The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-09-14
Examination and Confession OF Young
Saunders.

merding ~ Co, charged win the commission Oh
recent forgeries the several Banks OF Wall
street, was brought before Justice Matsell OF the
Lower Police, yesterday morning, for examlna-
| ton As he has obtained so great notoriety,
| everything in connection with HIM, and with his
brief career OF crime, will be read with avidity, and
therefore we give his examination at length
Though but seventeen years of age, he has the
talent of q man much older, and if his prospects
had not been destroyed by the act which has
brought him tol prison, he might have pursued an
honorable and successful career through life. He
has fascinating manner and appearance, is exceed
insly vivacious and genlemanly in his demeanor,
but 1t evident that he glories In the sensation he
has created, and has no of shame for the stain
OF quit which rests upon him. nor any regrets for the
fu'ure consequences of his crime When arrested
by othcer Capp at Boston, he attempted to evade the
admission of his identity; but when he found denial
no longer available, he bedy, and rather boasting-
~, SAID, Yes, am Saunders, THE GREAT FoReER."
He tells the story of his and his previous pro-
ceedlngs In New York, Albany, and Boston, with
great ioyousness On his way to this city, In the
custody OF officer Ke,linfer, he was asked why he
did not get more money from the Manhattan Bank,
and he laughingy replied "Why, Bob White stuck
them pretty WELL so thouaht would let them up"
Simple this Incident may be, it affords sufficient
evidence of the looseness of morals such subjects
which his intercourse with Wall street has pro-
duced
II he had succeeded in getting away in the Great
Western his plans were TO remain in London, until
rejeined by Ragee, who was to exchange the notes
since found in the box, and follow him in the pack
Ell OF the 9th of October He was confident that he
could remain in London without detection, notwith-
standing he was of the vigilance of the police
He intended to take private lodgings in Piccadily,
or some other more tired quarter, and with the
aid OF a dark wig, with which he was prepared,
(and l. Is now in the possession OF officer Clapp,)
and some composition to dye his eyebrows and 9TH
erwise change his complexion, which he had pur
chased, he could;defy Identification; if. however
England "should become too hot for him" his in
tcntion waste proceed to Amsterdam, where "she-
male" friend of Ragee, as he jestingy designated
her, resided, TO whom he had letter of introduc.
ton. He however preferred London, with which
he has some acquaintance, especially, as in Amster-
dam he should ave found some difficulty on &C.
count Of the language of that place, which he is
not able 10 speak.
II is evident this youth has much romance in his
composition. He has been for some time consider.
ably stagestruck, and Mrs. Ragee made his stage
dresses; he speaks more especially of his Claude
MelnOtte dress, which entirely of her manufac.
ture. But this romantic disposition will appear more
particularly by the recital of half formed determi-
nation of his, while in Boston As the newspapers
which announced the commission of the foreeries,
also stated that he had effected his escape in the
Great Western, he thought he could return to
New York with the aid of his disguise, take
lodgings at the Globe Hotel, promenade Broad
way, Wall street, the front of his employers
residence, and other places, and listen to the
marvellous stories that might be told of him
in the streets, and of the forgeries which he had
committed, He, however, did not put this design
into execution, but took passage for New Orleans.
He now begui!es his solitary hours by reading
"Webster's speeches, (which must be admitted TO be
instructive matter for person in his circumstances
especially those on banks and the currency
He deems Ragge's denial of his guilt and his at
tempt TO implicate his wife alone, by represen ing
that she and Saunders were TOO intimate, as mean
in the extreme, and he positively denies that any
improper intimacy ever took place between him and
Mrs Ragee.
While admitting Ragee's ''snartness'' in some
things, he speaks OF him centemptuously as an agent
for the effecual Accomplishment of such business
as the obtaining of money by forged checks The
or ginal design was that Ragee should present the
checks in disguise, but his nerves failed him, and
Saunders had TO do that part of the business himself
and the advantages he says, were in his favor, for
he was known al the banks, though some old stupid
cashers-one Of whom wears a wig questioned
him to ascertain whether he was with the firm
whose checks were presented.
He is very communicative and appears wholly de-
void of care he has apparent thought or anxiety
about the result of his trial. and he really does not
consider that he has been rendering some merito-
rious servicesto the community, he most assuredly
does not feel any faint of guilt be sensible of his
Disgrace and ruin.
The examination was taken in the Magistrates
private room, by Mr.. Justice Mstsell, by whom he
was advised of his right 10 decline answering any
question which he thought proper not to answer, but
he went through his examination without evasion
and with great firmness His examination was as
folOws:-
@ Your age, occupation and residence?
A Il shall be seventeen years In December next;
resided last al 6S Duane street, and have been in
the employ of Austen, Wilmerding & Co. as a
clerk
Q-Look at the check now shown you and say
whether you presented Il for payment at the Bank
OF Commerce In New York on or about the 3lst
day OF August last past I?
Ayes sir did, and received the money for it
from the teller.
Q.-Bad you at the time of presenting it for pay
ment any knowledge of its being aforged check2
Al had, sir.
Odd you know by whom it was forged9
Ayes, sir
Q.-Can you name the personl
A -benry Ragee is the person who forged it.
Q.--How do you know the fact of his having
be EN- the forger!
A-Some time last winter became acquainted
with HIM at 4S Maiden lane, where!we both boarded
| During the inter- we became intimate, and the
subject OF forging the checks of my employers was
matter OF frequent conversation between ms
| finally procured some old checks of the Union
| Bank, which had been paid and returned, and from
| these checks he Obtained knowledge of the sigma
ture of Mr. Wllmerding and Mr.. Priest. and have
seen him practice in copying them. We rsncocted
a plan for forging number of checks and TO large