The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-30
RAILROAD CERTIFICATE FORGERIEs.

Forged Certificates for One-haIf Million of
Dollars ON the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pa
ciic Railroad, Michigan Central and Pacific
MafI Companies, said to be in the Market
Arrest of One of the Alleged EOrgers-The
MOdus Operandi Of Operations.
In these latter days of shrewd financial
swndlers, there has been no fraud developed
revealing more sagacity and cool audacity of
crimnaty than that brought to light in the
arrest of George A. Abbott, alias Dodge, Norris,
and other aliases, on charge of uttering forged
certificates of shares of stock of the Chicago
Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad Company
He was arrested, as will be remembered, on
Tuesday, on complaint of William Heath,
broker, No. Is Broad street, the specified charge
against him being Offering for sale Il forged GER
tifcate for 100 shares of stock of the railroad
company just named.
A second complaint of a similar character was
preferred against him to-day, and upon ii he
was brought from his cell in the Tombs, where
he has been confined ever since his arrest before
Judge Hogan, for examination He eyinCGd Il
seeming indifference to the proceedings. There
was quite large attendance at the examination,
including Mr.. John f. Tracy, President of the
Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad Com
pany, and number of leading brokers dealing
specially in railroad stocks. The present is be-
leved to lie but the beginning of the develop
mcnts OF these forgeries.
There is no doubt but that Abbott has been
largely engaged in this species of fraud, aud that
he has number OF efficient accOmpliccs opc-
rating in the leading cities of the country. AfJer
his arrest and arragnment ut the TomGs some
papers were found on the floor where he was
standing, which, on examination, proved TO be
forged cOunterteits of Michigan Central Railroad
stock. There are said to be fOrgcries allOat OF
the Pacific Mail Company. The ntOduS Operdndl
is to obtain possession of certificates of small
value and alter them to represent larger values.
| 1t is said that these changes amount to over
| half million of dollars. The following is the
| evidence taken on the second complaint
Charles Il. Quincy was the first witness. He
| testified that he is cashier of William Heath IL
| Co., brokers at No. 10 Broad street, and also
| attorney of the firm. On the 10th of July the
| prisoner, George A. Abbott came to him ut the
| Office in Broad street. and through him pur-
| chased one hundred shares at 500 each of the
| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad stock,
| hrst series. No 961O, which certificate was de-
| liyered to him on the same day. On the 9th of
| July Abbott called on him again, and delivered
| for sale forged certificate purporting to be the
| same certificate for the same stock sold him on
| July 10.
The stock was in favor of Marvin Brothers Il
| Co., dated New York. 10th day of March, 1869,
| first series, No. 9679 and signed w. +. Culough,
| Treasurer, and John +. Tracy, President. Abbott
| represented that this latter stock was the same
| that had been previously delivered to him by the
| witness. Since this occurrence witness had Deen
! informed by Augustus Hull, clerk OF said rail-
| road company that this latter document, claim
| ing to be certificate of stock, is counterlelt
Cthe original of said certificate being produced
| and shown, and he therefore charged sald AD-
| bOtt with having in his possession SAID paper,
well knowing the same to be false, forged, and
| counterfeit and with the felonious intent to
utter the same as true, and with view to cheat
| and deiraud.
Augustus Hull testified that he was a clerk at
the Office of the Chicago, Rock Island and Paclnc
Railroad Company, States OF Illinois and Iowa
He had examined the alleged forged certificate
referred to by Mr.. Quincy. This certificate he
| pronounced false and forged; the original had
been cancelled at their office; it was his duty as
clerk to fill up the body of the certliicates OF
stocks issued by the company; the 1lllng up III
| the original certificate was in his handwriting;
the filing up in the forged certificate was not IN
| his handwriting, and were therefore talse and
| fraudulent; his was a genuine eertlhcate' ana
had been altered from certificate OF one snare
William b. Bradford, of the firm OF Head ~
Bradford brokers, No "a Broadway, testified
that the accused delivered to him, on or about
the 14th. who sold on his (Abbotts) account,
the original certificate for 100 shares, 500 EACH
stock of Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Rail
road Company, States of Illinois and Iowa, first
series, No. 9670 dated New York, 10th day OF
March, 1869, and drawn in favor of Marvin Bro
Tiers d Co. Abbott desired him to sell this GER
tfcate, and with the proceeds to purchase 100
shares of Pacific Mail stock, which he ala, ana
subsequently delivered to Abbott.
He was positive that the certificate CWhich
was produced being the orgnal), and which
had been identified by Mr.. Quincy as the GER
tiheate purchased through him for Abbott, is the