The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-01
WENTIFIC VILLAINY.

Another HtArtiInE Case of ATTEMPTED Forgery
Into esnher's once In This city aud is
On " anesday last man who, by his personal
bearing 30 exterior appearances belonged to the
Messrs. oiendlnnng, Davis n Co., bankers and bro
kers at No IS South Third street, and representing
himself as Mr. James Field, of the firm of Young,
ness at No 429 Market street, and No. AIS Com
& to PREPARE To receHs @ daSSs Of as
which he SOD would be transferred 10 few days
by telegraph from New York to his account. The
but would Ts soon T' be- deposited by %essrs, Wmer
dings, Hoguet& q Co., Of No - nn2fe street, New
with Mesrs Davis A%O
could S. % s9ssSSsd
Scarcely had the stranger left than Mr. Glendinnng
prudenty instituted inquiries about the matter, aud
by personal investigation discovered, not little to
his SURPRISE that the Mr.. Field who had called upon
him, If he Mr.. Field at all, was certainly not
the Mr.. Field Of the nrm of Young, sntyth Field :
Co. be lost no time in advising his New York
partners Of the fact, as he shrewdy suspected that
Some swindle another was in state OF CESSATION.
On Thursday there were no developments in the
case, but yesterday another step was taken by the
would-be swindlers. Probably learning of the par
tial suspension Of business In New York city on
account OF the Farragut obseqnies, the rogues
thought they would have better chance Of leading
their scheme to happy contamination at time
when business men would be to a certain extent Off
their guard AT any rate during the course of the
day man, skilfully got up in the disguise OF col
lector and properly furnished with a receipt-b1ok
and formidabe-looking bundle of papers, called
upon Messrs. Glendinning, Davis & Amory, in New
York, and presented at the desk of the receiving
teller check for $40 0l060 to be placed to the
dit Of Mr. James Field OF Philadelphia. This was
of course about $4,000 short of the amount stated
by the gentlemanly Philadelphia stranger as the
probable value of the credit about to be paid in to
MS account IN New loik, Possibly tne swlndlers
concluded that they could more surely get away with
the smaller sum.
only one Of the partners of the mouse, Mr. Amory,
W q Uvh n npk pUn tn1 ha
at once remembered the advice recently received
from Philadelphia, but was unable to lay his hand
upon the letter. He therefore simply scrutiniZed
the check very closely. He noticed that 1t purpored
to be signed by Messrs. Wilmerdings, Hoguet Co.,
and was payable by the Tenth National Bank of New
York. He also noticed that the word ''and" was
omitted in the writing of the check SO that it read
only 'twenty thousand, ten dollars" He asked the
supposed collector If he had authority to insert the
missing conjunction. The man said he had, and did
SO. receipt was made out, handed to him, and he
forthwith left the office.
Mr.. Amory however, had his suspicious that some
thing was wrong, and at once sent the check to
the bank to have it certified: The paying teller
glanced at the check, and observing that the fill
Ing up was not in the usual handwriting of Wilmer
ding, Hoguet s. Co.'s firm, and that there also
a discrepancy in the rotation OF the numbers
at the head OF the check with those they
had most recently paid, examined the signature
with unusual attention. The difference in the
numbering a considerable one, this doubtful
check bearing number 90, while the last OF which
there was any record in the books was numbered
GO. After little hesitation and the most rigid
scrutiny of Sstl. the Check however the teller
TO make assurance doubly sure, consulted
the cashier. The latter agreed with him as
to the genuine character OF the signature after
sulting the recorded signatures OF the firm upon the
books Of the bank, and the check was sent back to
Messrs. Gendinning's duly certified. Mr.. Amory,
however, was still unsatsned, and though, the
check being now certified, the loss Of the amount
thrown upon the bank, he determined to personally
see Messrs. Wilmerdng, Hoguet & Co. in reference
toit.
the front side, but at last succeeded in getting in
part of the story. Having obtained an interview
with Mr. Hoguet (whose signature for the firm the
bank had stated to be attached to the check and
looked at 1t carefully and stated the signature to be
genuine Mr.: Amory at this was naturally pretty
well satisfied but made one more effort In the interest
Of prudence. He asked 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 to be genuine, to
be forgery The st" in the forged check was not
written as he wrote 1t, but in every other respect
the signature was so perfect fac-simile 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 parties applying for the money. This morning
| at about a quarter before ten the man who on
Wednesday last represented himself as Mr.. Field of
the firm of Young, Smyth, Field Co., appeared at
the office of Messrs. Glendennng, Davis & Co., in
this city, and supposing that his New York confe-
| derates had worked up their part of the
was politely shown into the private Office of the es
tablishment, and there introduced to Detectives
|
| waiting for some time for an opportunity to make
| his acquaintance. The man was searched by the
officers and the receipt of the New York branch of
the firm was found upon his person
Among other papers found upon him ere memo
randa concerning MessrS. DreXel Co. Townsend
| Wheelen & Co.. Alexander Benson & Co.; Trechel
Florance (who have not been in business for three
years past, and G. B; Wright 4 Co.
The quasi Mr.. Field was conducted by the officers
to the Central Station where he was taken OF,
and is to be given hearing before. Alderman Kerr
height OF dark complexion, with black hair and
black moustache, and is apparently about 80 years
years OF age. He scarcely looks like business man.
| although he might pass such with some. AS
| soon as he was first seen in the office of Messrs.
| Glendinning, Davis Co., suspicious OF his true
character were naturally aroused and the upshot OF
toD.
| MONTHLY FIRE REPORTS TO BE PUBLISHED BY THE
| FIRE MARsHAL.-In compliance with the desire OF
the municipal authorities, the underwriters, aud the
public generally, Fire Marshal Blackburn, whose
health has been restored and who has again entered
upon the discharge or his Official duties will here
after furnish monthly reports OF fires in Philadel-
phia 1t will be his constant endeavOr to make these
reports interesting well accurate reliable and
complete and to facilitate his labors he requests all
citizens TO communicate to him, at the earliest pos
| sible moment, Information OF every fire, however
trivial occurring on their premises anywhere in the
| consolidated city,
He also requests that, after the extnguishment OF
fire, no debris or other evidence remaining cacu-
lated TO throw light upon the origin OF the nre be
! removed or disturbed until he has had an Opportu.
| nifty OF making his examination. a strict compi-
with the latter request is especially important
where there is reason to suspect incendiarism Oh
| fraud. We are assured that In the future all the
energy, knowledge and experience OF the Fire Mar
shall will be devoted to the discovery OF the true
causes OF fire and the detection and punishment OF
incendares. and we know that it will be the plea
| sure OF every good citizen to cheerfuy aid him in
| his laborious and laudable efforts
ADMISSIONS TO THE BAR.-The following young
N a N q n hnfR inEa ian