Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-11
Extraordinary " "COnnilsnos Game-A
:hsas s1sa1ss ReEsSS1as. ., ns,Sr % sss5sl SS

HahooeA-A boAo btroAe IOr yAO,OOO,
prom the Chicago Timos, sth.J
By far the most gigantic swindle which has
been heard Of here for many days was at
tsmpted on Friday night by a daring adven.
turer, who represented himself RS Major Gen.
Hancock. F.T H.. ..H o.. ..-
About 10 o'clock on Friday night, a stout,
portly gentleman, with gray whiskers, Of a
rather digni6ed aspect, and wearing the uni.
form Of = Major Gsnaral In the United States
Army, entered q hackney carriage and drove
TO the private residsneeof Mr.. Henry Greene.
baum, banker, at the corner Of Wood and
Lincoln streets He was on very pressing
and important business, and handed In q card
on which was the name Major Con. Han.
cock, United States Army" Mr.. Greene.
baum happened 10 be at the opera that eve.
ming. but his brother, Mr.. David Greeneba
received the General with all the, courtesy
due 10 his station, and escorted him TO tho
opera house whore he introduced him 10 hi,
brother. Fqa Gr N'gHiy t5 ~
Mr.. Greenebaam asked his distinguished ID
visitor what he could do for hlm, when thu
General presented the following letter or in
trodustion, purporting 10 be from Hon. WIN.
ID. Ogden, pf this city: y, .r.. E".a. b.
PRIpir RvESHo, Nay ., 1865.
HenN Green1haaBl, RsQ..r,s o.. '.'...
DEAn bnRi take pleasure In making you
acquainted With my friend, Majof General w. s
Hancock, Of the United sfAtes army. The Gen
srAl is on his way to 81. LOus In connection With
business Of his new corps. 10 wishes 20 com .
Plsts some banking buslnesa before he leayes In
the morning, and have Recommended yo.r
house 70 him, presume you are acquainted
with his father-in law, Jay Cooke, Rsq., Of Phil
adelphia. Any fayor you may see ht TO do for
him will be considered as q personal favor to me.
fou5sl resRse'fully' obediont ssry
Mr.. Grecnebaum psrused this note-which
was written with very successful imitation
Of Mr.. 0gden's handwriting again asked
the General what were his wishes, The Gen.
ernl told him he wanted loan Of ten thoa.
sand dollars, for immediate use, and offered
to give draft payable at sight on Jay Cooke
Of Philadelphia. Mr.. GrsSnebaum thought
II was curious circumstance that Mr.. 0R-
den, who was not In the habit Of transaotinR
business with him, should have written such
a note instead Of personally introducing the
General to him, and Suspicion at once
flashed across his mind thEt the letter was
forged ono. He thereupon frrnkly infor.ned
the General that he could not cash his d-af.
without being satisfied that all was perfectly
straight. The General politely acqnie .csd,
and at once proposed 70 telegraph to M.
Cooke. He was In a hurry, he said, but
thought the train by which he was 70 leave
for St. Louis might be delayed. After ap-
pointing 10 meet Mr.. Greenebaum In the
morning he went TO the Western Union Tee.
graph office, and dispatched the following
telegram
TO jtI coOEr, Banker, 100 chs.nu, street, Phil.
will you cash my sight drafs, order Of Henry
GrSonbsSn 4 Co., for Ten thousand dollars, and
answer Immediately 70 their care, ~.
Yesterday morning the following telegram,
purporting to be from Jay Cooke, was re-
ceivsd by Mr.. Greensbaum at his residence:
HESRH 0hKHSHBAun 4 Co. Bankers
Yes, for any amount he may require.
This was Of course bogus dispatch con-
eocted BY the GoneraL He had succeeded
In obtaining, by what means 10 unknown,
one Of the regular envelopes Of the once, aud
and the whole transaetiOn might have ap.
poared plausible enough.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Groensbaum had become
sGtis6od In his own mind that the whole
thing was sWindls. He had discovered that
Mr.. ogdop was not In tho city, and that the
supposed Maj. Gen. Hancock was not his
guest After leaving the opera on Friday
night, he went TO tao central police station
for tho purpose Of notifying tho superinten-
dent, but found that Capt. Turtle end all the
detectives had left the once. He de ermined
however, 10 sift the mystery 10 the bottom,
and made up his mind to remain in the city
all night for that purpose. Had he cnrried
out his intention there 10 little doubt but he
would have succeeded In capturing the
sWindler, but Mrs. Groehebaum, who became
alarmed In case her husband might get into
trouble, disSnaded him. His purpose was TO
draw the rascal into the snare by meeting
him as appointed In the morning and hand
ing over the money, having one Of our
"HAWkshAwsn secretsd In tho bank ready to
p0unoe upon him. flrrlff .-.-...
But the scheme failed. Mr.. Gresnsbaum
did not come into the city 50 early as he In
tended, and the General, who by that time
probably began TO scent some danger In the
wind, deeampsd, nor has ho been seen or
heard Of since.
In order TO facilitate his sWindling opera
tion, he managed TO impose on ono Of the
morning papers; which on BatUrday morning
published in the local column an announce
ment that Mai. Gen. W, s. Hancock, his
wife, and two members Of his staff, had
passed thFOagA the city on their way to 81.
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