The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-04-24

effected. These scenes were
enacted Notes to . large A.
were thus circulated, lottery tickets
purchased, and M. Brank-slways in a
coach, with bis face studiously concealed
was ever ready on the spot TO receive
them. The surprise Of the servsnt was
somewhat excited; but had be known that
from the period be left bis master to pur-
chase the tickets, one female figure accom-
panied all his movements; and that when
he entered the Offices, it waited at the door
peeped cautiously in at the window, hover
ed around him like second shadow, watch
ed him carefully, and never left him until
once more he was in tho company Of bis
employer-that surprise would have been
greatly increased. Again and again were
these extraordinary scenes realized. At
last the bank obtained clew, and the SER
want was taken into custody. The direc-
tors imagined that they had seemed the ac-
tor Of go many parts that the food OF forged
notes which had inundated that establish.
ment would at length be damed up at it's
source. Their hopes proved fallacious, and
i, was found that ssOld Patch, )" as the mys-
terious forger was. from the servants des-
crip,ion, named, bad been sufficiently Gle.
yer TO battle the bank directors. The house
in Litchfield street was searched, but Mr.,
Brank had deserted il. and not trace Of a
single implement Of forgery was to be
seen.
All that could be obtained was some lii.
tie knowledge Of "Old Patch's" proceed
ings. Il appeared that he carried on bis
paper coming entirely by himself. His
only confident was his mistress. He was
his own sngraver. He even made bis own
ink and manufactured bis own paper
With private press be worked his own
notes; and coun,erfeited the signatures Of
the cashiers completely. But these discov-
cries had no effect, for it became evident
that Mr. Patch had set up elswhere. Al
though bis secret continued ;mpenetrable,
his notes became as plentiful as ever
Five years of unbounded prosperity ought
to hive satisfied him; bnt it did not. Sue
cess seemed to pail him. His genius was
ofthat insatisble order, which demands new
excitements, and a constant succession Of
new flights. The following paragraph from
a paper of 1869 relates to the same indivi-
dual,
t.On the 2S,h December, ten pounds was
paid into the bank. for which the clerk, as
usual, gave ticket to receive a bank note
Of equsI value. This ticket ought TO have
been carried directly to the cashier, instead
of hich the bearer took it home, and cur
iously added an 0 to the original sum, and
returning, presented it so altered to the
cashier. for which he received note ofone
hundred pounds. In the evening the clerks
found deficiency in the accounts; and on
examining the tickets Of the day, not only
that but two others were discovered to have
beer altered in the same manner. In the
one, the figure was altered to a, and in
another to 5, by which the artist received
upon the whole, nearly one thousand
pounds
To that princely felony, Old Patch, as
will be seen in The sequel, added smaller
misdemesnors which one would think far
beneath his nntice; except to convince him
selfand bis mistress Of the unbounded facil-
ity &c his genius for fraud.
At that period the affluent public were
.addled with tax on plate, and many ex'
periments were made to eyade. Among
others, one was invented BY Mr.. Charles
Price. stock-iobber and lottery Office keep.
er, which for time puzzled the axgath-
erer. Mr.. Charles Price lived in great
style, gave splendid dinners, and did every
thing on the grandes, scale. Yet Mr..
Charles Price had no plate! The author
tiles could no, find even so much as sill
yer tooth-pick upon his magnificent premis-
es. In truth, what he was too cunning to
possess he borrowed. For one Of bis sump-
tuons entertainments, he hired the plate Of
a silyersmith in Corn-hill, and left the value
in a bank note. as security for its safe re-
turn. One Of those notes having proved
forgery, was traced to Mr.. Charles Price;
and Mr.. Charles Price was not to be found
at that particular juncture. Although this
excited no surprise-for he was often an
absentee for short periods---bu, in due
course and as formal matter OF business,
an officer was sent to find him. and to ask
an explanation respecting the false notes.
After tracing Inon whom he had strong
notion was Mr.. Charles Price. through
countless lodgings and innumerbe disgnls-
es, the officer-to use bis own expression--
Mr.. Charles Price. Bat as MIR.
Charge observed, his prisoner and his prison.
er's lady we're even then "too many" for
him; for although he lost not moment in
irving to secure the forging implements,
after he had discovered that Mr. Charles
Price, and Mr.. Brank, and Old Patch. were
all concentrated in the person OF his pr'-
aoner, he found the lady had destroyed ev-
cry traca Of evidence. Not veetage Of
the forging factory was left Not the
point Of a eraver, nor single spot Of ink
nor shred Of silver paper. nor scrap oi
handwriting, was TO be met with.
Despits. hoveytr, this paucty OF evidence