National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-09-19
The King Of Forgcrs.
The Last Voyage Of Mcdonnell, the Bank
ofEnsInnd Bond RObber.

The attempt of the Bank Of England
forgers to break jail in the old country,
has called attention again to those
worthless, whose sentence is penal SER
vitude for life.
Two years and ten months ago Nc
Donnell left the n. Y. with capital of
twenty thousand dollars. Before that
time he had served term in Sing Sing
for forgery and n short term in an East
ern prison for the same offence. I'm
mediately before his departure he had
been arrested for giving forged order
on dry goods house, in conjunction
with an accomplioe. Instead of going
to Europe, as is generally supposed,
Mcdonnell started for Vera Cruz. Here
he lodged portion of his money and
obtained letters of credit on house in
Rio.
He next set sail for the latterport and
introduced himself to some of the banks
there by depositing small amounts of
money. He represented himself ms n
gentleman travelling. in South America
for pleasure. From Rio he journeyed
in and crossed the Andes, and after Wis
iting Lima and other ports along the
western shore line he prepared to return
to Rio having meantime lodged few
| thousand dollars in each place, for which
he received letters Of credit. Having
provided himself with these he returned
to Rio, where he met Bidwell, who had
Just come from Havana on similar
mission, and the worthy pair of broth
ers sailed for England.
On the passage the letters of credit
we're successfully manipulated and a
credit of fifty thousand dollars was
easily raised on the paper they held
with which to commence the banking
and brokerage business. These letters
of credit first gave the Rsthschild con-
fidence in Mcdonnell, who had so ar
ranged his deposits that the letters OF
credit could not be verified by telegraph.
The swindlers had onlya limited time
to run and yet Immediately after his
arrival in London Mcdonnell was stric-
ken down with sickness, and was con-
fined to his bed for six weeks, every day
of which was most precious to him. He
had scarcely recovered when the firm
was started, and the remainder of the
story has been told in the courts. Sim.
pie carelessness in sending in raised
check without a date aroused the suspl-
cion of the Bank of England officials
and burst the bubble" Bidwell had
ordered a magnificent trunk for his voy-
age to South America when the explo-
sion came, and in few days more the
swindlers would have bade England
goodby for ever with six hundred thou
sand dollars between them. IT is be
lieved by the detectives that Mcdonnell
gave large sum of money to young
German woman on his last voyage tc
New York. When he was seized she
managed to get away with the crowd
and has not since been heard from.
McDonnell's magnificent dressing case,
worth five Hundred dollars. is still III
the Sheriff. office in New York, under
attachment.
Some time time before he was extra
dicted Mcdonnell was asked by one OF
the keepers of Ludlow Street Jail, who
stood guard over him
Mac, what can they give You on the
other side?"
Anything from two years and half
to life, was the answer but If
they get me there you can bet Eli get
life"
At this time he did not expect that he
would be extradited. 1t is said that he
was quite chivalric in his notions of for
gerry He would never forge the name
of a poor man or poor corporation. 1t
is said that he was so marvelously
expert that he had only to get glance
at any handwriting to successfully coun-
terfeit it.