the two gentlemen de-
termined to try if they could not fix the guilt on
the proper person
For this parposc they wrote to Philadelphia, and
got description of the person who had drawn the
cheques, and appeared as the managing man Of the
three firms which had overdrawn their accounts to
such an enormous sum. The description given tailed
with the person who was suspected by Mr.. Lowndes
and his friend They then collected together all the
letters of Dr.. Eldrdge they could lay their hands
For this purpose they applied to a number of
ladies', and a mass oil very curious and instructive
MSS. were got together. On comparing these writ
ings with the filling up and signatures of the real
checks, the proof of similarity was irrefragible.
The same character ran throughout, although much
diversity of writing was evident. Armed with this
proof, the three officers of the Philadelphia Banks
were directed to trace out the residence of DR.. Ell
bridge, without Mr.. Lowndes informing them of the
length of his suspicious. With some difficulty they
found out that the Doctor resided in Seventh street.
and their reporting that fact to Mr. Lowndes, the
three officers we're instructed to place themselves
inside house opposite the Doctors, and to if
they could identify any person who should have in
the Doctor three times. That experiment satisfied
them Of his identity, and of the officers of the
bank took the opportunity of his coming out, to in
vte the Doctor, in quiet way, to pay visit to a
sick gentleman close by. The Doctor bowed, and
they reached the residence of an Alderman, in
adjoining street, and there the of his visit was
explained to the astonished M. d.
At first he was indignant spoke of his rcspecta-
BILE connexions, and Of the improbabiity of his hav
ing committed such an offence. Bail to the amount
of $4,000 was asked, and then some of the proofs
of his guilt shown to him it then his spirit FELL
and he gave vent to his feelings in tears. He was
after conveyed TO prison in a coach, but whilst
on the read was seized with vomiting, and it was
feared that he had taken poison.
On searching his lodgings, large portion Of the
identical bank which had been drawn out OF the
Philadelphia banks, were found In secret drawer
Of his writing desk. Forty full suits of clothes
were found in his wardrobe, and set Of jewelry in
tended a wedding present to Miss Platt of that
city, to whom he TO have been married this very
day.
Want Of space prevents our giving any further
passages in the life Of this successful lover fashion
able Nj d. and adroit specimen of the modern school
of inanciers.