Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-21
The Lou,sviIIc Forgeries.

from the Louisville Courier Journal Aug. 1871
The developments of Yesterday have increased
the known amount of Robert Atwood's pecula-
tiOns to about half a million dollars, the sum
that was the highest estimate in the first re-
ports, but then secuted as wild eXaggeration.
The loss of money is not the darkest feature of
this astonishing case. Ii Is now said that not
only did Mr. Atwood forge Endorsements on his
paper, dispose of stocks left in trust and appro-
pirate the money, use reCklesSly and criminally
the names of the firms in which he was a part
neri betray his official trust, and obtain money
from the banks upon other false prctenses, but
that he also raised" paper, which he wished to
negotiate, from a small amount to a sum more
commensurate with his demands. Many of the
losers are, for some reason, 10th to state the
amount of their losses, hut the following APP
prOXmate the truth Citizens bank, 500 900:
Northern bank, $4,000; Western financial cor
poration, $1,000; Louisville insurance and bank
ing company, ST. 000 First national, $4,000;
Planters national, $4,000; Peoples, $4,000;
Bank of Louisville SAG 900; German Security,
$4,000: Falls City tobacco bank, $4,000; City
national, $4,000; German bank and insurance
company S50,000 tDrobably considerably exag-
gerated y Bank of Kentucky, $4,000; Bank of
America, SJ000 Kentucky national, $500; Cen
trail savings bank, $1,000; Farmers and DroverS'
bank, $4,000; Manufacturers bank, $50, 200,
tprobably much exaggerated Shelbyville bank,
$4,000; total, $3.50 500. 1t will be seen from this
more lightly than the rest.
TO these may be added a number of individu-
ais, who lose about as foliOwsi A. o. Brannin,
$4,000; John Long, 81 0O0i B. NJ. Messck
81 900; DIR. Lewis Rogers, $50 600, and the
Union insurance company, $40, 900: total, S6S :.
000-making grand total Of S42s, 500. Besides
these, there are many others whose losses are
not kDown--among them g. W. Norton g. Co.
A. ID. Hunt & Co., Charles NJ. Thruston, Miss
Thrustop, etc. None of the insurance compa.
MES, however, of which Atwood & Nicholas
were agents in this city. will suffer from Mr.
Atwood's financial embarrassment On the
first of August full statement was made with
the companies and accounts all squared. The
firm of Schoeffe & Co. is seriously involved
All persons involved in the affair will be as
kindly and lenenty treated as possible, and
every opportunity given to work out of the diff
culties into which they have been SO suddenly
and innocently thrust by their misplaced conf.
dence.
1t is said that among Atwoods transactions il
has come to light that a number of gas company
bonds left with him by his father-in-law, Dr.
Lewis Rogers, some time ago, when the latter
went abroad, were sold by Atwood, and The
money appropriated to his own use, and that, in
order to keep Dr. Rogers from discovering his
breach of trust, he has been regularly paying
the dividends on the bonds ever since.
1t is also said that large number of bonds
oil the Union insurance company of which he
was secretary, were sent in to be exchanged fol
new ones. The new bonds were issued and the
old ones were laid aside to await Atwood's ar
rival, he being the one authorized TO cancel
them. But instead of doing so he hypothetical
them for loan OF $40 900 which was swallowed
up in his operations.
The draft received from New York, announc
ing the deposit of $40 900 to his credit, in bank
in that city, and against which he drew drafts
to twice or thrice that amount, turns out tt
have been genuine. His drafts, however
reached the New York bank before the money
was actually rendered that institution to NEE
them, and being so much in excess of the
amount, the bank refused the deposit. What
became of the funds we are unable to say.
During the four or five days preceding the
exposure, Atwood procured from the banks in
this city. on sight drafts, about 100000 He
paid no maturities; he made no important in.
yestments as far as is known; yet no money Of
any consequence was found on his person when
arrested. The question is pertinently asked
what did he do with the funds? Where are
they at this time? His fraudulent transactions
are said to be mainly comprised within the last
four months. Atwood was a deacon in Rev
Gilbert II. Robertson's church
LOUISVILLE, KY, Aug. 17.-Robert Atwood
is preparing for publication full statement Of
his financial operations, and how he came to be
involved in them.