The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-01
CRIME AS A FINE ART.
ANOTHER Startling Case OF At
tempted Forgery.
4 Dean Laid Plan n Scientific villany-Ths
Roguss Fooled, but still at Large
Bankers Beware!

Bankers Beware!
cerua, vigilance, II is said Is the prince Of liberty
ana apparently the criminal classes OF the com
,un,tv have learned the meaning OF this proverbta
5rio only too we'll At any rate they seem to more
than keep pace with the thousand ana one agencies
set In motion for the protection OF property. Only
yesterday an ingenious and deep-laid scheme o.
foguery came TO light thanks purely ana only &c
what many would perhaps at first sight call the ex-
cessive caution OF o New York banker. This case
indeed petrays careful elaboration Of all It's details
an intimate acquaintance with every branch OF
banking business and an attention TO the minutest
parts OF its execution which will no doubt
startle the weather. section OF the public, even II II
should DO little towards what may now be regarded
as hopeless impossiblity- awakening the detective
police OF the city to an adequate OF duty. For
tnnately
The best laid schemes of and mice gang aft agey.
II they aid not 1t will be seen that we should be
but Ill able to cope with the ever-increasing cunning
OF our lawless fellow citizens.
THE FACTS OF THIS CASE
are as follows:-In the course OF wednesday man,
apparently belonging TO The respectable ranks OF
society and In exterior and bearing gentleman,
called at the office OF Glendinnng, Davis u Co., In
Philadelphia, and, representing himself as Mr..
James Field, OF the firm OF Young, Field, Smythe
Co., heavy '.notons' house OF that city, requested
the firm to prepare to receive deposit Of $50, o00
which, he stated would be transferred in few days
by telegraph from New York to his account. The
amount was not then, ne stated, in o bankers
hands, but would soon be deposited by Messrs.
Wilmerdings, Hoguet b Co., of No. IL Duane street.
with Messrs. Glendinnlng, Davis h Amory, the New
York brance Of the Philadelphia house, and as soon
as that was done 1t could OF course, be transferred
by a despatch to his account In Philadelphia
Scarcely had the stranger left than Mr. Glendlnning
prudenty Instituted inquiries about the matter,
and by personal investigation discovered, not q
little to his surprise, that the Mr. Field who had
certainly not the MIR. Field of the trim Of Young,
Field, smythe co. He lost no time in advising
suspected that some swindle or another was In
state Of CESSATION.
the case made
ANOTHER PROGRESSIVE STEP.
Probably hearing OF the semisuspensIon OF bust-
ness on Friday, In consequence Of the Farragut OBJ
sequies, the rogues wisely thought they would have
better chance OF leading their scheme to happy
dence of business men would be to a certain extent
ulled TO rest. AT any rate during the OF the
day man, sklfully got up in the disguise Of q col
lector and properly furnished with receipt book
and formidable looking bundle OF papers, called
upon Messrs. Glendinning, Davis Amory. and pre-
sented at the desk OF the receiving teller q check
for $2O010 60 to be placedto the credit OF Mr. James
Field, OF Philadelphia. This was OF Course about
$4,000 short OF the amount stated by the gentle
OF the credit about to be paid IN to his account in
New York. Possibly the swindlers concluded that
they could more surely get away with the smaller
sum.
Only one Of the partners of the house, Mr. Amory,
was present when the check was presented and he
at once remembered the advice recently received
from Philadelphia, but was unable to 10y his hand
we He s
be signed by Messrs. Wimerdings, Hoguet & Co.,
and Was payable BY the Tenth National Bank. he
also noticed that the word sandr omitted In the
writing Of the check so that 1t read only ''twenfy
thousand, ten dollars' He asked the coliector~the
supposed collector that is-m he had authority to
insert the missing conjunction. The man said he
had, and DID 80: receipt was made out, handed
20 him, and he forthwith left the Office. Mr. AmOry
however, still entertained
Suspicious OF SOMETHING WRONG,
and sent the check 70 the bank to have it cersned.
The paying teller glanced at the check, and observ-
writing Of Wilmerding. Hoguet 4 Cos. firm, and
the numbers at the head OF the cheek with those
they had most recently paid, examined the sigma
I%Te with unusual attention. the in the
check bearing number 3d. while the last of which
Was any sr n little the Sss
and the most rigid scrutiny OF the check,
however, the teller satisfied himself that It was
genuine but, to make assurance d0ubly sure, con-
suited the cashier. The latter agreed with him as
TO the genuine character or the signature, after
soUs the Ssns ad q n @
Messrs. Glendlnning's duly certified Mr.. Amory,
however, was still unsatisfed, and though, the
check being now certified, the loss OF the amount
thrown upon the bank, he determined to personally
see Messrs. Wnmerdng, Hogpet 4 Co. IN refe renee
TO 1t. He found the store Of the firm closed the
front side but last succeeded In getting in by the
rear entrance. Now comes
THE sTRANGRsT PART OF THE STORY.
Having obtained an interview with Mr.. Hoguet
(whose signature for the rm the bank had stated to
be attached to the cheeky ana having shown that
gentleman the suspected check. he looked at 1t care
fully and stated the signature to be genuine. Mr..
Amory at this was naturally pretty well satisfied,
dence. He asked Mr.. Hoguet to look carefully at
the signature again. Mr.. Hoguet did so and dis
covered the check, which he had pronounced at the
first sight few moments before 70 be genuine, to
written as he wrote 1t, but In every other respect
the SIGNATURE was 80 perfect facsimile Of his
handwriting that he could not himself distinguish
the two.
Payment Of the credit at Philadelphia was, OF
course, stopped and instructions given to arrest any
banking hours last night however, no application OF
the KIND had been made, and IL Is feared
THE GUILTY PARTIES
have "gOt wind" OF what has happened. There Is
still chance however. that the rogues may fail
into the trap for them In the course Of tomorrow
forenoon
The whole affair shows traces Of such deep laid
and Bklful criminal strategy and illustrates so fOrci
bly, the necessity for increased caution the part OF
banks and bankers. that 1t Is to be hoped all inter.
escape there Ia little doubt that they will again
be on the lay" and II their next scheme s as care
1uly thought out as this the chance OF 1t being de.
tected Is extremely small.
CAPTURE OF COUNTERFEITERS.