Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-09-23
THE GREAT BANK FORGERS.
The Plot 20 Rescue Them from the
Newgate Prison.

The Plot 20 Rescue Them from the
Newgate Prison,
From the New York Sun. l7th.l
The story Of the plot to liberate the
Bank of England forgers from Newgate
was obtained yesterday from Mr.. Viii.
liam A. Pinkerton, the well-known de
tective, who was in London previous
and during the trial of Macdonnell and
his associates. He arrived here on Sun
day. Mr.. Pinkerton says that the Lon
don officers learned of the attempt TO
free the prisoners by accident. Three
Americans were the iHstigators Of it.
John w. Bidwell, farmer and Justice
of the Peace at Muskegon, in the Black
River District in Michigan, was one Of
the number. He is brother Of the
Bidwells. The others were cousin of
George Macdonald from Brooklyn, and
a man who passed under the title Of
Major. They began by opening a secret
correspondence with the forgers through
the connivance OF three Of the turnkeys
of Newgate, whom they had literally
bribed. They did not proceed very far
with their communications before a sus-
picion of the turnkeys led to the dis
covery by the officers of the design. A
London detective met the Jail officers
one evening in a tavern. He reported
this to Scotland Yard, and detective,
who was unknown to them, was detailed
to
WATCH THE JAILERs
movements. He sat at their back while
they we're riding on the top of stage
coach and overheard them discussing
plans for the release of the forgers. He
learned from their whispered converse
tion that they had been promised fl0OO
each by the Americans for their SER
vices, and that they had already re-
ceived the first installment of tho
money. They were to receive the bulk
of it the moment the forgers stepped
outside of Newgate. The day following
the stage incident one Of the bribed
turnkeys was intercepted as he was leay-
ing the Jail, and on being searched he
was found in possession Of letters ad
dressed by Macdounell and one Of the
Bdwells to those who were plotting
their escape. The letters contained full
proof of their intentions. The turn
keys we're placed under arrest, and are
awaiting trial.
The Michigan Justice and his two con-
federates fed from London to avoid the
punishment which threatened them.
Five years imprisonment would have
been their sentence if convicted. The
Old Jewry Sergeants made searching
investigation of the plot, during which
they found out in some way of neat
trick by which the relatives and friends
Of the forgers contemplated swndling
the tgrnkeys. The latter we're to be
handed their br lbes as soon Us they
opened the avenue Of escape. The
money packages were to be padded out
in such way as to appear as If they
each contained Gl000 in Bank of Eng
land notes, while in reality there was
not to be one tenth part of that sum in
them.
Detective Pinkerton says that Mac
donnell and his accomplices were all in
mates of prisons in this country tor
forgery and swindling offenses, and
were all released about the same time in
the early part Of 1872. Macdonnell, as
is known, was in Sing Sing for the llt-
fany diamond swindle. Edwin Noyes
Hills, who is a brother Of the Rev. Geo.
T. Hills, of Springfield, Mass, was
locked up il New Jersey. Austin Biron
Bidwell was confined in Pennsylvania,
and bis elder brother, George, in Massa,
chusetts. The latter was imprisoned
under o sentence for eight years, but
was pardoned through the instrumen-
tality of his brother Joseph, who is
LAWYER at South Bend, Ind. Ex- Vice
President Schuyler Colfax is said to
have been one Of the slgners TO the peti-
ton for his pardon.