The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-18
OGTx LLI<uUUn.
DARING Pop ,rpIps

A Man whs Palms " -,S or p..u
Rhett. Of sev N s;arol,na. at wholesnIe
swiBditsE.
We are <ain called upon torecord the adroit-
ness Vi q forger, who skilfully hoodwinked a
lar &c firm in this city, and but for q doubt
which very opportunely crossed the mind of
one of the prospective victims, would have
unquestionably mulcted other firms in like man
per. On Wednesday last, a gentleman, prepos-
sessing in appearance, faultles' IN his dress la
the neighborhood of thirty years of age, called
at the establishment of Meesre Joel y.
Raily & Co., No. % North Third street, who
are dealers in hosiery, notions, and fancy goods:
He gave his name as X. Bsrnwell Rhett, and
that he had Just arrived from South Carolina,
where he resided, to purchase goods for the firm
of Slote, Webb & Co. He intimated that ne mad
travelled far in search of such as he wanted, and
had concluded that he could at no place meet
with better bargains than in Philadelphia To
Philadelphia then he came, and that moment
found him in Baily y Co.'S store. lie made
careful examination of the stock, with the eye
Of a connoisseur, and then retired, saying; g;-"I
will call to- morrow"
On Thursday, at 9 P. NJ, he fulfilled his pro-
mise and selected about $400 worth of goods.
He walked TO the rear of the store, where stood
q small desk, and while under the pretense OF
writing he cunningly distracted sheet OF paper
with the firms heading from one of the pigeon
holes. He then turned around saying, Make
out my bill / will call and settle next day {"
From Baily & Co.'s he went to the establish
ment of William @. Spencer q Co., dealers In
hosiery and fancy goods, doing business on
Chestnut street, below Seventh, and there pur-
chased goods to the amount of S4OO, and said
that he would call and settle. That afternoon
Messrs. Spencer & Co. received the following
order, which was brought by porter
OFFICE OF JOEL J. BAILY e. Co., No. IS North
THIRD STREET. PHILADELPHIA, Feb. II, 1s7l.-
Messrs. w. q. Spencer & Co-Gentlemen: Pile Ise
send US goods bought yesterday for Msssrs. Slote,
Webb Co.. Of Charleston, S. O., and charge same
TO US. Mr.. Rhett was Obliged TO leave town this
morning and requested US TO inclose your goods In
ahipmpnt. Rpanpctful1y
'0' '"'i JOEL j. BAnY e. Co.
When one of the firm received this note, a
shade of suspicion crossed his mind. He asked
the porter, "Are you employed oy. Mr.. Baily1'
NO." said the porter. I'VE will not deliver
the goods now;" and With this answer the porter
left. Upon sending word to Baily & CO the
Meesrs. Spencer discovered the order to have
been forged on the sheet of paper that had first
been stolen from the office. of the Third street
6rm.
The same individual, baffled at this point, then
went TO A. j. Bartholomew, on North Eighth
street, and purchased 1890 worth of kid gloves,
and said he would call next day" and pay for
them. Instead of calling, he sent by his porter
check on the Union Banking Company, signed
by j. j. Baily & Co., with a note similar to
that which had been sent TO the firm of Spencer
leave the city, and that Baily & Co would re-
ceive the goods for Messrs Slote, Webb e. Co.,
and include them in their shipment.
This time the forgery was successful, and Mr..
DaFtnOOmeW ucHFeftu Tue RoouS. 10 Blo uto
may he discovered that the signatures to both
the note and the check were forged. Mr.. Bar
thoomew is confident he can identify the forger,
while the goods which he was so adroitly
swindled out of are well described, and thus
their Identification will be easy.
Upon proceeding to the Continental Hotel the
parties concerned discovered that the bona. .fdt
Mr.. Rbett of South Carolina was stopping there
and was living in entire innocence of the
thought that rascal was, under his name, per
petratiDg yillainies in this city.