New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-27
The Bank Frauds.
Discovery OF an Elaborate Conspiraey
Against the Bank OF EngIand.

Discovery OF an Elaborate Conspiracy
Against the Bank OF EngIand.
The forgeries on the Bank of England, o
which some details were given BY telegraph
was one of the most skillfuI known Of late
years. 1t was discovered on March lst b,
the merest accident. Ii was a most elaborate
conspiracy, the object being TO have forged
bills discounted. 1t must have been carried
out by men of considerable acquaintance with
commercial affairs oflarge capital The Bans
OF England exercises very great caution in al
/ lowing discount accommodation to new Gus.
TONERS; any person requiring to open "dis-
count account" must be introduced BY one OF
the directors, and very careful inquiries are
made into his responsibility and solvency.
But the bank has also branch in the West
end, at burlington Gardens, for the conven-
/ fence OF those gentlemen and tradesmen who
I might ind 1t announcement to journey to the
city en- business. This branch naturally is
| not ordinarily concerned with the large bill
transactions of city commerce, and in conse-
quence, is less bound by strict regulations in
dealing with any business which, by chance.
may come to it. This was the point chosen
by the conspirators for their attack. Some
| months ago an American named Frederick
Albert Warren, but who also appears to have
gone by the name of c. j. Horton, opened
!
dens branch, for which he would only want
the introduction of a customer. He behaved
for some time just like an ordinary customer
OF good resources. He drew upon his balance
and renewed it, but kept it always at good
figure. After a while he deposited some
bills. They were good and genuine bills.
Still he was careful not to be hasty, and he
continued his transactions with the bank until
he had acquired the reputation of a person
engaged in legitimate commerce and thor
Oughly trustworthy.
At length the moment came for the pre-
sentation of the forged bills. They were
discounted without hesitation, and the au-
thors of the fraud had, to all appearance,
succeeded in safely pocketing about hun
bred thousand pounds. Some of the money,
it appears, was invested in United States
bonds, SO that to the last they might avoid
the appearance of doing anything unusual.
They are said to be Americans, and what
more natural than that they should desire
bonds Of their own country? All these ar
engagements were masterpieces of ingenuity
and patience. But the bills themselves must
have required the greatest amount of labor.
In the first place, many of the large firms
upon whom the bills purported to be drawn
are in the habit of using a peculiar kind of
paper, with certain kinds of water-marks and
printed matter. AS this would have to be
initiated, and, as the bills were drawn on
more than one firm, there must have been
several such limitations.
There remained the drawing of the bills
and the affixing the signatures, and each bill
must have required a series of feats in sue
cessful forging. Some bills were backed by
several acceptors, so that there might easily
be as many as half dozen signatures on
single bill. Yet the bills were so perfect
that not one of them was questioned on the
ground OF the acceptances not appearing
genuine. The plot had, to all appearance,
success which its consummate skill and pa
tience deserved. The money was obtained.
The bills were drawn at three months date.
No further inquiry was likely to be made
about them until they fell due, and the forgers
would have ample time for placing themselves
far beyond all risk of capture.
But the men who had exerted a skill, FORE
sight, and perseverance sufficient to insure
the unhesitating acceptance Of forged bills
could not escape one trivial blunder, which
revealed the whole plot. They presented
two bills in which the date of acceptance had
been omitted. The whole calendar was at
their disposal; they knew perfectly well that
a single slip in the usual formalites would be
fatal, and yet they fell into the folly of mar
ring their whole scheme for lack of q date.
Inquiry was, of course, made of the firm
whose acceptance was thus undated; it was
discovered that the bill was not genuine, and
the whole series were then found to be for
geries.
Information was at once given to the police,
and man named Noyes, also an American,
| who acted as clerk to Warren, was arrested.
There is some doubt, however, whether ne
| was not simply tool in the hands of his
| principal, and knew nothing Of the swindle.
Warren himself was seen in the city on March
LIST, the day on which the grand coup was to
have been made and the securities handed
over, but he was far too sharp to come HIM
self for the plumber, and consequently only
Noyes was taken. Warren Immediately dis
appeared, taking with him United States
bonds (Which he had already obtained in pay
ment for the forged bills) to the amount of
100000. A reward of s2, 500 was at once Of
fered for his capture. Had the cou, of March
LIST been successful, the confederates would
have cleared, it is said, upward Of half . mil
| lion dollars. York Tribune.