New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-25
A FORGER'S CAREER.

HOW AN ACCOMPLISHED sWINDLER OBTAINED
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM BANKING
COMPANIES RAISED CHECKS AND
NUMEROUS FORGERIES - PARTICULARS OF
HIS ARREST.
For several months Detectives Elder and
Macdougal OF the Central Office have been in pursuit Of
an accomplished forger who has been operating in this
and other cities and has obtained from savings and
other banks on forged checks and altered
drafts, sums aGgregatng several thousand dol
lars. About June /, spare, gentlemanly APP
pearing man, age so, Of medium hight, having
a smooth face, dark brown hail, slightly bald In
'front.' and having peculiar crooked nose called at the
banking house OF E. D. Morgan Co.. at No. "a Exchange
place. and presented card, bearing the inscription 3D.
g. Downer introduced by Geo. g. Dunlap" The stranger
said that he was from Detroit Mich. that he was q
friend OF Senator Chandler of Michigan and wished to
purchase 900 Of the first mortgage bonds OF the New
Orleans, Mobile and Texas Railroad Company. He was
told that cash certified check would be required On
the following day he called again and presented what
purported to be certified check for 900, drawn the
stuyyesant Bank by B. g. Downer. 1t seemed to be
regular and five q COO bonds Of the Company were given
him. with the firms check for $685. the difference be-
tween the amount of the check and the market value
Of the bonds The bonds received by him were NOS 70 70
100 inclusive The check given by Downer proved TO be
forgery but before this was discovered he mad dis
posed of the bonds and the smaller check received by
him Detectives Elder and Mscdougal were informed OF
th and At once put themselves In cOmmunica-
tion with various out-oftown detectives giving them
description Of the forger . $1,000. M ha o,o,o,
an account at bank in Toledo, Ohio, ana had deposited
what purported TO be Q certified check Tor drawn
by Babcock Bros. Co. Of No 81 William-st N T., In
favor of Ransom Co. ae Of ne eSeeS Pss
a assers i At Toledo, well ss At other
sSs' ne 9rofss he deposited
in the Canadian Bank sso H Sosrs an, md
bank refused to honor the check until they had eommu
ncated with Babcoeh Bros Co. on ot si sSs
desired Information, but went West ING oanh oncers
sent description or him to superntenoens heso, ana
thus Elder learned Of his Whereabouts ano started In
eus y tSe Cty National Bank Of PouEhkeepsie
c.iyed from the Ocean National Bank three drafts for
900 ooo, and q 300 Those drafts parported W have
dIssn ~ the pSSse of samuel Collins An IN.
vesteation proved that the three drafts we're ORIGINALLY
issuea for 10 each, and that they had peen skill
fully raised The original ming In OF INC aIs
These drafts were traced back from the ocean 10 ne
Oriental Hank and thence 70 the Dry DOCK saving
n ~. ..nartsincd mat 4 short time previous map
atvns the mama of samuel T. Collins, but answering
coIs petey To tho description even OF sno oI
whom Elder In search haa oIeuou an "a a ue
roain.f than and had nnaly deposited the drafts In
seatiop drawn the amounts In fun and closed hls nc,
count On sept 10 the newspapers OF TINS city puDisned
name 81 r WhIttsmore had been arrested on suspl:
cion n, beng the person who bad victimiEed several
bauks I'm indiana illinois, aud Missouri. Among his
effects were found letter OF huouucton Puporun9 "
90 nsnosit purpOrtng to have been Issued by
The National Rank OF Commerce OF this city. The evil
denoe against him was not oeemed Auncnt ~ "a'r~n'