The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-06-14
NEW YORK. TUESDAY MORNING, JUNE IA, 1912

deceives them and lads them to suppose him per-
son well acquainted with plantng-speaks of his
presence IN Virginia, calls their attention to Mr..
Gray, OF Vrglnia-doubtless we-known in New
Orleans; speaks of the implements he intends to
get; showing that he is well acquainted with Lou
lsiana, Arkansas and with all the business of cotton
planting-acquainted, In short, with the circum-
stances, mode, and manner of planting life, and
all the pecuarities of the southern section of our
country. Turning to Brown Brothers IL Co., we
find this same person exhibiting a remarkable ac-
quaintance with mercantile transactions at the
| north He writes TO Brown Brothers and Co. as
New Orleans merchant would write to a New York
merchant. He mentions the number of bales of
cotton, the number of pounds (465 ,06O) no doubt
that corresponds with the average weight of cotton
bales. The quality is spoken of in technical terms
The request OF bills OF exchange to be drawn onMaun-
sell, White * Co., IN case Brown Brothers & Co.
should incline TO give this man the accommodation
he asked, is given in the usual technical terms.
press on your memory the mind which animated
this plst The letter is successful. Brown, Broth.
ers 0 Co., whose transactions are the world,
are equally deceived with Maunsel, White e. Co.,
and letter is received from their CONFIDENTIAL clerk
accepting the proposal of Maunsel, White & Co.
Then we will find Caldwell writing them the letter
which was the immediate introduction to the fraud
| He sends them on two bills Of $4,000 EACH and re-
quests them to be discounted, and the funds RENTED
| to- HIM, and sending them order on the cotton,
which he says II they wish could be transmitted to
their correspondent In Liverpool, showing here an
acquaintance with the agents of the house abroad
The funds were then transmitted, and this man,
whoever he Is, receives tnen, pockets the
ceeds. Still the plot is not complete, and to other
portions OF Il your attention must be directed, as
| pointing out the individual who consummated the
fraud He has received the money, and now
| ton. He has got the dangerous gift of checks
| payable by banks to the order of John
p. CALDWELL and he has got to encounter the Argus
eyes OF bankers whose attention is of course espe-
clally directed to persons drawing large sums of
money But all these difficulties this person sur
mounted by dexterlty and address equal to thai
ingenuity and skill by which the first part Of the
plot was concocted stranger 'presents himself
| one morning at the bank in Baltimore he is chal-
enged and is told that the checks which he offers
cannot be paid he presents himself at another
bank, and the same objection is made he will not
| be paid, because he is not known. These obec-
tons he met with the ready address of the most
consummate artist. He was not offended-he was
not lond nor overbearng-he showed no uneasiness
at objections with which all men of business are
familiar he received the objections with strict pro-
prlety-expresses his regret that he is not known
and proposes 10 bring the best evidence. He goes
70 Mr. George Brown, and he satisfies the bankers
He talks to them about gold he easily leans over
the counters he carries off throughout with an ele
CANT nonchalance which entirely deceves them: he
plays the same finished part with the banks in Vir-
glnia; he receives the money and the plot complete
Now, who was the person who done all this! Cir
cumstances point to an individual, and certainly it
would be surprising if one in whom all these met
We're not found guilty The criminal in this case
must have been well acquainted with the south and
New York-he must have been a person of ready
address-of striking personal appearance-of great
presence OF mind-and Of most imperurbable COM
least, some advance is made in this investigation
which we are endeavorlng to conduct. Before
leave this matter, would remark however, that
when said this plot was completed when John p.
very material point yet remained to be DONE He
had got notes from the banks in Virginia and Bati-
nlore.,,they might have what lawyers call Scar
mark" Gold could not be identfed-the notes
ha LoJ
taken ,s6 large bills N Virginia and also in Bat
more. THOSE oiiis, from peculiar circum-
can banking institutions, could not be negotiated
abroad. Could suppose person like him to have
forgot anything, would say he made an error in
getting SO large bulls He should have got smaller
ones, which could have been more easily transfer
red This person then had another part yet to per-
fom, He had got the. money-he had SO far per-
fected his plot, with dexterity that excites admra
done all. He had to change these bills into funds
which would not attract notice, and could not be
traced retired country place could not afford the
many eyes on him, and therefore the natural re-
sources were Philadelphia or New York. Gentle
tlemen, how far does the proof 60 in this case
Positive testimony as; TO the commital of the
crime which naturally and of course seeks secresv
Nevertheless handwriting presents testimony which
nearly approaches positive proof. Before proceed
ing to mat point let me Tema-k that to my mind i
But see nothing incompatible with that idea that the
person may have had the assistance of subordinates
And another thing may say is, that the person who
had the consummate ability to effect these plans
who had countenance not muscle of which NOV
ed and nerves equal to the emergency of any occa-
sion-he would be wanting to himself if, when ar
rested and brought before any tribunal he would not
exhibit well CONSTITUTED defence That dexterity
is not gone-that memory which took such accurate
note oftime-which knew the arrival of the post and
the departure of the mails, and when letter should
reach Its destination, and when answer would
come back-which arranged any detail with, as
might say inn the words of the counsel, the dexte-
rty of Napoleon-al these are still active, and YOU
need not be surprised that that person, whoever he
ing to the ingenuity and talent which char
acterIzed the crime for which he is tried
Now, as to the handwriting, Lewis Tappan says
that ne thinks the letter to MaunselI, White IL Co.,
signed II. s. Hill, is in the handwriting of Monroe
Edwards: Recorder Vaux, in his evidence, says he
has no doubt that il is Monroe Edwards hand
writing Now, what are the opportunities these
whether il resembled those given in evidence.
Lewis Tappan had received notes but he said he |
was not sure whether he had ever seen him write.
but ne thought he had. AT all events, he had re-
ceived several notes which he knew to be his from
the fact of their being received by his boy Henry as
he was called. Recorder Vaux had seen him |
write. often and had good opportunities of form
being his. vaux is confident it is written by him. |
Again, gentlemen, there are others who say. and |
very justly, too that the letters signed MaunseIl.
White d Co. and those signed John p Caldwell, are
said to belong to one person or another But, gen.
tlemen, it IL nevertheless fact, that there NAV be
discovered in disguised handwriting peculiariiies
which will enable you to distinguish the writer. |
There may be an idiosyncracy of the writer-a Pc
culiar personal character given to word or to some
words which may lead to the detection of the |
writer; Again, on the other hand, gentlemen, you |
have the testimony ofSamue Ellis, a witness whose
4 N md nm rhoox
evidence the defence have relied to prove his hand
writing IN important instances, and he does not be-
llevc 1t to be the handwriting of Monroe Ed
circumstance to which will direct your attention
for although it is slight circumstance, still is NV
duty TO direct your attention to it, as it may assist
you ~ arriving at or discovering the author OF these
forged letters This the alleged peculiarly in the
spelling Of The word few ,, In the forced Letter