The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-11-07
From the Cumberland News
A Bold Aftempt to SwtudIe a Bank
The Rascal Escapes,

A Bold Attempt to SwtudIe Bank
The Rascal Escapes.
One of the most extensive and bold
attempts at swindling ever known in
this city was tried at the counter of the
Second National Bank on Saturday
last. The details of the attempted
forgery had been carefully looked to,
and the whole thing prepared with de-
liberate care, except the story the
swindler had to tell, the incongruities Of
which first induced the bank officers to
suspect that all was rot right. The
facts of the case are substantially as fol-
lows:
About haltpast one o'clock on Sat-
urday afternoon a neatly, but plainly
dressed man, of medium height, wear
ing no beard or mustache, long black
hair, and who was, or pretended to be
deaf, went into the Second National
Bank, and presented to the Cashier,
Daniel AMMAN, ESQ.,, a letter which
read as follows:
New YORK, October 81, 1872.
David Annan, Esq, Second National
Bank, CumberLrDd, Nd:
SIR: E. II. Perkins, Jr., ESQ, of
this city, recommends US to send Mr.
Henry Rowland to your Bank. Mr.
Rowland, (who will hand you this)
will have considerable business in your
vicinity, and we have advised him to
deposit his funds with you.
Respectfully,
c. Fl. MALLORY & Co.
After some conversation How and, as
the swindler styled himself, showed Mr..
Amman a check in his favor for nire
thousand dollars, drawn by c. II. NAL
lory 4 Co. on the Fulton National Ba k
OF New York, and stated that he would
open his account a. once and wished
the check placed to his credit. lie
endorsed the check and handed it TO
Mr. AMMAN. So far all was well. The
commercial register showed the cred t
of C. II Mallory & Co to be unlimited,
and the check had everv appearance OF
Neing genuine 1t is handsomely 18th
Ographed and looks as though it might
have been torn from the che:k-book
of a resron-ihle firm. 1t is num-
bered 4279, payable 10 the order Of
Haory Rowland, and signed by {. II
Mallory Il Co, in a fine, bid hand.
On the tace OF the check is stamped
Certified nv the Fulton National B INK
OF New York" the words running in a
circle, in which are enc osed the written
word and figures, "Comly, $4,000 y
which was supposed to be the teller 5
signature. On the back Of the check
is endorsed Henry Rowland" beneath
which is written 'Endorst. Correct
CHI Mallory & CO. Underneath the
last signature Rowland wrote his name
in the presence OF Mr.. Amman, in the
same handwriting as the first Henry
Howland.'
After the deposit OF the check had
been made Rowland had some CONVEX
saton with Major E L Moore, the
President Of the bank, ard went awav,
saving that he would call again. As
his check had been taken on deposit
without being questioned, Rowland
thought he had a sure thing Of II, and
did not wait long until he did call
again At al-psst two he made his
appearance with check signed bv him
self. and payable to b own order, for
$4,000, saving that he wanted to use
the money to close a bargain that even
ing. This was entirely another mat
ter. The hank officers would see bout
it: and Rowland was told TO call AT the
bank at hal-past tour, and they would
see what could be done for him. How
land said: "All right; I'll call, and
went quietly away. One OF the bank
clerks who looked out ot the window is
under the impression that be was joined
by two other men, which was their first
and only appearance upon the scene.
A ter Howland left Major Moore tel
egraphed to the Fulton National Bank
OF New York, stating the case, and
asking for Information. In an hour or
TWO the New York bank replied, "W e
have no such account 1t Is bogus.
1T" evidently referring to the check Tor
$4,000 deposited bv Rowland
While waiting fo- the reply of his
tee gram Major Moore visited the F rSt
National Bank, ofthis city, and detail ed
the case to the officers Of that bank,
who produced letter addressed to
Edwin 7. Shriver, ESQ, Cashier First
National Bank Of Cumberland,
signed G. II. Mallory Il Co, in the
same handwriting, and containing the
same words as the letter presented to
Cashier Amman, except that it stated
that Caleb F Coles, Esq. OF New
York. had recommended the First Ma
tional' to them! Howlani hal, how
ever. merely presented bis !e''er at the
First National and'left, -ayi"s thai he
would call again, which he didn't DO.
He, likewise, neglected to call at the
Second National at hsli-past four
o'clock tor hisSOOO police officer
was nut upon his track, bu; he could
not be found, and it is thought that be
and his accomplices, if he had any, LEI,
on the three o'clock eastwsrd bound
train, and he or they are doubtless oy
this time connecting another swlndlee'
n.inc new names, &c. At all events II
is pretty certain that he gave up TINS
one for lost when he was tod to come
hack st a certaia hour for the money
! o.