The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-17
More about the walI-Sfree: SwinIIe.

The great financial topic in New York
city now is the last ~depredations OF the
''Wall-Strcct Corsairs" and their frauds in
New York bounty-loan stock, in which the
firm Of ". L. Gray d Co. are reported as
figuring 50 extensively. This firm consists
of Gray and I. II. Pratt. Gray, as stated,
wa, formerly Of Washington. ID. {. a New
York letter says:
The firm of w. +. Gray 4 Co. are said to
have been the m~anipulators OF the altered
and forged certificates. Gray commenced
operations in Wall street in October last,
when he opened IN account With the Bank
OF the Commonwealth and the Mechanics
| Bank ut the sans time. presenting recon-
mendalion> of the highest moral character
from various parties. These recommends
! tiuI~ included letters from the bank per-
intcudcnt. Mr.. Calender, and some promi-
nent congressman from the New England
| states. one Of whom l. Il United States
senator.
On Friday last the Commonwealth Bank
discovered that they had three altered
buunty-loan certificates. and Immediately
sent for Mr.. Gray, When the bank was made
good. The officers of The bank, however,
considered il their dutE TO notify the Man
haitian Company, and the officers OF that
company and Mr.. Gray Were brought face
10 face. sir. Gray stated that he bought
the bounty-loau certificates through 4 man
by the name Of Pratt, and that he believed
the party altering them was named Black
we'll, aud also That hc had Il detective on his
track.
The New York Sun says:
About ~ on Saturday Gray called 1T the
Mechanics Bank and stated that he wished
to oyerdruw his account, hut would leave
as rollatcral. three New York state regis
tered bounty-loan bonds Of $4,000 each,
and would make the account good before
| the close of bank hours. With the money
| thus obtained he purchased OF Jay Cooke
4 Co. Il quantity of United States coupon
| bonds. with which he left the street, carry
inc with him also $4,000 shares OF the Quartz
Hill Mining Company stock, which had
been deposited in his office as the basis OF
4 movement and cOrncr i'll said stock. he
so. 900 worth of bonds III possession Of the
| Mechanics Bank are proved to have been
altered rom three 81 GOO issues, ana these
issues also said to have been the same which
! were stolen from the office of L. j. Wool
soy, Broad street, about one year ago, and
for which the state has given new bonds.
| So far rs vet examined, all the bounty-loan
bonds are altered from lesser amounts which
| had previously been stolen.
Gray'> office books indicate that he had
previously worked with stolen bonds ana
securities of various mining companies /:
! hllDll8 liltlll NtIllctl Ittlii oiiiIh -
six ncr cent. collaborating bonds, and the
| RUBY silver Mining Company of Nevada,
600 shares OF which were hvpotl!ecated.
% far 4, asccrtaincd The following firms
have made loans 10 fray TO the extent OF
$40. GOO, the amounts and securities beng
annexed
uowcs Il Macv.-Loan, S75,0Oo. Collate-
rails left by Gray-SlO,0 GO New ! ork state
registered bounty loan bonds Sl0'ooo New
York State bonds, Seyens, stolen SJ,,0oo
! United states $50 registered bonds, stolen ;
! S2l coo United states $40 bonds. Total,
| SIC, geo.
Ncrmilye < Co.-Loan, $4,000. Collate-
rals--\cs York state registered bounty
loan bonds, altered, $4,000; United states
80 registered bonds, $4,000. Total, S0O,-
600.
F., p. Scott & Co.-Loan, so, 900. Collat-
cral-Nrw \ ork State registered bounty
loan bonds, $40, 1000; United states DO re-
| ,-i>trrcd bonds, $50, 900. Total, $4,000.
Justh G Co.-Loan, so, 900. CollateralS-
New York State registered bounty loan
bonds, $50, 900 United States registered
40 bonds, stolen, 5000 ; United States
40 coupon bonds, s., 900. Total, S4,OoO.
Coleman Bcncdict.-Loan, $4,000. Col
,rteral<-New York State registered bounty
i inYn Ionds. so, 600; United states 5-20 cou-
non bonds, $4,000. Total, S39, 1000:
J. n. Ewcll Il Co.-Loan, s2o,o9v. ooi-
Iateral--New York state registered bounty
Fioan bonds. so, 900; United states 3-2o re-
i 10 tnr p"' bonds, s., 600. Total, go, 900.
Mechanics Bank.-Loan, $4,000. Col
,,tnralsMNew York State registered bounty!
loan bonds, $780, 900 each, altered from Il 900
Bro Brown & Loveridge.-Loan, $4,000. Col
lateral not stated. On Gray's private aesh
was found the following letter, "Itilout T s
nature, vet in his handwriting, addressed 10
q vonne lady in the United States Treasury
Department, Washington: INIT,
dDcar Blrrdie.-Do not write TO me unlll
YOU see me. l will be III Washington iue les
day or Wednesday, and have insured my
life. for s., 900 for your benefit
NEW YORK, December 4.-Ihe detectlVes
haze haze, not s yet a oT pratt. 'f The " alleged State
bounty bond swind!ers,