, 1873-08-16
THE MoNEy-oRDER FoRGER.
How He Managed to Secure q
Position in the Chioago
Post-Ofnce.
His Reward for Political Services to
the Republican Party
Some Clever Specimens OF His Genius
for Forgery.

Some Clever Specimens OF his oeh'us
for Forgery.
ycst.rdsy afternoon o Tribune reporter callod
unon Con, Macarthur, Postn.aHtor of this city, In
order to obtain information with regard to tho
nature Of tho recommendations mud support
upon which "Col." J. ". Young, the monoy-
order forgor, succeeded III obtaining position
Il, his department. Tho Postmaster waH quito
willing to bo communicative upon tho subject.
Tho application for tho poaitiou he subsequently
obtained wns first 1nado by Young about tho be-
ginning Of February last. Ho produced, Ill al1p-
port Of bis candidacy, number Of lottors at his
nrst intarviow with tho Postmaster, WHO has
since Lost almost NIL Of them. The Postmaster
says, however, TINT what influenced him most IN
giving Young tho position was his general ap-
pearanco and excellent mannor and atidrosp.
which was very npt to impresa ono favorably OF
him both US a gentleman and man OF ability
Out of tho lettors produced by Young, tie Post
master has only preserved throo, two purport-
Ing to be recommendations, tho othor Yoang'R
original application. Tho Postmaster Says ho
has roason to think all tho lottolB aro forgerles,
or ii any OF thcm arc authentic, thoy wero OBJ
tanned from tho writer's by misrepresentation
Que OF thom, tho General had quito recently
loarned, was forgery. It was ono Of rocotn-
mendntion, purporting to como from Paul Van
DerVoort, citizen OF Bloomington, III. COM
parisou Of this lettor with tho "Colonol's lcttor
Of application shows that, while at D casual
glanco the handwritings seem different, yek q
careful scrutiny shows tho leading character
istics Of ono to cxist in the other, tho peculiar
formation Of some Of tho letters in both being
identical. The following is q reprint Of the
contents Of tho letter, which, IN consideration of
cause itH roadors to feel inclined to allow that
molesty is one Of tho most prominent traits OF
tho mouoy-ordor forgor'a character:
HIS SERVICES TO THE PARTY.
DIooMMa7oN. ILL.,, Fob. 20, 1878.
o Di.. sin afo tho liberty of introducing myself
10 you in DehaK Of gentleman whom think entirely
II orar L. r hat hay bo tlo better oblo to speak ii,
his boiaf, would state that wns formerly oditor Of
dentia Champaign eanvassed tho entire Slate Of ILL.,
nea q eoHpay yth ., non n; r. j; osssny U. 3 son
u s i inaa a Il osn s a
s 5s
personally know that he dia enoraoticaily canvass
.eyssa Of Tho oa, middle goneresslon.,al Dis;
teag speeches. hive since cultivated lis acq,ant-
anso md bolieyo he T. destined to become ono ot or
t pS L. a W bsea 81 N aa
Republican, hut has only entered Into politics tho last
campaign, being tue lrst IN which he has taken an
reference 70 Dol. Young requesting letter for him
10 you, which belioYo you hayo received. This s
COL Young, and would respectfully request q your
hands favorable consideration Of any application ho
y maio for III R0on ~ in yaas
yonra moat truly,
tslgaed). PAuL VAN DEnVoo1T.
THE LETTER a FORGERY.
This letter was shown to Mr. Van DerVoort
eo1no fnw daya auce, and ho at onon pronounced
it forgery, Tho other letter, purporting to DO
written by the Hon. @. D. Farwoll, bears owl.
deuces upon its face of being geuuino.. As will
be seen bolow, it is short, conciso business
like note, and the handwriting shows no Bilni-
larity whatever to tlat III Young's own letter
or his forgery OF Alr. Van DerVoort's. Tho
letter runs la follows:
WABn1N0roa Feb. TO- 1873.
Dean sm: recommend for clurkslip i'll tho
Col XGung ts III a1a
'ssrs ars. < MeXaruIR. SSA''
Tho reporter called on lfr. Farwell Mt his place
OF business but, tlat gentleman being out OF
wise Of tno letter could not bo obtained.
Tho only other lottor in this moat interesting
collection il that Of tho applicant himself, md
Hlanco at it shows that it's writer Ia maeter Of
tbo art Of penmanHhip. It is model OF check
aud caligsaphy, while its wording is such az
would hnVe aidod the Postmaster in forming @
good opinion OF tho writor, aa viii bo seen BY a
porasal of its contents, as follows:
HIS APPLICATION.
CENTRAL Hornl, spN1Ror1EIp, 1u.,l
Fob. j, 1878. :
Gen. Join 1fcArthur:
DEAR B1R: would most respectfully requcAt po-
sition in tho poat-Ollre Department under your
Nj political claims for such position nro that, dur
@ sae bsrcts Of his State, ind aiao II
Indiana, III behalf Of tho Republican party.
pant By thu o H. j. oxesSy uuted saes SEM"
tor, tho lion. john L. Beyeriago Governor md nm
turc. -..
General, hoping that my petition will meet Will
your 1noat fayorabo consideration, am, truly yours
etc., ]. ". YOUNG.
TIE PETITION
referred to In tho nboyo was duly presented af
promisod, only excepting the absence Of the
namo Of Senator Oglosby, which lack was made
up for by tho presence Of several others no
mentioned In the letter: Unfortunately ns o.
other letters, have been misplaced by tho Post
lnaater and Ao cannot, therefore,, easily deter
mine whothor they arc forgeries: Tho Postnlaa
tor informed tho reporter that 1t is mattor Q
TACT that Young was actively engaged as q Ropub
lican stumper during tho Presidential campaign
He, it appears, ca1llo out first as Greeloyite
and succeeded in forming several Greeley Club
in ditreront parts Of tho State, but beln
s'bouncod " by them, ho took up with tho lsc
publican pnrty 1loro ho found lt resting
place, and It is hard to tell whore Ills rcstloss au
bition might not havo ultimately placod hir
had he not 10 hur1ielly raisdircotodin tho money
order forging line, tho peculiar talents which, b
exercise oi little pntonco ho could aubso
quont'y have utilized ia Crodit Mohilier schomet
or aomo l,or fraud ut onco gonseeland gigantic
TIE FIRE-MARSlIALSHIp