The New York herald., 1871-10-25
ARREST OF AN EXTENSIVE F0RGER,
An Unprecedented Career of
Crime.
The Start, the Course and the Finish Stoppages
by the Way-His transactions, Trials Tri-
umphs and Tribulations Brought
to oBay-The Flood Of Forgeries.

Like the moth that dances round the light, dam
aging Its plumage at each successive dash until at
last the brlancy OF the glare proving too much for
It's forbearance, 1t falls dead into the net its own
folly had created, the criminal plays with the limits
OF the law. At first necessity may tempt him into
the commission OF some trivial OFFENCE but that one
successfully performed and avoided he VIII De sure
to launch into
MORE EXTENDED OPERATIONS,
ant at last, getting beyond his depth, he sinks TO
the bottom Of the OF vianes he has been SWIM
ming In. A man OF this exact type was arrested
the day before yesterday by Detective Elder, OF the
central ONCE. Something more than year ago
this young man came to New York and went TO the
Office Of F. u. Morgan 4 Co., "a Exchange place.
and presenting himself as s. b. Downer gave those
gentlemen to understand that he was recommended
to them by George L. Dunlap. To his recep.
ton somewhat more gracious and at the same
time to gain the confidence OF the 0rm, he showed
an Introduction to Governor Morgan from Mr.. Dun
lap He further said that he was native
OF Detroit and o friend Of Senator Chan.
dler. The explanations OF his position
being concluded, the young man informed
the Messrs Morgan Co. that he had come on to
New York to purchase some bonds Of the New Or
leans, Mobile and Texas Railroad Company. These
gentlemen then told him tnat business could only
| be omplIshcd by ready money or
CERTIFIED CHECK
for the amount OF the bonds he wished TO buy. Mr..
DOwner then lett the establishment and returned in
| few days with check for $4,000, purportng ia
be certified and received in exchange five 81, ,OOJ
| bonds and q check from l.. ID. Morgan for the
| balance, $685. The bonds which were sold
| to Downer numbered from 90 to 100, in
| elusive, and in a very short time afterwards
Messrs. Morgan found they had been duped and
that the check was worthless. The next heard OF
this audaciOus fOrger was IN Toledo Ohio, where he
deposited check on the Bank OF Commerce OF
New York. purporting to have been made by Bab-
cock Bros. Co., brokers, OF 81 William street. and
made payable to the order OF ]. II. Ransom Il Co.
Here he represented himself as q large dealer in
which he left for pastures new ana lelus not vet
explored. In the ordinary course OF commercial
matters the check was sent by the Toledo bank to
Its CORE espOndents heie the Ocean National Bank),
and tney in turn sent 1t to the Bank OF Commerce,
THE SPURIOUS CHARACTER
or the instrument was at once detected. After this the
o draft IN the Royal canadian banK OF Montreal,
drawn on BabcOck Bros, for the amount of $lo 0J0,
and 1 desired to to get 500 ont on It, Here, however
cious and would not let him have the money.
Shortly after the failure IN Canada he turned up in
ST. Louis, under the appeation of. Q. Whttimore,
and lived mxuronsly In that city Ior some time.
Becoming at last In want OF funds he returned 10
ber he arrested on suspicion OF being forger,
and his picture was sent on to the New York deec
tive whom Morgan GO. had given the working
up OF The case to. With this picture came com.
plete description OF the man. winch was tnat he ap
peared to be about thirty or thirty live years OF age
1--we feet eight ncnes In neight spare built with
smooth lace. dark brown hair, q twisted nose ana
having remarkably good address. When the St.
Louis detectives examined his person tney found
upon HIM letter OF Introduction purporng
s % hSys Ssv Dee1 signed Sy a. also o. Morgan
OF deposit from the Central National Bank OF inns
clty. He was detained in custody In ST. Louis lor
mo imp. I'm evidence %
there were nnaily compelled to let him 20. From
all that can be at present Cleaned OF ms course from
dozen aliases, came back to New York. Al ali
events, short time after this
lie OPENED AN ACCOUNT
with the Dry Dock Savings Bank, under the name
Of Samuel =. Collins. He told the people at the
ana a man OF means, and as he had
for long time watched the Workings OF their insti
count there. lie at first lodged small amount in !,
the Savings Bank, and then Kept on enargng 1t by |
sums and which he raised TO large ones. The
greater number OF these dra Is belonged TO the city
drawn for $50 each; but Merrett, alias whittmore,
alias Brude, raised them TO 5000, 81 900 and $500.
and the genleman's tricks once more came to light.
During all this time Detectives Elder and McDouga |
were looking for thus clever artacer but could not
at any one tme Mr.. Elder nrst heard Of the case |
from Mr. Henry F. ya te na cashier snns Of the Bank Of
been watching the movements OF the man. Bank |
after bank sent on the description OF the forger,
each In turn as they mad been victimiZed, and by
this the detectives were able to keep track or
him. For months past Mr.. Elder been looking for
him, expecting him every day to turn up In the city.
His search and untiring energy rewarded on
Monday night about nne O'Clock, when he met the
longooked-for Individual ON the corner OF Fourth
and Greene streets MIR. Elder at once took him
into custody, and yesterday morning brought him
before
SUPERINTENDENT KELSO.
Sitting with the SUPERINTENDENT at the time was
Judge Low, who Immediately recognized the man
as On individual named Arthur X. Brude, OF Full |
ton, Oswego county VINO had swindled him OF a !
large amount In bonds on forged draft something
about year ago. For this performance Judge |
Low had MIN arrested, but he gave bail and
afterwards forfeited II. lie arrested and |
brought before Judge Hogan In March last for this
same fraudulent purchase or the Midland Railroad |
bonds and was committed for trial, but he after |
waris managed TO escape through some slight |
tecnnlcallty. he was also arrested at Albany al the
time the expressman was
ROBBED AND KILLED
on the railway bridge; In fact, he was the first |
man who was arregted for shat crime, |
but he was afterwards discharged. lie |
was taken up In Albany on suspicion, because |
ne mad large amount oI money on his person, and |
the authorities there were under the impression that
ne must nave Killed the expressman and stolen the
money In appearance the man Is perfectly cool, |
and seems nothing shocked by the position he finds |
himself placed In. He was taken before Judge Ho- |