Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-29

LARGE Ayp SYSTEMATIC FoRGERIEs.-Much 10 the
a,onishment Of the gentleman whose respectable name
has been used ms also of the officers Of the bank it
ascertained on Wednesday that numerous and extern
siye forgeres had been committed on several of the
banks Of this city by persons who heretofore had borne
an unsuled reputation in the commercial world. 1t ap-
peared that the endorsements these notes Of the
amounts Of 5000, Of $4,000 and Of $4,000, purportlng
to have been endorsed by Mr.. John Johnson, OF the
firm Of Messrs. Boormnn * Johnson, and which had
been discounted By the National Bank of this city al
different dates for Mlessrs Kirk * Johnson-were for
geries.
1t appeared from the statements made, that Mr. John
Johnson had been in the habit ofendorsing the notes OF
Messrs Kirk &; Johnston, commission merchants, o.!
l3 Front street. house in good repute, and the men,
bers oil which were John G.. Kirk and George John
sion Jr.-and that the other, or both, OF the
members of this last named firm had avalled them
selves Of the facilities thus afforded them to forge and
counterfeit the name of Mr. John Johnson Of the firm
of Boorman & Johnson, endorsements to their notes,
which from the unexceptionabe character OF the pa
per were discounted without difficulty. The forge
RES however doomed 10 the light tor as some
of the notes thus purpong to be endorsed, were not
paid at maturity, Mr.. John Johnson became acquainted
with the fact al the National Bank, and the endorse
ments of the three notes, amounting to $4,000, de-
cared to be fogeres also others that have been paid
In consequence of this discovery Mr. Johnson having
made affidavit of the forgery of his signature, and Mr.
Jas Gaalin, President of the National Bank having
evening, that magistrate issued his warrant for the ar
rcst Of Mr. George Johnston, Jr, Of the firm Of Kirk
and Johnston, Of l37 Front street. and lie arrested
at late hour Of that night, at his house, III Grand
street. by officers Bowyer and McGrath, and committed
to prison for examination. MIR. Kirk could not be
found by the officers up to late hour on Thursday eve
ming.
II was also stated by of the Judges, that other
forneries of the nsme by the person persons
above charged have been discovered to the amount Of
sis 900 the Butchers and Drovers Bank; for
siderable aso on the Bank of America-besides on
some other Banks-the whole amounting to about
$50 900. Both Mr.. George Johnston, Jr., and his
partner Mr. Kirk, held in high repute prior TO the
discovery these transactions which, it is alleged have
been going for three years more, by forging
bank 10 make payment for snother-N Y. Express.
Another account states that on Thursday, Mr.. Kirk
offered TO broker note OF his firm FOR $4,000, pur-
porting TO be endorsed by John Johnston-this was
declined but with intima,IOn that a note for n
smaller amount endorsed by the house instead of
Of lis partners, would be bought. Accordingly Mr..
Kirk soon returned with note fo- THREE thousand
dollars, endorsed by Boormun, Johnston & Co, which
he was told TO leave and call for the money in an
hour Meanwhile the note sent to Bnorman and
Johnson, who pronounced it forgery. Kirk did not
return and upon further nvestga,ion the ether for.
geries we're brought to light.