Worcester daily spy., 1861-04-06

HEAVY IoRGERIEs OF A BosToN MER'
CHANT.-On Tuesday last, publicity was given
to one of the most astonishing cases OF forgery
that has ever taken place in this city. The
excellent standing of the party implicated, and
a variety of circumstances, combined to excite
unusual interest for the case, and we proceed
to give the facts as gathered from most au-
thentic source. 1t appears that Mr.. IL. ID. L.
Bigeew, shoe and leather dealer at No. 70
Pearl street, has been guilty of forging paper
of various descriptions, but principally notes,
to Il very large sum, amounting in the aggre-
gate, it is thought, to nearly $5O,OOO, and that
he has borrowed great sums OF money
from his friends and business acquaint-
ances and that with all this wealth he
has left for parts unknown. Having done
a large and profitable Western business for a
long while, he had the reputation OF standing
A l., and from general knowledge OF this
fact does the surprise at the occurrence prln
cipaly arise In 1857 the firm of Bigelow,
Ball & Knight failed, but they gave the excel
lent dividend of eighty cents on the dollar,
and continued under the new title of Bigelow
& Knight. So organized the firm remained
until a month or two ago, but recently Mr..
Bigelow purchased the interest of his partner,
(Mr. Sam'l d. Knight, who resides at Cam
bridgeport and paid him with his own notes,
endorsed by brother at the west. These Mr..
Kught still holds, ard there is at present the
possibility, if not the probability, OF his being
one of the greatest sufferers
On Friday night last, on leaving the store,
Mr. Bigelow told his book-kteper that he
should return at II M. on the following day.
The promise was not fulfilled, nor has he up to
the present time made his appearance. AS
surprise began to be created ct the store al
his non-arriyal, and as the hands OF the clock
told the highly important hour of o'clock,
there marched in u bank messenger with
two protested notes, of the amount OF SoOO
each, and purporting to be signed by single
customer Of Bigeow's in Minnesota. Inves-
tigation revealed the fact that the notes were
forgeries, and there then followed discoveries
of much other paper of the same character as
in circulation-some OF it having been
purchased by Aldermen & Gore, bank.
ers and brokers, No. 26 Kilby street.
ceivable, both genuine and bogus, which he
could possibly dispose of seemed to have been
turned into cash, and in addition to the amounts
which he is said to have borrowed from va
rious parties, one of his clerks named Edwin
w. StrattOn is victim TO the amount of about
of about $500 Upon inquiring at his house,
No 62 West Newton street, the wife of the
abSconding merchant stated that her husband
had left home at 7 p NJ. on Friday last, with
the remark that he couldn't meet his creditors,
that he must fail, and that he should leave
home for a short time. 1t is surmised that
he took the night train for New York, and
left on the following day in the steamer for
Europe
Although the amount forged does not fall
short, it is thought, of the sum of S60,000 the
amount discovered as certainly involved up to
the present time is only $4,000. Each sue"
ceeding day for week or two will probably
bring to light fresh instances. The motive of
Mr.. Bigelow is inaccountable. He has at GER
tain periods OF his life been deemed quite
wealthy, and those rho ought to kno,0 say that
his concern was solvent at the time of these
illegal transactions. One of those who knew
him intimately gives the opinion that he prob
ably desired TO get lid of old associations and
live alone and independently" But the secret
is locked in his own heart, and we only won
der at the picture as shown us. He is a man
nearly so years of age, and has two daughters
OF the ages of 16 and 10 He came originally
from Grafton, and has numerous relatives in
that vicinity.