The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-07
ARREST OF EDWARDS, ALIAS CALDWELL
THE GREAT FORGER.
PHILADELPHIA, October 2.

The individual charged with being guilty Of the re-
cent extensive forgcrcs upon Messrs. Brown, Bro
TIERS & Co. and upon Messrs. Fletcher, Alexander,
& Co, Of Liverpool through their agent Edgar Cor
RE Jr ESQ., of New York, arrested in this city on
Saturday last, and is now in Moynmenslng prison,
awaiting the requisition of Governor Seward II will
be remembered that time since, the forgsr adj
dressed letters to Brown and Brothers. and several
other eminent firms, stating that he had been lef
large property al Rio and asking them for the names
of their correspondents at that place, through whom
he could transact business Most Of the houses de-
clned transactions of the kind because Of the want of
proper references On the 10th of August, however,
Messrs. Brown Brothers, Il Co. and Mr.. Ciibborn,
formerly the agent Of Messrs. Fletcher, Alexander,
Co, received letters from Mcssrs Maunce, White,
& Co., of New Orleans, introducing to their acquaint-
ance and commencing to their attention in the most
kindly terms, Mr.. John P. Caldwell, who was des-
crbed as planter of the highest character IN the
South and every way entitled to consideration and
confidence. These letters stated that Messrs. Maun-
cell, White, g. Co. had on hand about thousand
bales Of cotton, the property Of Mr. Caldwell and his
mother, and that he Caldwell, authorized to draw
on them for any amount not exceeding sS3O,OOO.-
The letters of introduction were written with great
art and tact upon the kind paper usually used
by the New Orleans firm, and various commercial
phrases were introduced, which, together with the
coseness of the imitation OF the handwriting, must
have deceived the most vigant. Correspondence was
Immediately opened between the pretended Southern
planter, Caldwell, and Messis. Brown, Brothers. &
Co, as well as Mr.. Corie, to whom Caldwell had
been referred by Mr. Clibborn the agency of Fletcher
Alexander, & Co. having passed into his (Corrie's)
hands. The matter thus in train, Caldwell enclosed
each of the houses above named order on Messrs.
Mauncell, White & Co. of New Orleans, for the one
thousand bales of cotton, and drew upon them for
about $25 900 each. These drafts were accepted and
cashed In one instance the money was enclosed md
forwarded to Caldwell at Fredericksburg and in the
other 10 Alexandria He received the two amounts
and had the cool assurance TO return letters thanking
the houses for their prompncss and attention to hs
business.
Mauncell, White & Co. of New Orleans, those gen
tlenen not little astonished and immediatel,
replied that they knew no such man Ms Caldwell tina
they had no such cotton as was described, had neve
written any such letters of init oduction and in short
pronounced the whole affair a fraud. The roguer,
thus detected and the gentlemen who had beer
arttully plundercd Immediately conferred with thu
police Of New York and Philadelphia, consulted ont
or two legal advisers and attempted TO ferret out thu
villain
About the beginning of last week, the gentlemen
TO whom the matter cotfded had their suspicion
excited and put Their wis IL work well to weave
chain of testimony AS To identify the logger. On Fri
day the Mayor of New York also b, came active 4
discover the Whereabouts of person whose al nam
is believed To be Monroe Edwards and whose conduc
had exceJ no little distrust. MI. O. w. Lowndes
the well known and efficient police magistrate of n
York, tracked Edwards TO this CITY, arrived here oi
Esq ofthe Philadelphia Bar Together, they succeed
ed al about o'clock in the afternoon, through th
medium Of the post Office in ascerIaInng that I'D
wards resided at boarding house Ia Front street
They forthwith obtained the necessary warrant fiou
Recorder Vaux, and, with the assistance of fiigl
Constable William Young arrested the suspected in
dnhlull He made no resistance whatever, aud ap
pearcd perfectly self possessed. He is about 80 year
of aye, five feet eight inches high, good looking ant
gsncel in his appearance He is a native OF ken
lucky but has resulted the most OF his life in Loulsans
and Mississippi lie has also been in Texas, which
republic, II IL believed, he compelled to leave in
consequence of a fraudulent attempt with regard Il
some slaves HIS letters in te,tion to this matter
quite cGrostes. About S4i 0uo were found in hi.
trunk 532 900 in notes aud the rest in gold. The
testimony against hun is strong HIS counsel j.
George VI Dallas, Esq and the houses forged upon
have engaged William M. Meredith and Joseph X
Hat, E>qrs He has beca in New York aud Bat.
IN, re- since he obtained the money, and intended ic
les,c tie city on Sunday morning Tor New Orleans
Il thought that he acted IN the affair without con
hlcfstcs,
! he accused was yesterday AFTERNOON taken ocf,r'