The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-30
VILLAE0US VAN SAUN.
Bold Forgery Of a Check for
$4,000 i'm Gold.
A WALL STREET VILE.
Twenty Minutes Ahead Of the
Detectives.

The very much mixed society which calls Wal
street It's home was reused up from Its apathetc
state yesterday afternoon 10y the rumor which ran
along the street, as only rumors can there cir
cuate, that huge forgery had just been success.
fully perpetrated and that the scoundrel had
escaped with the plumber. II soon became
known that the firm suffering by the operation Is
j. II. Smith Co., or No. % Broad street. and tina,
$500 was the amount In which malign fortune,
through the agency OF one Albert Van Saun, has
mulcted them. The firm TO which she latter belongs
Is Z. NJ. Harris Co., No. % Broad street. IN which
Van Saun was ostensioly cashier only, but in reality
partner. Van Saun has
NOT BORNE A GOOD CHARACTER
among the men OF Wall street. having been
regarded as slippery customer, II nothing
worse, in consequence OF some ugly dis
closures that TO light about twelve
months ago last FEBRUARY. lie then IN
partnership win a man named Augustus H.
Wheeler, ana an action brought III a suit for
$4,000 on which an order OF arrest was
secured against S. &. Barr, broker
the street. The particulars OF the case
were all published in the HERALD OF the period,
from which II transpned, on the statements OF the
defence that the $500 had been given by them TO
+. C. Barr Tor the purchase OF certain bonds sup
posed be stolen. Mr.. Barr averred that he had
IN the simplicity OF
his CoNFlpING DISPOSITION,
given the check to the person Indicated as holding
the bonds, which were to the amount OF $4,000 Ac-
Cording to the story THIS honest gentle
man made himself scarce and carried the
check and the bonds along with him, lea win II
Barr to meet Van Saun empty handed Hence the
suit which has not yet been reached, ana Will moi
probably be called before october. The exploit Of
Van Saun yesterday Is not calculated inspire
much confidence his claims to legal protection
af Arrsit RI, tl.a n.
bond operating house of
VAN sAUN 4 co. FAILED.
Since that time the enrerprisng Albert entered
the arm OF Charles M. Harris x Co. Charley
Harris is a member OF the Stock Exchange, ana is
spoken OF as n clever fellow. His share II any, IN
yesterdays transaction 1t Is hoped 10y his friends
Will be satisfactorily cleared up This affair, winch
up 10 late hour yesterday evening filed the side.
walks OF Broad street with excited operators OF all
classes from
TIE "sHOo FLIBs' TO THE "soLID" MEN,
which stirred up the lately torpid ivers Of the
'buls' and reused the "bearsr from their lethargy,
happened in this wise;--
STORY OF THE FORGERY
+. II. Smith 4 90. had been IN the habit of doing
business with Harris 4 Co., but had .'marginu On
the order of Van Saun he yesterday agreed to buy
gold in lots of $4,000 for the firm. Mr.. Smith
believes tnat Harris was cognzant OF TINS
fact, as the two partners were In company
q the time. Others aver that Harris was
pardner." knowing something OF The slippery
nature OF his customer. Mr. Smith-who Is young,
sharp business man OF some twenty-five years
demanded that he should be paid In certified checks
TO this Van Saun readily assented. Accordingly
called, carrying gold CERTIFICATES to the aount OF
$4,000 ana check Tor $4,000 gold on the New
YORK Bank: Van saun met him at the door OF the
office, and went back for the cneck, which he
handed TO Smith,
REcEIvING THE $4,000 GOLD IN EXCHANGE
According a a A ~
Reporter, ne and Others VINO were slrtlng BACK ID
the once saw the papers change hands ana til,
ISTo BROAD STREET AND DISAPPEAR.
Charley Harris had been seen on the stree
Sowever, ieT sod our reporier s that "'' Var
Saun had sent him Giarrsl uptown early
In The dav. AS soon as Smlti-havlng the check in
his possessioD--leit the office rs Broad street he
began TO doubt the genuneness or The certihcaton.
TO the paving teller's desk or the Continental
National Bank, Nassau street ana demanded au
bounced the signature forgery. Wild with excite
meDt smith cried out,
''FoR COPS SAKE GIVE NE THE CHECK;
The Young man, with this terrible loss staring
him IN Inc face, at once returned to the down stars
0en IN Broad street lie rushed In and cried out
where's Van Saunf TINS is a iorseryW But
Van saun was not among the things tan
gible Broad street just then, and those
Ia the oihce said they had not seen
him after their departing in company. smith again
rushed into the street, aud ma IL for the New York
Bank. on Wall street, on which the $50, 900 gold
check he mad handed the forger was drawn.
pad. and 1t then became palpable that he had
GOT OFF WITH TEN MINUTES START.
carrying with MIN the entire sum OF $4,000. gold:
the Closest computation OF time they were on his
track, he having only twenty minutes Roadway.
charge OF the case, but through the entire part
oil yesterday evening they DID not appear
aides at Riverdale, Westchester county, but
moi likely TO have gone there. rumor obtaiueC
A chartered
TO the South American steamer which was reporte,
TO have let at three 2. NJ This was soon dsslpated
for inquiry 1t ascertalned that she sailed a
half past eleven A. NJ. The excitement created b.
this event among the spectators was Intense, ant
the pavement in front OF the basement at Is Broat
TngoNeED BY TIE CROWDS OF OILERS
who assemble on such occasions and stare at Thu
happened, as though the brick and mortar woulC
become oracular on the evils OF forgery. Mr.. Smltl
was found MS once stIll laborlng under
painful degree OF excitement, as ma,
be imagined OF a young man VINO finds himsel
some $50, 600 poorer In the afternoon IMAM in tn,
morning he stated afterwards That notwithstand
ing his reverse the firm would meet all It's obiga
tons. The following Is
He is about hirlywo years OF age, five feet eleven
inches in height not stout sharp, angular features
t thus tne dresses es'' neatly. Charles H. Harl
L. not so old being about twenty-slX years OF age
short stature, moderately slim, snort back WINS
kers and mustache, dressed IN black. he resides a
Flushing, whittier, Il Is chartably supposed, he ha
sG9e e o6ge ~, eercase Is clumsy s9
usual form and across the face Of the check, FOL
lows
70 1IAPsoH Teller
AUG. CONTINENTAL NATIONAL BANK,
1861. CERTIFIED.
The cheek was drawn in the usual FORM 10 III
order OF r. II. smith, ana signed, in Van saun
handwriting Z. NJ. Harris & Co.
IL Will, indeed, be small credit 20 our detective
" TINS iorger escapes WIN twenty minutes star