The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-24

from the 10Th Of November to the LIST Of
December, and that he had attained consid-
cradle proficiency is shown by the fact that
he was able to write letter so nearly an
imitation of the dead mans that it was re-
ceived aud answered as genuine by bank
| ing firm which had plenty Of genuine let
tiers of the same man, and that, too, in
York bankers evidently felt no question as
to the letter over Gumbeton's signature.
They probably received the letter on the
Sd or 4th Of December, and as soon rs their
business would allow they made the de-
sired statement of Gumbleton's account,
and transmitted it to him las they supposedly
In Chicago, inclosing their check for ST.
9S1.50
Once having received the draft, Zeigen-
meyer had gone far toward getting the
money but still he was not yet in posses
sion Of 1t. There remained the obstacle
that he was not known at all, even rs Zeig-
enmeyer, and that the draft was drawn to
Gumbleton. To get the money from any
quire that he be known or vouched for by
some responsible person. He adopted his
plan with great Sagacity, and relied on the
cupidity of man to give him the necessary
endorsement. He first visited the real estate
office of Rose d Cooley, No. IL south Canal
street, and there represented himself as
GumbIeton, man of means, and very de-
sirous of buying farm. Rose & Cooley
very obligingly introduced Mr. Gumbleton
to friend of theirs, Mr.. D. W. Mills, who
has an office with them, and who had a
farm for sale. Mr.. Mills had no difficulty
in arranging matters with the supposed
GumbletOn. The farm was agreeable, and
everything promised we'll for goodly profit
for Mr.. Mills, in bargain in which q
wealthy but half-educated German was
one of the parties. The only trouble was
that Mr.. Gumbleton had no great amount
of ready money. He had, to be sure, a
draft on New York for sum large enough
to cover the price of the farm; but he
had, unfortunately, no means of getting it
cashed. In this juncture Mr.. ID. w. Mills
offered his services to help his friend Gum
ton, and went with him to Ira Holmes,
cashier Of the Manufacturers National
Bank. He introduced MIR. GumbletOn to
Mr.. Holmes, and testified that he was the
real Gumbleton to whom the draft was
drawn and no other. Furthermore, he
vouched for Gumbleton's financial stand
ing, and offered to sign the draft with him.
How far the profits on the prospective sale
Of the farm went to convince Mr.. Mills that
he could conscientiously vouch for the
identity of this Gunlbleton, whom he had
known for nearly week, it is perhaps not
best to inquire. Doubtless Mr.. Mills con-
mere business formality - but it will
be curious to see if the heirs of
Gumbleton, should any appear, will regard
Mr.. Mills's endorsement in the same light.
Not quite satisfied with the affair, MIR.
Holmes prudently wrote to his New York
correspondents to see Blake Brothers d Co.
| and ascertain if the draft was all right.
They returned answer that the matter was
regular, and advised the payment of the
draft, meaning, of course, its payment to
Gumbleton. Acting on this advice the Nam
lttacturcrs' Bank received the draft Oh the
forged signature of Gumbleton and the gen.
uine one OF D. W. Mills. They did not pay
the draft to Ziegenmeyer, but gave him
ney named in it. He let the money Law in
| the bank just long enough to get rid OF his
| tool, D.. w. Mills, and then went back and
drew it all out. On the 21st day of Decem-
| Der, at a little before 5, Ziegenmeyer took
Express No. 10S; and with his aid conveyed
his trunk and other baggage to the Central
depot, and from that hour until yesterday
no news was ever received OF him.
After Detective Dixon had ascertained
all the facts detailed above, he became con-
vinced that any further efforts in this city,
| would be useless: He had ably and skill
| fully worked out every detail that had been
a part of the record Of the criminal in this
city. lie then determined to visit Balti-
what might he found in either those or
ether Eastern cities in relation to the MUIR
dcred man or the criminal. On January
| 11lh Detective Dixon started for Baltimore,
| and on reaching there made his way to
| Mckimon & Co.'s bank, where he learned
| some facts connected with the history of
Uumbleton. M.W. Gumbleton was an Irish
man by birth, very well connected in
Dublin, Ireland, and Of a highly respect
| able family. He was not especially talent
ed, and very much inclined to be dissoltte
| in his habits, but, withal, very careful of
| his money. lie came to this country about
| April %, 1870, and made his way imme:
diately to Baltimore. He had with him a
letter of credit Oh Liverpool, England,
house for Gl 900, which he sold to the New
| York firm aforementioned Immediately
upon his arrival. The price of gold being
ut that time 109, he realized from his letter
the sum of g, 76S.40, which he lett in Yew
York with an arrangement by which he
could draw as he wished. Gumbleton
stayed in Baltimore steadily, and COM
menced attending telegraph school there.
At this school, Oil the 4th Of May, he met
the man Alfred Zie9enmeyer, and iormeda
| friendship with him immediately. Zcigen-
meyer was found to have been II native of
Braunschweig (probably Brunswick, Ger
many. lie shipped at Bremen, on the ship
| F'lorella, Captain Peabody, and made Two
trips in her. This was three years ago. He
left the Florella i'll New York rs soon as the
war III Germany was announced, aud I'M
mediately shipped on board the steamer
Cuba. In her he made one or two trips to
Key West, and, after difficulty with the
mate, left her and went to work learning
tclegraphing in the same school in Balti-
more in which Gumbleton was occupied.
Just before the departure Of Gumbleton
West, Ziegenmeyer had made arrangements
with house in Baltimore to stop with
them for long time; but on learning of
Gumbleton's proposed departure he made
his arrangements as suddenly as possible and
came with him. The fact that he had long
entertained the idea of getting possession of
his actions in Baltimore. On several occa-
sions be tried to get the latter to 60 out hunt
! ing with him, and even went so far as to bor-
row a gun for the use Of the two. These
facts were remarked us singular at the time,
| but other occurrences have since made
plain what must have been Ziegenmeyers
| Intentions. 1t would be superfuous to
mention the number of places in Baltimore
| that the detectives visited in search OF
tidings of Ziegenmeyer, but it is enough
| to say that they found at last one Frank
| Howard, keeper of sailors boarding
house, who remembered the, German.
Through him they found man who had
sailed with him, and who knew him and
his parents. He remembered that Ziegen-?
meyer had sent home some money through