The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-07

lations touching the sympathy his situation
would excite. He was not only powerfully
defended before the court that tried him,
but since his conviction and Imprisonment
importunate appeals have been made by GER
tain leading merchants and bankers In New
York to the Governor of that State for a
pardon.
Hence. there need be no surprise at the
forgeries just perpetrated by a New York
broker named JOHN Ross. There was not
much in the case OF Mr.. KETCHUM, junior, to
deter anybody from initiating his exploits
and though Ross was more moderate in his
aspirations he played, nevertheless, for a
pretty nice stake (about S3O0,OOO), and had
the sharpness to make off with his booty.
Whether he will be caught or not is doubtful
while 1t is pretty certain that if taken and
brought to trial. there will be more money,
zeal, and influence spent 10 save him from the
whip OF justice, than to convict and punish
him.
There is one fact in the transactions of
Ross that deserves remark or two. Re-
port says:-
"Some days since, it would appear, arrange.
ments we're made by the forger to purchase fifty
thousand dollars in gold from the firm and on
Wednesday afternoon Ross called in person to
receive the funds. While the money was being
counted the purchaser proiuced a check for
sixty-iour thousand and odd dollars, Ira vn on
the Continental BanK-wIth which Ross was
known to have an acCount-to the order of the
drawer, and by him duly endorsed. As this
check bore the Cerhdcation stamp Of the teller
Of the bank, prudent member of the firm sent
lad 10 the Continental Bank to assure himself
OF the genuineness of the certi6catlon. The drst
teller OF the financial institution at which the
document was presented, examined the paper,
and at once pronounced the same duly certi-
hed"
This shows how carelessly banking busi-
ness, involving thousands OF dollars, is done
in New York. 1t would seem almost imoos-
sible that the first teller of bank, with his
suspicious aroused by circumstances, could
declare genuine forgery of his own certif-
cation of a check. And yet this actually
occurred, according to the above-quoted
statement. If, therefore, it shall be concluded
that the act oil the teller could not have been
the result of want of care or skill in his Office
then the only other hypothesis left is, that the
teller was an accomplice OF Ross in the for
gerry, and this would appear 60 be the opinion
that has already Obtained in New York One
OF the papers there says
at is rumored that the teller of the institl.
ton. being subsequently called upon to produce
his certifcatlon oook, to ascertain if the number
OF the check was to be tounI thereupon as an
evidence of It's genuneness, declined TO do so,
and many incline to toe belief that the paper
passed upon Messrs. CRONIsE Co. is genuine"
Such instances Of crime in business circles
are fitted to cause a very general feeling of
distrust, and to hinder the movements OF
trade and finance to the extent that conf
dence in mems honesty is weakened. But
forgeries and peculations will multiply, unless
a wholesome public sentiment is exerted to
prevent them; and that can never be, so long
as reputedly respectable men try to protect
criminals like young KETCHUM from judicial
condemnation, and, failing in that. next seek
to have them pardoned.