The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-09-20
Airbmon1 Qispatrb.
THURSDAY MORNING. =. SEPT. 70 lsse


Cool Forger.- -Arres, of "a Il ID Ghmona Crimi-
nal.
A man giving his name as Miles Jones, of
Richmond, and his occupation rs "a cabinet
maker here was arreste in Petersburg, Va,
Tuesday, charged with the commission OF two
most adroit swindles there The Bulletin
states that he is VIM Salle who recently dis
appeared from here after the forgery of j. A.
Belvin's name. The following is an account
of the exploits of this accomplished cheyalier
In Petersburg
On last Monday morning, n man calling
himself Miles Jones, together with another
man who appeared 10 be travelling with him.
took breakfast At the Bollngbrook Hotel, and
later III the day he called at Mr.. John Il. Pat
tersou Il Co.'s and requested Mr.. Patterson to
FIJI up a check Tor S7i, which Mr. Patterson
accordingly did, and the man calling him
self Jones, signed the name of James B.
Jones. well-knOwn gentleman OF Ches-
terfieId TO it. He then went to Messrs.
n q. Branch & Brothers, from whom he
purchased a bill of liquors amounting TO
s42.65, giving the check IN payment of the
bill, and receiving S25 80 IN change
lie then went 10 the furniture store OF Mr.. Jno.
Morrison, and purchased "A small metallic bu-
rlal-case, Il shToud, shrO uding cap, block OF
Grape ana block OF Ribbon, the bill for which
amounted to about S}U giving MIR. Morrison a
check for $50 Is, signed " Miles Jones Il Co. y
and receiving about $50 as change from Mr.. NJ g.
purchases, evidently wishing 10 make il ap-
pear that he was a man OF business. He had
the burial case directed TO NJ. Bass Il Co.
Ches ter. MIR. Morrison having sold Mr.. 81 .
Bass, OF Chesterfield, Il burlal-case some time
since, very reasonably supposed that death
had again visited his family and this time
claimed his little daughter, and that he had
sent his neighbOr 10 make the purchase for
him, As the "conildence'' man had stated The
prisoner entered The store and inquired - l.
this Mr.. MorrisUn's- John Morrison !" Yes,
sir sad that gentleman. land you are ad :
dressing him Il wish TO get metallic cof-
fin do YOU keep them :" Mr. Morrison salts
fled HIM in the affirmative aud he barg2lned
for one three feet six inches long, which he
SAID was for djughIsr OF Mr.. NJ. A Bass, OF
Ches lerfield, directed plate To be placed uuon
II, engraved NJ. A. Bass. aged years 3
months" He then added, "I'll want shroud
and cap: do you furnish them ;" Mr.. Morri-
son said that be did not keep them but could
obtain them from the millIner's. During the
euure Colloquy, Jones manifested great
anxiety to have everything as cheap of possI-
ble as 1t was fora poor man.
Al his request, Mr.. Morrison waited upon
Mrs. Sieppy and ordered shroud and cap 10
be- delivered 10 him by eight O'Clock that even
:ug, III order to be ready with the coffin, to be
sent 10 Chester the following morning The
price OF the articles was s.. which was added
in The bill upon his return, making a little
over go. Jones presented iu payment thereof
check for S-U.lj, signed ''Miles JOnes ~ Co, -
payable at tne Farmers Bank. Not having
heard Of such firm, Mr.. Morrison hestaied
moment, but remembering that some mon tbs
ago he had furnished II coffin for q child of MI r.
bass, he thought 1t was ali right, and gave him
the requisite change, amounting to something
over $50. Shortly after the prisoner had lett
his establishment, Mr.. Morrison thought il
strange that Il child OF nine wears OF age
should be 10 taller Than three feet six il ches.
and went down town TO try and see him again,
TO ascertain il he had not made mistake. He
found Elm at the BOllIngbrOek Hotel, and he
aSpTFPu tn 1t he mistaken he
must have been badly grown, then.' suggeS ted
Mr.. Morrison. The rascal responded, "She
was badly grown" ana soon after added, "but
suI pose You make ii four feet Mr.. Morris Jn
explained to him that this would cost more
and after some pertinent conversation. the
prisoner returned 10 tie original figure, and
they parted.
According to agreement, MI NJ, Yesterday
morning, sent the burial case and all directed
to Mr. NJ. A Bass, Chester, aud upon present
ing ms check al the Farmers Bank discovered
tnat no such parties rs Miles Jones * 90. kept
an account there. / was suggeS ted that they
might possibly live ia Richmond, and that The
check was upon the mother bank. This pro-
Ua blIIty was accepted, aud VI r Morrison called
At the BolilngbrOok Hotel 70 tiud his Gus TONER,
and there discovered that he had been ar
rested.
The arrest of the prisoner was caused by the
firm of Branch Bro. presenting the check
and discovering il to be q forgery. The police
were Immediately informed OF the Transaction
aud Jones" was shortly after arrested. OnIy
Sl0 of the money was found ON him. The Ex-
press adds:
The prisoner gave his place of residence as
Richmond, and his occu patton that OF cabinet
maker. He WAS II tail, spare built man, some
twenty five years OF age, with rather peaked
vloagr OF a slightly stolid, careless cast
com plrAlOn and eyes dark haIr and goatee
crisp and black. In general appearance he
~as rather an ordinary looking fellow. In
aiIudIng To the forged check, the prisoner told
Capt. Ledbetter that IL was given him by
John Jones, OF Caroline county, Va" The
prisoner SAID that he had nothing TO say, =
except that he did not know mr, Jas. B Jones,
OF Chesterfield, never saw him, heard OF him,
nor dreampt OF him. He evidently desired to
produce the impression that he signed the
check with random name.