The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-04-04

TIA BANK or EAGLAND FORGEGIES
London papers Of the 81 and ith ARE
Mt hand with the following details of the
great forgeries ON the Bank of England:
1t was discovered on Saturday that
bills to an enormous amount had been
forged upon all the principal houses in
the city Of London, and that these bills
had been discounted Mt the West End
branch of the Bank Of England in Bur-
ling Gardens, which does an entirely diff
ferent kind OF business from the aren't
establishment in the city. 1t is intended
for the convenience of gentlemen and
ladies and West End tradesmen who
might find it inconvenient to journey to
the city in order to transact their usual
business. 1t is not, therefore, ordinari-
ly concerned with the large bill transac-
tons Of city commerce, ana in conse-
quence is less bound by strict regula-
tons in dealing with any business of that
nature which might accidentally be
brought to it. The conspirators must
have been aware Of this, and they laid
their plans for approaching the Bank of
England by this weaker portion of its
defences. Warren, an American who
managed the plot, was in no hurry, and
took care to gain good footing before
he ventured ON his ultimate enterprise.
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 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
aperson engaged in Legitimate commerce,
and thoroughly Trustworthy. At length |
the moment came for the presentation of |
the forged bills. They We're discounted |
without hesitation, and the authors of |
the fraud had, to all appearances, sue
ceeded in safely pocketing about flOO,-
600. All these arrangements were mas
terpieces 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 peculiar kind
of paper, with certain water-marks and
printed matter. All this would have to
be initiated, and as the bills were drawn
on more than one firm, there must have
been several of such imitation.
There remained the drawing of the
bills and affixing the signatures, and each
bill must have requiaed series of feats
in successful forging. Some Of the bills
we're backed by sound acceptors, so that
there might easily be as many as half
dozen signatures on a single bill. Yet
the bills were so perfect that not one of
them was questioned on the ground of
he acceptances not appearing genuine,
put the men who had exerted their skill,
foresight and perseverance sufficient to
insure the unhesitating acceptance of the
orged bills could not escape one trivial
DluEder, which revealed the whole plot.
They presented two bills in which the +.
late of acceptance had been omitted.
Inquiry was, of course, made of the firm |.
whose acceptance was thus undated, and
{ was discovered that the bill was not
genuine, and the whole series were then q
ound to be forgeries How much fur
her the plot migat have been carried it is '
to say. Advertisements pub a
ished caution bankers and brokers', and a
III other persons, against dealing in a |
lumber Of United States $40, 1910, and I
unded loan bonds amounting in the ag- 3
regate to s237, 900, they, it is alleged, a
laving been acquired out OF the profits 7
# the forgery. The loss to the Bank of I
England is stated at $50, 900. The Roth |
childs are mentioned as one Of the firms i
N which the forged drafts were drawn, \
nut no other names are given.
DEATH BY THE Az.
Since the invention of the guillotine c