Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1856-11-20
Huntington the Forger.

Huntington, the New York forger has
already had more than 100000 Of forg-
led paper charged upon him, which if it
has not passed current in the money mar
ket s, has at least enabled him to raise i'm
mense sums, half its face if not more. 1t
lis not half dozen years since he mar
rowly escaped punishmentin New York,
for being concerned with other sharpers
in circulating the bills of a bogus bank,
pretending to exist in Washington, D. G.
1t is notstwo years since he commenced
shaving notes on his own accountn Wall
street. Previous to that he had made
something as a curb-stone broker, or 90
between from one broker to another
Having dashing confident air, and a
very inquisitve mind, he soon made mon
ey enough to set up his own shaving shop.
With funds thus acquired, he went to 9th
er brokers and bought large amounts of
gilt-edged or first class notes, though not
making cent by the operation. He how
ever took duplicates of the notes, or
| lodged them with other brokers as coIlat-
eral security for his own notes, which ind
ing the security genuine they readily dis
counted.
After thus establishing his credit with
large circle of brokers-some Of them it
appears also bank oficers-he ventured
to offer his duplicate notes as collateral,
leaving with the party Of whom he pro-
posed to borrow a memorandum of the
said collateral. This party having in
CURED of the drawers, and found that
they had such notes asedcscribed out, dis.
counted Huntington's notes, and received
his duplicates without any scrutiny Of the
signatures, which were frequently very
poor limitations. On this trick his for
tune seems to be based, and it might have
gone on increasing, in spite Of his extrav-
agance if he had not grown so careless as
to use a note which was over due on its
face.
With the wealth that Huntington sud
denly acquired he became so extrava-
giant as to support two uptown houses,
extensively furnished, and open to his
friends. In one he maintained his wife
who appears to be help-meet for such a
fellow, and in the other another fashiona-
BILE lady, not legally his wife. He and
his women have driven the fastest horses
and plenty of them. With this unbound
ed hospitality. it would not be wonderful
if he had good many aecomplices among
the keeper of other peoples money.
We understand that Cashier Of one
of the banks was in the habit. Of making
huntington advances, out Of the drawer,
on this forged paper, receiving large
discount for it, and was fortunate enough
to escape loss, and that on hearing of
Huntingto arrest, he went to the Presi-
dent Of the bank, gave in his resignation,
told what he had been doing, acknowl-
edged that he had made large profits
thereby, and said that he thought it his
duty to let them know how easily they
might be cheated in this way.
Surely the guardians of money that is
not their own, should guard against the
possibility Of being cheated in this way,
without any such warning, and probably
they would have done it but for the gem
erous hospitality which blinded them
The Herald says, Huntington takes his
residence in the Toombs very coolly.-
When officer Bowyer Informed him that
he came to arrest him. he coolly walked
to the mantel piece, took up match, lit
the cigar which he held in his mouth and
walked out with the officer, in apparent
unconcern. His cell at the Toomhs is
richly carpeted and furnished His wife's
carriage drives down daily, and care pro-
vides him with sumptuous fare. He has
champagne and his Havana's and don t
seem to let the degradation of his posi-
ton weigh upon his spirits. AS an in
stance of his extravaganza, even now, it
is said that after dining q day or two ago
he sent up to Thompsons for fruit, and
tpaid as high as S. for five pears.