The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-20
FORCED BILLS ON THE NATIONAL BANK OF
AUSTRIA IN VAIL STREET


Some six weeks ago Mr. Gastave speyer, banker, Of
No ~ Broadway purchased about 81 900 worth of hun
drcd guider notes the National Bank OF Austria from
a person who apparently foreigner The notes were
sent TO Europe for redemption but what Mr. Speyers
establishment few Gays ago when they were returned
to him forgeries The by the Vanderbilt,
and upon its receipt immediate steps taken to ferret
out the perperaor OF the fraud Upon inquiry IL was
found that several thousand dollars OF the spurious money
had been palmed of upon brokers in Wall street. and
good the counterfeit that the most expert judges
Of European bank bills among the victims From
information derived from Mr. Speyer, Hungarian named
John keagi who stated that lie interested in sort of
brokerage and forwarding establishment located at No ~
West Broadway was taken into custody on suspicion OF
being implicated in the swinde From West Broadway the
officers went No 20 City Hall Place where they arrested
a Swiss named John Sturzenegger. These men, il
alleged had passed several Of the counteeits in Wall
street and being called to account for the same,
they stated that they received the bills from German
ramed Henry Rohner, also living at No 22 West Broad
way. Rohner being taken into custody, pretended
that he got the bills from iellow-counryman of his
named Gilbert Westminster. whom he accidentally met
evening in Fortyfourh street He described Nesch-
mussers appearance and told the police where he lived
but upon making diigent inquiries the officers could find
trace of the individual in question aud compelled
to to the conclusion that he existed only in the ag
nation of Mr. Rohnor Still Rohncr insisted that be got the
bills from Westminster and went to state that he had
offered one of the counerfes for sale at the brokers'
Office of Mr. Bernhemer in Greenwich street, where he
offered $40 for it, but that he refused to part with it
Office in Beaver street. where he sold il to better adyan
tage Robner questioned at great length, but the
police unable TO get anything further out of him.
What he stated very unsatisfactory indeed but
ertheess the officers had TO make the best of it, Keag
also examined with view of ascertaining who the
orgnators of the scheme and where the bills
manufactured but nothing Of satisfactory nature could
be elected The German Sturzcnegger also underwent
close examination at the hands of Assistant District
Attorney Sedgwicl but he was either unable unwil
ling to give the officers the desired information. The
prisoners think, doubt, that by Withholding certain
information from the police they will be able to escape
punishment but in this they greatly mistaken
there is sufficient evidence against them all to warrant
their imprisonment for some time at least
Sturzenegger is segar manufacturer. ca Wednesday
he offered $3.50 worth of tho countereits for sale at Mr.
Speyers establishment when he followed to his resi-
dence by the officers and there arrested keag offered
twenty-seven of the bills for sale at the Office OF Messrs
Eschen Grieve, brokers' No 20 Wall street but the
latter did not purchase any of them During Wednesday
some So 700 worth of the bills offered for sale III
Wall street. but from information received the previous
day from Mr. Speyer the brokers put upon their
guard and consequently but few Of the bills passed
These counterfes beautifully executed paper hay
ing the water mark and in every respect elegant im
tations of the genuine notes.