The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-17
New York, Boston, Philadelphia and
Washington Banks Vioti'nized.
$25O,OOO PROBABLY RECOVERED.
One of the Arrested Parties
Turns STATE Evidence.

as In the cities Of Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Washington had been heavy sufferers
Some six weeks since, Superintendent Kennedy
was notified of the existence of extensive furgeres
that had been committed on certain banks, some
Of them 10 the amount of twenty-five thousand
dollars. The operations of these were so success
full that the following named parties were sus-
Pected of being concerned in the business
Walter Patterson, Michael O'Bren, Ira Glrya-
der, alias Garyadie, George +. Coughlin, Hugh
NcNellis, John ST. Clair, and Spencer Pettus.
The first four were promptly arrested, but the
remainder are at large. The complaint upon
which they we're brought before Judge Dowling
IS one involving the signing Of check for
S25,l27'50, in the name of Richard d. Lathrop, a
we'll known merchant Of New York.
Patterson, who is man about forty years of
age, is a native Of Philadelphia and he has been
known for twenty-five years past as a forger of
the most dangerous description, being bold and
sRilful operator, and most excellent initiative
penmaD, and a sharp business man. He has
served several terms in the Pennsylvania and
New York State Prisons, and is now under in
dictment in this city for forging the name Of
Simeon Draper, present collector of the port, to
check for $1,000.
In addition to the $4,000 forged on Mr..
Lathrop, were the following
Mechanics Bank, Of New York ..........S3,1IO
do do do ......',., .''' $1,000 5000
Merchants Bank. .SlO,3Sj
Faclnc BANK, .,.,...........,. .,............S9 600
These checks all appeared TO be duly stamped
and certified to, and had every appearance OF
genuiueness. 1t is supposed the aggregate
amounts Of moneys thus obtained will not fall
short of from S2j0,OOO to 100000 George f.
COnklDg turned State evidence, and his testi-
mony will be found with that OF the others,
which is given below. 1t will be found very
interesting.
TESTIMONY OF HENRY T. VAIL.
Henry f. Vail, of No West Thirty first street,
testified that on September p, 1864 the annexed
check, purporting to have been drawn by Richard
ID. Lathrop on the Mechanics Bank, for the sum
of $25,l27'5O, payable to the order Of w. A.
Weed, was presented to Samuel c. Moore, the
private clerk of deponent, who is cashier of the
Bank of Commerce, in New York, in q note
addressed to deponeDt, requesting the value in
United States seven-thirty treasury notes; tlat
the said Moore, in accordance with the request
Contained in said note, inclosed the treasury
notes required to the address OF w. A. Weed,
as directed, and handed the same to the messen-
ger who brought the notes that the said annexed
check is forgery in every particular, aud from
Information which deponent has received he be-
lieves that the said check was so sent, as atore-
said, by Spencer Pettus, Walter Patterson, Hugh
McNCllis Michael O'Brien, John ST. Clair, James
wilkins, George f. Conkling, and Ira Cavalier;
and the above treasury notes sent were received
by said aforementioned persons.
TESTIMONY OF SAMUEL C. MOORE.
Samuel c. Moore, of No. IlS West Eighteenth
street. teStiies that he is the confidential clerk -
the Cashier ofthe Bank of Commerce. in the city
of New York; that on September 81, 1854,
while depOnent was at his desk in the cIshers
handed to James Il. Vail, Jr., who handed the
same 10 Mr.. Vail, the cashier of the bank
that said cashier opened the SAID mole anl
read it to a Mr.. Duer who was then pre-
scntj the cashier handed the depOnent the
note which is hereto annexed and marked
"EX-McG." and directed him to reply 10 10,
and give figures required, which depOnent did,
and handed the answer which is also hereto au-
neXed, and marked "B, eX," 10 the said boy; that
on the next day deponenL was in the cashiers
Office, alone, when the said boy again cane and
handed deponent an unscaed note, addressed 10
the cashier Mr.. Vail, which deponent opened It
proved to be deponent's answer TO the note of IL.
