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


the nrt Of forging bank notes to perfection.
Ia 1899 this WAS nearly obtained by an ia.
genious gentleman named Mathison. a
matchmaker, from the matrimonial village
Of Gretna Green. Having learnt the ar,
Of engraving, and Of stimulating signatures
be tried his hand at the notes Of the Oar
lington bank; but, with the confidence Of
skill, was not cautious in passing them.
was suspected, aud absconded TO Edinburgh,
Scorning to let his talent be wasted, be ia
vored the Scottish public with many spuri.
GUS Royal Bank Of Scotland notes. and reg
ularly forged his way by their aid to Lon
don. At the end Of February he took
handsome lodgings in the S.rund, opposite
Arundel street. His industry was remark
able; for by the 18th March be had planed
and polished rough pieces Of copper, en-
graved them, forged the water-mnrk, print.
ed and negotiated several impressions.
His plan was TO travel and purchase arti.
cles in shops. He bought pair Of shoe
buckles at Coventry with q forged note,
which was eventually detected al the bank
Of England. lie had got SO bold that he
paid such frequen, visits TO ThreadneedIe
street, that the bank clerks became familiar
with his person. He was continually
changing notes Of one for another denomin-
alton. These we're his originals, which be
procured to make copies Of. One day
seven thousand pounds came in from the
stamp office. There was dispute about
one Of the notes. Mathison was present,
though at soma distance, and declared, or
acuarly, that the note was a good one.-
How could he know 50 we'll? dawn Of
suspicion arose in the minds Of the clerks !;
one trail led into another, and Mathison
was finally apprehended, so well were his
notes forged, that on the trial, an exper-
fenced bank clerk declared be could not
tell whether the note handed him to exam
inc was forged or not Mathison offered
to reveal his secret Of forging the water
mark, ii mercy were shown 10 him; this
was refused, and he suffered the penalty Of
his crime.
Mathison was genius in his crmins!
way, but greater than be appeared in
1886. In that year perfection seemed 20
have been reached. So considerable was
the circulation Of spurious paper money
that il seemed as if some unknown power
had set up bank of its own. Notes we're
issued from it and readily passed current,
| in hundreds and thousands. They were
not 10 be distinguished from the genuine
paper Of Threadneedle street. Indeed
when one was presented there, in due
course, so complete we're all il parts, so
mastery the engraving, so correct the sign-
a,ures, SO skilful the water-mark, tha, ii
was promptly paid, and only discovered to
be forgery, when il had reached partc-
uIar department. From that time forged
paper continued to be presented, especially
at the time Of lottery drawing. Consn'ta-
lions were held with the police. Plans
were laid to help detection. Every effort
was made to trnce the forger. Clarke, the
best detective Of his dav, went like sleu,h-
hound on the track; for 10 those days the
expressive word s'blood- money" wss known
Up TO certain point there was little diff
Guilty; but beyond that, consumma.e art
defed the ingenuity Of the officer. In
whatever wav the notes came, the train OF
discovery alwavs paused al the lottery otii-
ces. Advertisements Offering largo re-
wards were circulated; but the unknown for
ger baff1ed detection.
While ,hi. base paper was in full cur
rency, there appeared an advertisement in
daily paper for a servant. The success
ful applicant was Young man in tho en-
ploymsus Of musical instrument maker,
who, some time after. wns called By coach
man, and informed that the advertiser was
waiting in coach TO see him. The young
| man was desired to enter the conveyance.
where he beheld person something Of the
appearance Of a foreigner, sixty or seventy
years old, apparently troubled with tho
gout. A camlet surtout was buttoned round
his mouth; large patch placed over his
left eye; and nearly every part Of his face
was concealed, He effected much infirm-
i,y, had a faint, hectic cough, and inyaria-
bly, presented the patched side to the view
Of tho servant. After some conversation
lin the course Of which he represented
himself as guardian 10 young noble OF
great fortune; the interview concluded
with the engagement Of the applicant, and
the new servant wns directed TO call on
Mr.. Brank, ut 20, Litchfield street Ok
ford.
At this interview, Brank invelghed
against bis whimsical wnrd for his love OF
speculating in lottery tickets, aud told the
servant that his principal duty would be- 10
purchase them. After one or two meeting
at each Of which Brank kept his face mu'-
fled. he handed forty and twenty pound
note, told the servantto be careful not to
lose them; and directed him to buy lottery
tickets at separate offices. The young man
fulfilled his Instructions, and nj the moment
he was returning, was suddenly called by his
employer iron, the other side Of the street,
congratulated on his rapdity, and then told
to 90 10 various other offices in the vicinity
a. "a,