The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-15
BRGCNWsV, TsE CgUNTEREEiTER
A Chapter in His History.

from the New Haven Journal Dec. IL.
BrOckway was not an engraver, but had,' under
the Instructions VI relative since deceased, learned
the business OF letter press printing. the printing
Of bank notes which had previously been carried
on here to considerable extent had mostly been
transferred to New FORK: but two or three OF the
banks stil patronlzed the home establishment,
which, having little OF the work, could not AFFORD TO
provide safe and other precautions against acct
dents. The plates from which bank notes were we're
printed were treated the same as othelS-that
Is, when an order was worked oT.'' they were
cleaned aud set aside in the most convenient
part Of the room. Brockway was at work IN
the Office, and had the printing oil notes wnen called
for. some time in 1916, we think, It was discovered
that there were too many OF the New Haven bank
bills atloat aud specimen OF the lover issue, as
sucn things are nowadays termed, was SHOWN our
tb an n eIp a pression from the genuine
plate. The signatures were admirably eAcGuteu,
and the pill was very dangerous one. br0ckwav
was suspected and taken into custody, ana SUP
jec,ed 10 a rigid private examination by the Dank
oIcers Justice Bennett and others; but ne was per-
fecty seli-posses.ed, and baled every eHOrt 10 en-
trap him. tic had covered his tracks completely,
and il found necessary 70 release nm. ne
continued to work in the same place, and the
bank took extra precaut .ons against . recurrence
oil the accident AT Irst the WORK was uone
IN New YORK for awhile, and q new naii-plate
was engraved; cut soon, for reasons Of economy
and convenience, the plates were Droush1 nacn anu
the work gwen to the same concern nme pamh
kept the plates, except when they were actually re-
CURED for the work. when they were passed over TO
the printer the paper for the oils REQUIRED counSu
wnile the work was In progress, to carry away the
printed sheets aud the p.ates wnen tne JoD was
unlSneQ. Tbs programme was ou''
BrinLnall HAPPENING TO be the director selected W
watch and IL seemed that by no manner u ncans
could q fraud he perpetrated. But tne nanuier ol
the press was BROCK way and he was ato2s.uei VOC
smart 10 DC bound under ordinary precautlohs. ~
was not long before the bank received from from
the Suffolk Bank sof Boston-ln tnose days
the redeeming agent Tor all tne new Ens
and banAs-a note which was ,pronounossu
bogus. The signatures almost periect, anu sue
only perceptible difference IN the printing vas 's
some OF the finer lines OF the engraving ulu noI
appear quite clear ana perfect as III lhe GENUINE
| Our friend was again consulted, aln again pro
nounced the bill an impression 1iSdl lug eenuino
plate. The officers Of the bank deeiheu Iiis nnpos
sible for they knew their plates hau Deeh iocheu w
| In the bank vault except while on tne press, anu
under the eye one OF the most carelul anu tlusJ
oi their number. The expert adhered ~ nus Dpin
ion and soon he was reinforced Dy MI huuei Diau,
lev one OF the directors who being Jeweei anu ~,
| something OF an engrayer, had put prlVate Ilark
ON the plate and that mark was dlstnctly usocl
bile on this bogus bill But how had the Hlsc1ei peeH
| doneY The bank officers were nOnplusseu UuI tue
gentleman whom they had taken INTO colsullasion
| surmlsed and proceeded TO unfold the tneo,y saae
| Rrockway mad taken an impression III lead Oh the
| plates while pretending to be .lnaKlng rer s, oi
the press, and that from that impression hau pro
| yided himself with stereotype pale m r Mlcn
| this bogus issue had been workeu. Ills .iHUay
proved correct. AS near as couiu DC aScerGulneu
| Brockway played his game right before Tue eyes 81
the bank director, aud having learned from u mai
in town, skilled IN the art new 70 MAXI pate nau
cast one from his lead impression, wHlch was per,
feet except the finer lines. III Is not remembered
| precisely how ne escaped punishment; but some
links In the chain OF evidence were lacking, ana nt
departed, to pursue his career In otner parts. ~
mad beautiful and quick witted vile, VINO long az
hered to his fortunes and once secured MS paruol
frem New York penitentiary. lie Is now SAID U
be wealthy, but from the accounts OF the case IN TIT
New York courts has not yet abandoned hls or
tricks.