South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-03-28
The Bank of England.
Particulars efMe Erfrao,,J,aary Frano

/ est crime against commerce recorded in modern
times. The London T,t..es says
The forgery discovered on Saturday in the
city will rank among the mot skillfnl a.
tempts tn prey upon the complex organic
ton ot mpiern commerce II is no l.. IT.
tel fraud committed by an ordinary gang
OF forgcrs for the sake OF few hundred
pounds. IL is as elaborate a c,nspiracv as
was ever concerted 10 New York tn gain
the command Of railway or the bullion
market, and must evidently have been car
ried out By men of considerable acqnain-
lance with commercial affairs and com
maoding large capital. The manner 10
which the plot was laid indicates the pos
session of very complete information re-
specting the management of business in the
CITY. The object was to get forged bills
discounted. Now, the Bank Of England
exercises very great caution in admitting
new customers to the privilege of obtain
log discount.
But the bank has branch in Burling-
ton Gardens, which does an entirely differ
ent kind of business from tho parent es-
tablsment in the city. 1t is intended for
the convenience of gentlcm,n aud ladies'
and West End tradesmen who fud it in
convenient to Journey to the city in order
to transact their occasional business
The person, accordingly, who is now be-
ing sought by the police commcnc by
opening deposit account of the ordinary
character with the western branch of the
bank. For this purpose he would need
only an introduction by some customer
and the only evidence of 'lvcucy the bank
would require OF him would be tue deposit
Of sufficient cash bdllLce
This was, of course, forthcoming, and
constituted part of the capital with which
the scheme was carried on. OF course, all
the m nney thus invested would, it was ex
pected, ultimately be recovered but the
gang must have been we'll supplied with
funds 10 order to afford to keep a large
sum of money invested, as it were, 10 the
speculation. The manager Of the plot was
IN no hurry, and took care to gain a good
footing before he ventured on lis ultimate
enterprise. lie behaved for some time
Just like an ordinary customer Of good re-
sources. He drew upon his balance and
renewed II, but kept il always at good
figure. After awhile be deposited some
bulls. They were good and genuine bills
Still he was careful not to be hasty, and
he continued his transactions with tue bank
until be bad acquired The reputation of a
person engaged in legitimate commerce,
and thoroughly trustworthy. At length
The moment came for the presentation of
the forged bills. They were discounted
without hesitation, aud the authors Of the
fraud had, to al appearance, succeeded 10
safely poeketing about hundred thousand
pounds.
Some Of the money, it appears, was in
vested 10 United States bonds, 50 that to
the last they might avoid the appearance
of doing anything unusual. They are said
to be Americans, and what more natural
than that they should desire bonds of their
own country All these arrangements were
masterpieces Of ingenuity aud patience. -
But tho bills themselves must have reduir.
ed the greatest amount Of labor. La the
first place, many of the large firms upon
whom the bills purported TO he drawn are
10 the habit Of using peculiar kind Of
paper, with certain water and print.
ed matter. a this would have to be i'm
itaicd, and, "a the bills were drawn on
several such limitations. There remained
The drawing Of the bills aud the afixing
the signatures, and each bill must have
required a series Of feats 10 successful forc-
ing.
Some bills we're backed by several ac-
eeptors, so hat there might easily be IS
many as half dozen signatures on a sin-
gle bill Yet tho bills were 20 perfect that
not one of them was questioned on The
ground OF the acCeptaucCs not appearing
genuine. The plot had TO o. appearance,
a success which its consummate skill and
patience deserved. The money was cb-
tanned The bills were drawn At three
months date; no furtberioquiry vas like.
~ to be made about them until they fell
due, and tho forgcrs would have ample time
foe replacing themselves beyond ali risk Of
capture. But II is rarely that these con
spirscies are not marrcd by some utterly
graiui'ous oversight, aud the execution Of
this scheme was marrcd By the inevitable
flaw
The men who had excricd a kill. fore.
sight and petscvcrsucs sufficient 10 insure
tho uObcsitatlng acceptance Of forged bill.
could not escape one trivial bluuder. which
revealed The whole plot They presented
two bills 10 which che date Of acceptance
has been omitted. The whole calendar was
al their disposal; they knew perfectly veil
that a single zip in the usual iormslities
would be fatal, aud set they f,lI into the
ioly Of marriog their whole scheme for
lax Of a date. Inquiry vas az course made
OF the hfm whose acceptance vas thus un
dated 10 was discovered hat tho b,li vas
Mt genuine, aud TIC whole series we're then
found To Do llrRerles low much fnriher