The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-06-04


tlons OF the gang Of swindlers who vic.
tlmized the banks OF Savannah, Augusta
and Macon, few days ago, seemed to
nave extended over a wider space of
country than was ut first imagined. Fri
day night the agent of the Associated
Press at this point sent q despatch to the
newspapers OF the country, giving an
account of the swindlers in this State.
Yesterday the Chief of Police received a
despatch from Mr.. james McDonough,
Chief OF Police of st. Louis, stating
| that Holmes and Bennett had passed
forged paper on some of the st. Louis
banks, and requesting that they be held
here until an officer could reach Augusta.
The Macon Telegraph. of yesterday, says:
About noon Mayor Huff received a
telegram from the Cashier of the Ma
tlonal Bank in Augusta, stating that that
concern had been swindled out of
~. LOO, by "a tall, slim young man,
smooth face, with dark moustnche," on
g forged certificate Of deposit from tho
National Bank of the Republic, New
York city, on the 28th May.
This shows how carefully the affair had
been manipulated and arranged. We
know that the attempt was mudo stimuli.
taneously in Savannah, Augusta, Macon n
and Columbus, it being successful in the
three first named, and the neat little sum
OF $50, 100 secured. Columbus escaped
On account of the absence of the Cash
ler, and the manipulation knowing that
the affair would be "blown" next day, of
course left without succeeding in his
errand. This man is, in MI probability,
now confined in our Jail. Rumor also
says, Charleston, Charlotte. N. O., and
Richmond are sufferers, the attempt hav.
ing been made in those cities also on
tuesday; but on this point we have no
definite information.
About the same time that the Augusta
despatch arrived, or shortly before, o
despatch was received from Mont
gomery, Alabama, stating that the man
who had been arrested there had been
allowed to escape. This was news, in
deed, and excited much indignation. It
was at first reported that despatch had
been received there signed "James
Martin, Macon" ordering his release.
This, however, is not true. He was re-
leased in consequence OF despatch
from Henry Clews & Co., bankers, Wall
street, New York, firm that arc we'll
known IN connection with Mr.. Bullock's
bond manipulations. This firm stated
that the party arrested was one of their
agents and was oil right. Upon this he
wns released, and Messrs. Flanders and
Clark, on their arrival, found thutstheir
bird had flown seven hours previously,
and that they had had their long and
fntlgulng journey for nothing. The ac-
ton OF the Montgomery police was, to
say the least of it, most remarkable, as
supposing it true that the man was con-
nected with Clews, he might still be in
the ring of these sharpers.
10 return to our own two birds now
boarding with Mr.. Finney. They will
be brought before Mr.. Justice Granniss,
at 10 a. NJ. to-day. aud will very pro-
badly be released, rs though they con.
fess that the papers are forged which
were found upon Bennett, still it will be
question whether the mere possession
of forged document is crime.
The Augusta despatch was received,
we presume, from the Georgia Railroad
Bank, and not from the National Bank.
augusta Chronicle.