The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-18
THE GREAT BANK ronGEus.
The plot 10 Rescue them from Ncw-
gate Prison.

The plot 10 Rescue them from Ncw-
gate Prison.
The story of the plot to lihcratc the
Bank of England forgcrs from Ncwgatc
was obtained Tuesday ffom Mr.. William |
A Pinkerton, the well known detective, |
who was in London previous TO and during
the trial Of Macdonald and his associates.
lie arrived in New York on Sunday. Mr.
Pnkcrton says that the London officers
learned OF the aitompt to free the prisoners
by accident, Three Americans wcro the
insligators OF it, John " Bidwcll
farmer and justice of the peace ut Mus
llegon. in the Black River district. in Mich
igan. Was one OF the number. lie is
brother of the Bdwells The others were
cousin of George mcdonnell from
Brooklyn and man who passed under
the title OF Major They began by open
ing a secret correspondence with the forg-
crs through the conniyance Of three Of the
turnkeyso Of Newgate, whom they had lib
orally bribcl They did not proceed very
far with their communications before
suspicion of the turkeys led TO the dis
coycry by the officers of their designs. A
London detective met the jail officers one
evening in a tavern. lie reported this to
Scotland Yard and Il detective who was
unknown 90 them was detailed to
warren rnf JAurn-
moycucnr lie 1at at their bach while
they were riding on the top Of stage
coach and overhead them discussing plans
for the release Of the forgers lie learned
from thoir whispered conversation that
they had been promised II 900 each by the
Americans for their services, and that they
had already received the first instalmcnt
of the money They were to receive the
! bulk OF il the moment the forgers stepped
| outside oil Ncwgatc The day following
| the stage incident one Of the bribed turn
keys was intercepted az he was leaving the
! jail and ON being searched he was found in
| possession OF letters addressed by Macdonell
and one OF the Bidwcls to those who were
! plotting their escape The letters contain
cl full proof Of their intentions The turn
keys were placed under arrest. and are
awaiting trial.
The Michigan Justice and his TWO conted-
crates fed from London to avoid the pun
ishmont which threatened them Five
years imprisonment would have been their
| sentence il convicted. The Old Jewry
Sergeant, made a searching investigation of
the plot daring which they found out in
some way of a neat trick by which the re-
latives and friends of the forgcrs contem-
plated sWindling the turnkcys. The lat
Ter were to lie handed their brides as soon
as they opened the avenue of escape. The
money package were 10 he padded but in
such way as TO appear as If they each
contained $1,000 in bank of England notes,
while n reality there was not to he one
tenth pari OF that sum in them.
Detective rinkcrton says that Macdon-
nell and his acoompliccs were all inmates
Of prisons in this country for forgery and
sNindling offences, and were all released
about the same time in the carly part OF
1872. Macdonald, ~ is known, was in
Sing Sing for the Tiffany diamond swindlc.
Edwin Noye5 Hills, who is brother of
the Rev. George Il. Hills Of Springfield,
Mass, was locked up in New Jersey. Au-
slin Biron Bidwell was confined in Penn
'ylyana, and his elder brother, George, in
Massachusetts Tho latter was imprisoned
under sentence for eight years, but was
pardoncl through the instrumentality OF
his brother Joseph, who is lawyer al
South Bend, Indiana. EX-Nicc President
SCHUYLER CoLrAX
is said 10 have been one OF the singers lt
the petition for his pardon.
Macdonald and the two Bidwcils visiteC
Europe twice after their release. On The
irst occasion they committed several banl
forgerics in Belfast Ireland, and also Ope
rated on the Continent Macdonald wa
IN Madrid, Spain short time, and while
there he became very attentive to the wifi
Of one Of the attaches OF the American lie
CATION He was also in South America To-
4 while. On returning 10 the rnitet
States in the summer of 1872 the three for
gers started on tour to the West an(
South They forged check for $4,000 ii
ST. Louis, but were compelled TO fly befor,
they could get rid Of it. They turned "
nj Nashville, where Austin Biron Bidwel
bought a letter of credit for 1900 from
The First National Bank of that place.
was directed to the Farmers and Planters
Bank of Memphis After purchasing i
they wrote a letter of introduction to tn,
Memphis Banl; that Austin Bidwel was
wealthy and responsible citizen of Nash
vile, and could be safely trusted in any
money transactions. To this the name o
, Mr.. Reed, Cashier of the Nashville Bank
was forged, On arriving at Memphis Mac
donnell and George Bidwell remained il
the background while Austin Bidwcl
attempted to negotiate a large loaI
from the Farmer and Planters
Bank. Mistrusiing that something
was wrong, Mr. Porterleld tn
cashier, asked time TO consider Attel
young Bidwell left him he telegraphed Il
Mr.. Reed about the letter The forger
suspected his intentions, and in order t.
, verify their suspicious, mcdonnell rushe,
breathlessiy into the Western Union Tcle
graph Office in his shirt sleeves with pei
, stuck behind his ear, and said TO the opera
/ tor, "Our banl, has just sent message L
Nashville, but we don't know whether
was brought here Or 10 the Atlantic an,
Pacific office Won't you please see if yol
have 1t p The operator replied ooh, yes
+ here it is and showed Macdonald Mr.