Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-04

An Attempi 10 Draw si4So ON
the Name Of j. II. Hill a. Go.
The Forger Arrested and the
Forged Check Found ON
His Person.


was brought to the knowledge Of Colonel
Beaumont yesterday, aud by him frus-
trated only an hour before being consum'
mated. The facts of the case, as we have
been able TO ascertain them, are as
follows. Some four weeks since,
Captain j. A. Smith, at one time chief
Of police at Natchez, Mississippi, came
to this city with a view to seeking
employment, having letters of recon.
mendation to Colonel Sam. Tate, GEN
eral Forrest and others, from prominent
citizens of New Orleans, and on arriving
registered at the Overton Hotel, where
he was acquainted with the clerk, Mr..
Maine. After being here several days
without having found anything to do, he
fell in with one Frank Triplett, a young
man of fine manners and prepossessing
appearance, who represented himself as
having been connected in the capacity
Of beokkeeper with the. large aud we'll
known cotton house of John B. Hill &
Co., Front street, but who, like the
captain, was at the time out Of employ
ment A fellow feeling makes us
wondrous kind, and an intimacy seems
to have sprung up at once between the
Captain and Triplett, and their several
plans were mutually discussed from
time to time in perfect confidence.
Finally the Captain intimatedt to Tripett
that he intend 10 seek his fortune
in the far West, mentioning Montana as
the locality he had in view whereupou
Triplett expressed his desire to emigrate
likewise, but remarked that he was out of
funds and did not see how they could
make the move. The Captain intimated
that he could procure an order from
Captain Ed. Montgomery for his passage
up the river; whereupon Triplett said if
be could get for him the signature Of
Montgomery, he thoughta plan could be
fixed up whereby they could make a
raise--meaning, undoubtedly, by forgery.
This was the first hint the Captain had
had, it would seem, that Tripletfs de-
signs were not altogether honorable; and
from that time out he determined to
watch him closely. Several days passed
and the Montana trip was again brought
up in conversation, when Triplett re,
marked that he had struck upon
another plan Of raising funds, viz:
that of forging the name of Hill
4 Co., which he said he could do so
perfectly that Mr.. Hill himself would
not deny its commences. We should
have stated before that Triplett had been
in the employ of Hill & Co. for short
time as assistant book-keeper, and since
his dismissal had continued to make their
office his headquarters. 1t was in this
Office, in fact, that the conversation al
luded to took place, and no member Of
the firm or employe being present at the
time, Triplett took from the desk can.
celsd check, bearing the signature of
Mr.. Hill, which he. initiated so accurately
as to quite astonish the Captain. Here
some interruption occurred, and the sub
ject was dropped In fact, nothing more
passed between the two that day, and
that evening Captn Smith taking Mr..
Hill aside, informed him of all that had
transpired, when aplan was also lal ID for
entrapping Triplett. What the plan was
will be developed hereafter. Matters
were allowed to pass on until yesterday
morning, when the Captain and Triplett
were again left alone in the Office. Then
the subject was again brought up, and,
after some discussion as to how an es-
cape should be made from the town, Trip
lett produced three blank checks on the
First National Bank, which he proceeded
to fill out, as tollows: One calling
for $3.50, another for $3.50, and third
payable to Ragland & Skillen for
$l45O, on all of which he forged the
names of ]. P. Hill q Co., initiating
the signature on the cancelled check
This done he turned to the Cap. and
asked which of the three should be pre-
scented The Captain remarked that the
last, drawing Sl45O, would be sufficient,
whereupon Triplett placed it between
the leaves of pamphlet in his coat
pocket and threw the other two in the
CRATE where they we're burned. 1t was
then arranged that the Captain at twenty
minutes to three last evening should pre-
sent the check, and in the event of their
drawing the amount, they should take
skiff at once, drop down the river to some
point in Arkansas, thence proceed to
Little Rock, and from that point set out
for the Pacific railroad. In presenting
the paper it was also arranged that, in
the event of the paying teller refusing
the money to the Captain, who was .
stranger in the. bank, Triplett should
step in and identify him. Thus perfected !
we're the plans when very Unexpectedly |
Mr.. Hill entered the Office, in company |
with Colonel Beaumont. The lat
ter, stepping mp to Triplett, de-
manded the forged paper in his
possession, the Captain simultaneously |
remarking to Colonel B., you will End
it in a pamphlet in his coat pocket"
Then, for the first time, the unsusPecting
and confding forger realized he had