Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-03-18

FORGERY OF Bon Ds-Arrest Of the Operator
Last Thursday. the following dispatch was
received by Hon. X. NJ. Kitchen, OF West Viz
GINA:
"MAETINsBURG, VA, March Il, Is67.-Send
me by night train the best detective in Wash
Ington. See McDeyItt or McKevitt. Answer
-. NELSON WIsNRR"
DIR. Wisner Is the district attorney of Berk-
eley county
detectives Clarvoe and McDevitt, and il was
arranged that one OF the firm should proceed
NJ once 10 investigate the case.
AT night detective McDeyirt by dirsc-
ton OF Major Richards, started, and ar
Ilyed IN Martinsburg Friday morning when
ne ascertaiEed that the business for which he
was wanted was 10 discover who IL was that
hsd forged the name of the president, David
CANDY, and secretary, Joseph T. Hoke, of the
Board of Supervisors of Berkeley county, to
bonds OF the county, issued IN payment Of vol
nnteers during the late rebellion. The bonds
were each for $500, with interest, payable an
nnaliy The supposition is that large num-
Der have been counterfeited and disposed of to
snsuspecting parties throughout the State,
suI as yet three only have come to light. which
were paid before tue fraud was disccver cred.
MeDeyitt inquired into the process Of signing
snd ssuing the bonds, and his suspicious rested
Rpon Aaron Burr SteinmetZ, clerk to the Board
of Supervisors, whe has char &c of the books
and bonds OF the Board. McDsvitt went first
and engaged room TO sell goods as an auc-
uOneer, and then applied TO Steinmetz for a
license under the name OF James .Magraw
SteismetZ was very polite, and cheerfuliy
pronered his aid TO the newly-arriyed auc-
uoneer. McDeyitt TOOK the license. Stein
metz gave him letter of Introduction 10 a
printer 10 have posters struck of, and they
were ordered McDevitt proceeded 10 COM
pare the Handwriting of the license ana the
forged bonds, and the exact similarity of GER
tain letters and figures satisfied him that he
was right in his suspicion to SteinmetZ
The remainder OF Friday afternoon he was
employed in ferretIng out the intentions of
SfeinmetZ for his future operations, and upon
going 10 aouse and pretending TO want fur
1lSned rooms for himself and wife. was told
by the proprietor that he could not have them
immediately, but in a day two Mr. STEM
metz. the present occupant, would leave aud
sell his furniture, and then Magraw could be
accommodated. McDeyitt also ascerlained
that the manager of the hotel where Stein
metz boarded, who was one of his bOndsmen.
was also his creditor 10 the amount of SIHl
he had also drawn three months paw In adj
vance, and had expressed his intenIion to leave
Tor New \ ork- After consultation with the
States Attorney and the County Sheriff they
were satisfied that McDevitt was right. and at
Clock Saturday morning McDevitt went 10
Stelnmetz room, awoke him and arrested him.
ana took him before the States Attorney. when
The prisoner wrote a confession of his guilt I'M
plcatIng man named Hill, not vet arrested
Stelnmetz wse committed tor further examina-
ton BY Justice Bernard Doll. as IL is not
known that the operation does not cover above
Slj.OtO- McDevltt returned TO this city yestar-
day afternoon. The Circumstance causes much
sensation In Martlnsburg, where the prisoner
had been acting as magistrate. He was orIgi-
Bally from Chicago, Ill, where his family re-
sides, but has been living in Martinsburg for
three years past.