Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-09-13
RATHBUN, THE FORGER.

There died yesterday, at Fort Wash
ington, man who six-and- thirty year.
ago was notorious throughout the land a
the one man whose forgeries, up to tha
period, had never in tho history of Grim,
been surpassed in the magnitude o
amount, or skill of conception and execu
ton. Even Fauntleroy's were as com
pared with his, the merest trines. They
rose to millions, and for several years
were carried on with celebrity, precision
and success that were amazing nor in
that particular speciality of crime has any
successor reached the aggregate of enor-
nifty attained by him.
Benjamin Rathbun in early life pmov-
cd from Chenango county to Buffalo
became proprietor of the Eagle Tavern
and by cleanliness, order and discipline
made it famous among the hotels of the
country. Extending his business he be
came interested in lines of stages between
Buffalo aud Albany, and started the not
cd Telegraph Line" for six passengers
only, which was run at speed higher
than had been previously attained by any
coach in the United States, and made
for it name among travellers from the
West. But bookkeeping and staging
failed to satisfy his ambition. lIo en-
barked in speculation. Lots without
number at prices without limit were
bought, and dwellings, stores and ware
houses were erected. For tho first time
in the history of the State fever Of spec
ulation broke out, which for universally
and wildnoss has never been approached
by any other city in the Union. Rath-
bun was in everything, nothing dauntcd
him his example was so infectious that
the gravest and most timorous money
grabbors were drawn into the vortex,
and in night made fabulous fortunes
on paper.
The plan of his forgories was as ingen-
ious MS it was original. To certain par
ties he would propose to buy certain prop
crty, or to build certain structures. To
raise the necessary funds with which to
| initiate the enterprise, he would make
his note for $4,000, payable in Now York
City at three or six months, and ask the
party whose interests were to be promot
cd to indorse the same. The indorse-
ment obtained he would resort to his
counting-room and make ten to fifty
notes of the same dato and amount, pay
able at the same time and place, and his
clerk, an expert penman, would forge the
Endorsement. TO such magnitude had
these transactions grown, that n regular
office was maintained in this city for the
purpose of negotiating the papers, the
manager being his nephew. During the
few years that the fraud was kept up the
amount negotiated reached millions OF
dollars. At length one Of the $4,000
notes, bearing the forged Endorsement of
the late David u. Evans, then agent of
the Holland Land Company, at Bavaria,
was protested, and notice sent to him.
Mr.. Evans paid the note, but on eXamin-
ing the back found to his dismay that his
signature had been forged. True, he had
endorsed note of that date, and for pre-
ciscly thai amount, but it was not that
Investigation followed, the plot was dis
covered and the whole iniquity exposed
to light. Rathbun was arrested, tried mt
Bavaria, convicted, sentenced to five
| d.. - L. l.
time. Subsequently he came to this city
and opened u hotel on Broadway, near
Cortland Street, but was not very sue
cessful. Afterwards he kept for some
wears the small hotel at the corner of
Broadway and Forty-third street. OF
all the millions which passed through his
hands he never put away a dollar for
himself, nor could he at any time have
called himself the honest posscssor OF
$50, 900.
The private life OF this remarkable man
was from bis early manhood singularly
| irreproachable. lie was modest 10 n
fault, strictly temperate, never smoked
nor chewcd, never gambled, never kept
an equipage, had no acquaintance with
disreputable people, INDUCED in no OK
travagances, but devoted himself assidu-
ously to his business. lie had few nc.
quaintances, fewer friends, no compan
ions. To the past he never alluded. He
realized TO the full extent the full results
of his acts, and meeky accepted the sit
uation. Silently, patiently, uncomplain-
ingly he plodded on his weary, cherries
way, until finally, at the ripe old age OF
s2, himself and his crimes almost forgot
ten, he has gently faded away. - New
York Tribune.