w. Weed, of the day before, and mentioned
herein with note on the back, also inclosng n
checkfor S25,l27 so; that said check is nov shown
and annexed to the affidavit Of Mr.. Vail; de-
pOnent then went TO the vault Of the bank and
took out twenty. i've notes Of $1,000 each, Nos 50
10 SO, inclusive, and faced them in an envelope,
addressed tO H. W. Weed, and handed the same
10 the boy deponent has since inquired as TO the
said check, and finds that the same is a forgery,
and that the certihcation of the Mechanics Bank
is also q forgery,
The Following is the note marked "Ex Exhibit A, {"
which is referred to in Mr.. Moores affidavit =
LArhHor, LrpNGGToN, CO. Nos q ASn 25 PARK
smSt 5 SD ~ y WI a So haa NV ~ i1 S,P
D. Mrs Wnli'm whitney of MoHstpwr, New Jersey, 70
United states ftcasuy as Ian, 5ad as she dsEss them
Egm yoIr stuti0n VIZ 5og % be Gind Snogs % send per
ray delivered tomorrow, " now ready Refer ny yo TO
fully H. W, WEED.
rExhth s-MrGJ
bANE oi C@NMwr' FEW loEr september p II. W
n,tes On fa for et cav. anS aS M Fo" ,, Ir N,
sgm o. s2o0eO, pay abb 70 morrow, VIII be: -N,.es
fuIy SAMUEL .. MOORE for Casher.
nF Vail, EsI.-Deae slr:-I iucl,ie the amount a,
seyen-thirg treasury notes, witch you wiz nln
to peaFe in sizes TO suit convenience SlO andsJt
H. W. WEED.
George +. COnklin, one Of the forgers, turned
Sla!e evidence, and test ned as tolows:-
TEfTnloSY OF GEORGE F. coNKLIN.
George f. Conkln testided II live in the city
OF New York; l am acquainted with Spencer
Igttus, Walter Patterson Hpgh McNellis Michael
OBrien, and Edward 81. Clair; / have seen jas
Wilkins, but am not acquainted with him;
know Ira Gavadier witness was here shown the
check annexed 70 the papers) about the 22d o.
September met Spencer PettuS, Walter Patter
son, Hugh McNellis, and Michael O'Bren a
Collins Hotel, corner Of West aud Canal streets
in q room up stairs over the parlor; l donN re
member any one being present but those hay,
stated there was a check written, signed, anC
stamped don't remember the date the amOun
was twenty-five thousand dollars, and between
one and two hundred dollars morei l saw Il
signed ana stamped Richard ID. Lathrop was tht
name signed 10 1t; il was signed by Walter Pat
terson Mr. Patterson put the stamp on there
was mark made inside the certificate by Spen
Ger Pettus; | saw Ira Garadier the day before a
BTaisted's biliard-rOOm in Fourth aYenue Wal
Ter Patterson, Spencer Pettus, Garadier
and myself were together; there was
letter written there; it was written ol
paper with the heading Of Lathrop, Lud
ingt0n Co.; 1t was directed to Mr.. Vail
Cashier of the Bank of Commerce and signeC
@H. w. Weed" i bought the paper at the 70
quest of the ehers Spencer Petius wrote th
letter; the letter, l believe, was given 10 Iri
GGgader; we all went down together; Patterson
wenf with mei we went TO No. 81 Liberty stree
and met the other parties there; Patterson ant
PettuE remained there; Ira and myself went u
Nassau street 10 the Park Hotel; Ira spoke to
boy; l was inside the hotel; the boy was comln
up Nassau street, going towards the City Hall
did not hear what was said TO the boyi l saw lri
give the boy the letter; the boy went down Nassau
street Cavalier came into the hotel Il then walke
down Nassau street. and saw the boy 60 in auC
come back nom the bank; lie remained in th
bank fifteen miRntes; i followed the boy back, ani
saw him talking with Cavalier In front Of th
hotel don't know what became of the boy;
saw Ira At No. 81 Liberty street; the same part
were there J remaipsd theFs but few moments