Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-09-13
From the Statesman.
The Forged Notes on the Ohio
State stock Banks.
AUDITOR OF STATES OFFICE, o.
L.. .I...... .lo..,u... l.-r l2hn

SoLt ,Np''"''' -
EDIroRs Ono STATESMAN: The issue
from an unknown quarter OF fraudulent
notes printed on the genuine plate Of the
Ohio State stock Banks with the forge i
signature Of their Presidents and Cash
iers, has been the occasion Of much an
noyancc TO the public and given rise 10
sunJry unchariablc reflections upon this
department.
A fixed belief that unbroken silence
in this quarter was essential 10 tlie dis
coyery Of the authors Of these lorgcrlcs,
and that seeming inability on the part
of the Auditors Office TO relieve ltsell
from suspicion, would tend 10 procure
l,ss caution and walrhlulncss among
those with whom the fraud had really or.
iginatcl, has heretofore inluccl me TO
abstain pcninaciously from all commit
ments or explanations whether by letter
or by newspaper. The motive for this
silence no longer exists. An important
crrest a, Cincinnati Chat Of MIR. Ronscl
Lamb, bank note prin,cr,) has already
been made, and OF ers will not be hin.
dcred or delayed by this publication. |
am gratiGcl, therefore, in feeling at lib
erly 10 notice without further delay, some
of The many erroneous statements thai
| have been sent broadcast over the coun.
try, and TO state officially
First-That the forged notes on the
Ohio State Stock Banks, or any parl
thereof, were not stolen from the Audit
ol's Office;
Second -Tha, they were not lost a,
the Authors office:
Third-That they were ncver-.i, the
Authors Office; and
Fourh-That they do not bear the
genuine signature Of the Register.
70 have published these facts long
since would have given the Auditors Of
fee little trouble and saved it from much
unpleasant comment; but 10 have
made such a publication would have
conferred no benefit on individuals or llt
public, and must have served TO alarm
the real perpetrators of the fraud and tt
no,i,y them that suspicion mus, thence
!, forth rest on them alone.
As early as April last, the unlcrsisn
cd became aware that small amount o
lo, .e,l notes on two of the Ohio Stat,
. Stock bank, ,.ha bJen put in circulation
an mmedi,e scrutiny was made into tn
condition of the bank accounts in chars
of the Register and the result Of the in
vesugalon prccluled all possibility tha
, the forged notes had never been in tn
/ hand, of the Register or within the wall
:. of the Auditors Office. The mole of de
,erminins these facts was as conclusiv
. as simple.
Que the first day OF May; 1853, tn
noles on hand were carefully examine
aud their aggregate amount asccrlalned
t These Two items were then added togcth
or. The next step was 10 procure q lul
t ana careful statement from the Easrovc
8 exhibiting the amour, of notes whlcl
had been sent to the Auditor up TO tn
l., of May. With these data, the fol
lowing result was obtained:
y Receipts Of Sundry banks for
i registered notes delivered to
: them by Auditor SSs7 800
:, Noes still in the hands of the Au.
ditor on Is, May $2o3,4s2 Sl,O90,71
~ Amount of note furnished 10 Auditor a
5 per statement OF Ensravcr Sl,09O,G
Excess in favor Of Auditor ST.
II A similar examination was made o
!. the 10Th Angus, 1853, exhibiting SINH
q ar result. The excess in favor of the Al
dior, consis,e |, in both instances, OF C,
II ira notes on nine bank ks-sel,iem eXcce,
ing two sheets ($3s) on any one ban|
anl in some cases Il smaller amount.
u Ha;ing thus given formal correc,io
d 10 certain Measurements, more parlicl
y larry cntc,ing the Aulilor's department
d ! am glad to feel safe in adding that II
!. extent 10 which the forgery of the not
of the Ohio State Stock Banks had q
tanned, is probably much less than
was intended soon TO carry it. Develol
ments which have been brought with
y my immediate knowledge during Il
y, progress Of recent Investigations, justr
the opinion that no more than Sl5,oC
Of the genuine impressions of the Oh
l. S,,te Stock Bank notes have ever rcacl
k ell the hands Of the (orgers, and that tv
- thirds of that amount have never gol
into circulation and are still without Il
necessary filling up. Other develo
:. monts bearing on the same object, aflo
sufficient reason for believing that Il
(orscries, as far as they have gone, a
not limi,e,l 10 the notes Of seven bank
l. as was recently suppOsed, but extend