The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-31
From the Troy Times.
ron CREE THE CONVICT.
A Remarkable story OF "a Remark
able Man

NORTH GRANxIILE, N. Y, Dec, 2S, 1874.
The curtain has fallen on the last scene
of the tragic history of the notorious swim
dler, Tom Cree. Born of Irish parentage
on an island in Lake Champlan. deserted
BY his father, taken to Whitehall, thence
TO the county house, where he was kept till
eight years old, he was finally taken into
the family of John II. Northup, a worthy,
well-to-do farmer of Granville, reared
kindly with his children, and educated in
the common schools till he became OF age
EARLY spEcuLATIoSs OF CREE.
He commenced his business career by
travelling the country peddling bogus Jew
clrv and "horse-god" watches. In two
years he abandoned that business, but did
not abandon the tricks of trade. He then
speculated in Canada oats for while at
loss; then commenced dealing in poor
sheep, but soon grew to dealing in the pct
ter grades, buying in tho east and selling
in the west-buying some ull-bloods, but
more mongrels, which, by careful coloring,
were sold in the west for full-boods. Here |
he got large advances over cost, and APP |
peared to be making money rapidly. Sheep |
that cost him $40 were sold at 500, or |
traded for land in the west by taking, for |
instance. farm ut $4,000 and paying |
therefor forty sheen at 500 and sS,Ooo in
cash.
LAND BUYING AND MONEY BORROWING.
Thus he soon became large landholder
but money was needed, and to get this he
at first took into his employ some coed
men, but more scamps, enough to form a
line. almost from Vermont to Idaho. The
nominal business of these men was to buy
Ill H. hut t1a
to elbow his horn, to proclaim his riches,
to hunt up men and women who had money
to lend and advise them to loan 1t to the
rich Tom Cree. This game succeeded for
time, but these cormorants, with their
whiskey drinking, and fast horses, used
more money than widows and small farm.
ers could furnish, and something must he
done to raise money in larger quantities.
He had bought enough lands in the west to
got reputation as large landholder,
hence it was easy to dispose of mortgages
and deeds, even Of western lands.
FICTITIOUS DEEDS AND MORTGAGES.
His hcnchmen were = ut to work. They
went to different country seats, and from
the registers records uok boundaries and
then drew deeds and mortgages AMI had
fictitious names signed thereto, and forged
the acknowl cdgmrnt and filing of the reg
ister These deeds and mortgages were
made BY the cord He borrowed money.
and pledged these mortgages. He paid
thousand dollars income tax one year then
got himself rated in he Commercial Regis
ter as worth over two hundred thousand
dollars.
ESTABLISHING WILD CAT BANKS.
Now he was ready for large business.
He established three banks in the west, and
these furnished AN excuse for borrowing
bonds to the amount of hundred thousand
dollars. For these he gave his notes, some
of which were endorsed by his friends, but
more of them with forged endorsements.
He then borrowed largely from banks, Civ
ing forged endorsements to the amount,
probably, of moro than two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. At length in 1872
it became apparent that lie was in no bust
ness except borrowing money, and this pa
per falling due was to some extent pressed
for payment. In September, 1872, the
story OF forgeres became public, but still
he stayed in Granville until January, 1878,
when fearing cold winter he went to the
warmer climate of Texas, where he stayed
until the spring of 1874, when he returned
to New York city, was arrested on num-
Der of indictments for forgeries, and was
BROUGHT TO SALEM JAIL.
At the September term of the county
court, Judge Waite presiding, he was
brought to trial on what was known as the
d. j. Lawrence note. lie was ably de-
Tended by District Attorney Moak of AL
bany, and, Notwithstanding the case was
deemed clearly proved against him,
THE JURY FAILED TO AGREE.
December 23d, in the county court at
Sandy Hill, Judge Waite presiding Cree
was again put on trial on the other Law
renee note, (two of these notes having been
discounted by Fort Edward bank This
time Moak did not appear as counsel and
the court assigned Gen. Keyes to assist
Mr.. Wolfe in his defense.
cREE's LAST GREAT TRIAL.
B. J. Lawrence, the alleged maker, and
a man whose veracity is unquestionable,
swUre that he did not sign the note, nor did
Cree ever ask him to sign any note. Then
six witnesses, most of them bank officers,
swore to a familiarity with the writing of
both Cree and Lawrence. They then swore
that in their opinion Lawrence did not write
the signature, and they further swore that
they thought Cree did write it. Six other
experts swore that the signature was not in
the handwriting of Lawrence, One witness
swore to a confession of Cree that these
notes were forgeries. Then, as defense,
two witnesses swore to seeing Lawrence
write something on two papers about the
size of notes, but did not know what he
wrote. Cree swore that on that occasion
Lawrence signed these notes. On cross
examination Cree declined to say whether
or not some dozen other notes which he
had discounted were genuine or forged.
Ia al IN
forged deeds and mortgages.
HOW HIS PosTMAsTERsHIP CAME HANDY.
He admitted that he was postmaster al
North Granville during 1871 and 1872; hui
when shown package of letters which hat
been found In room in the hotel, address
ed to various persons in North Granville
many of them to the North Granville bank
many others being protests sent by sale
bank to names on notes discounted by the
bank for Cree, which names are now know
to be forgeries, Ohe protests being left il
the postoffice for mailing were by some ont
distracted from the Office without cancel
lation of postage stamps and without thu
postoffice stamp, he declined to say any
thing about them, under the advice o
counsel. The case then was carefully pre-
scented 10 the jury by Mr.. Wolfe for Cree
and by the district attorney for the people
RAPID TRANSIT.
Judge Waite charged the jury with ad
mirable fairness and clearness. The jur.
retired, and on the first ballot, without con
sultaton, gave twelve votes, all "guiHy.
Judge Waite then sentenced Cree to fou
years and eight months at hard labor il
Clinton prison. Thus begins the cad of
career which has no equal in this county
if il has in the state. The persons losin
by him can no more be counte than tn
hairs on ones head. The persons rune
by him cannot be counted on ones finger
and toes. John Ii. Northrup, who took hin
from the poor-house and reared him s.
kindly, is utterly ruined in his old age. Tn
same is the case with his father in. law
Many are now poor who had eompetenc
for their old age, and who lost their all b
misnlaced confidence in Tom Cree