Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-02-20
LOCAL MATTERS.
From Last EVENINGS Edition. ]

The FORGER BRoWN-FURTHER DEVIL
oPNESTs-FoRGERYIN IN CIEeIENATI.--0na about
the first of July last, young man came to
the Eurnett House, Cincinnati, and remained
until the fourth. he called himself H. N.
Martin, of the United States Army. As he
was about leaving, he presented cheek to
the Cashier of the Hotel, Mr.. c. E. Sergeant,
drawn on the Southern Bank of St. Louis,
for 1858. Mr.. Sergeant paid him s16s on the
check, and was instructed by the Captain to
send the balance to him at Columbus by ex-
press, after deducting the amount of his bill
1t appears that the stranger had been at the
house several times before, always paying
his bills, and appearing like a gentleman.
No suspicious were entertained with regard
to him. The check was aseertained to be
a forgery. The matter was kept still, and
efforts made to arrest the forger, but they
were unsuccessful. On Wednesday last, Mr..
George Colburn, Clerk Of the Burnett House,
saw the published account in the LKADER of
the arrest of Brown in this city for present
ing forged check at the Merchants Bank.
He judged from the description of him that
he was the man who passed as Captain Mar
tin at the Burnett House. Mr.. Sergeant was
OF the same opinion, and last night he came
up here. he saw Brown in jail, and identi-
fed him at once as Captain Martin so -called).
he pretended not to know Mr. Sergeant, and
protested that he hadn't been in Cincinnati
in less than eight or ten months. Mr.. Sar-
geant brought some papers with him that
Captain Martin had left in his room. There
was the following note from the officers of
the Pennsylvania Central Railroad:
SUPERIETEEDENT's OFFICE,
1880 --- Altoona, June 10th, 1852. i
To Superintendent and Conductors:
The bearer, Mr.. H. N. Martin, is travelling
on the business of this road, in the capacity
of travelling agent, lately appointed in place
of Mr.. Holmes). You wiz please pass him
over your road during the year, and oblige.
Respectfully, ESeoH LEWIS, Sup't.
J. E. W. THOMPSON, President.
There was similar letter from Erastus
Corning, President, and c. Yibbard, Super
intendent, of the N. Y Central, representing
him to be travelling agent of that road. The
signatures of those gentlemen were adni-
rably countsrfeited
Six checks for various amounts, on the
Southern Bank of St. Louis, were also found
in his room.
This morning Deputy Sheriff Whitney,
hearing that Brown was seen the evening be-
fore to pass something into the hand. of Ven
argedale, alias Clinton, who is in Jail await
ing trial for grand larceny, searched the lat
ter individual this morning, and discovered
further evidence of Browns rascality. There
were two checks on the Commercial Bank of
Philadelphia, purpOrting to have been drawn
by VIM. B. Sprague, one for s647 and the
other for S7S4. There were also two checks
on the Bank Of North Am rica, signed by y.
Hockey, one for S164 and the other other for
1867. They were to be paid to the order of
Henry L. johnson. There was also dupli-
cate ofthe check which Brown forged on J.
NJ. Jones, which he probably made out to
practice on. There were three railroad
passes, one a season pass on the Buffalo &
Erie, the others trip passes on the New York
Central and on the Erie Railway. Two were
made out in the name of VIM. K. Hamlin,
and the other in the name of VIM. K. Ham
mOnd, on account of the New Jersey Central
Railroad, the road be pretended TO Superin-
tendent Rueker of the Cleveland & Toledo
Railroad that he represented. As Whitney
was looking the passes over, Brown, looking
as though they had no possible connection
with himself, remarked, " those little thin gs
will take man most anywhere, won't they ?"
The name of this fOrger is supposed to be
Edward L. Hodges, which is marked on some
pocket handkerehiefs in his possession. A
letter found on his person when he was ar
rested, directed to Mrs. George C. Benedict,
New York City, is signed Edward. He ad
dresses her as "NOble- hearted Maggie"
and calls he his sister, which from the tone
of the letter is doubtless the relation she sus-
tains to him. In the letter he speaks of
quarrel with his father, and says he will die
IN prison rather than ask him for cont.
Brown claims that no has respectable con
nections, which is doubtless the fact. Heis
about twenty-six or seven years of age, has
light hair, "a little inclined to badness on
the tOp,) sandy complexion, light mustache,
and is very gentlemanly in appearance and
conversation.
The burglar tools which he had were doubt
less employed in getting into Offices to steal
checks, obtain sinatures, &c, for purposes of
forgery.