The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-13
A new York Forger in Richmond.
! BOGUS REPRESENTATIVE OF COMalo-
DoRE VANDERBILT.
$3.50, 900 in the Question.
BE is ARRESTED AND his TRANSACTIONS
CUT SHORT.

A man calling bimseif james h. Van Ness,
having gentlemanly appearance, weighing
sayr200 pounds and apparently abouEsixty.
five years old, gray hair, side whiskers, and
light complexion, has been in our city for
several days past. representing himself as the
agent Of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt,
of New York, and that he bad been sent here
to purchase one or more flour mills and q
large manufacturing establishment. He
exhibited, it is said, what purported
to be paper signed by Vanderbilt,
authorizing the purchases, and also showed
four drafts signed by Vanderbilt forS loo, 900,
one for s15O.000, aud one for 100000, drawn
on banking.bouse in New York in favor Of
Van Ness. Several of our citizens were so
far deceived by his representations as to en-
terrain propositions for the purchase of a
large amount of valuable property. In one
or two cases negotiations had proceeded to
the extent Of a sale Of one large establish
ment, and the conditional sale of another.
On Saturday, however, the president OF one
of our moueyed institutions bad bis suspi-
cions excited, and telegraphed to his corre-
spondent in New York for information in
regard to Van Ness. The correspondent
telegraphed in reply that Commodore Van
derbit knew nothing of Van Ness.
On Saturday evening warrant was made
oath to by w. F. Knox, chief of the Rich
mond detectives, charging Van Ness with
forgery and endeavoring to utter forged pa
per. Mr.. Knox, in company with Detective
John Wren, having received information Of
Van Ness's pres ence in Richmond, and his
attempts to carry out bis designs, proceeded
with the warrant to Ford's Hotel, where the
accused was stopping.
~. tt,o nl f1,nl dot
informed that MIR. Van Ness was in his room.
They then went to the Capitol Square, and
there awaited thee arrival of The gentle
man who had teegraphed to New York, and
who was expected to go up to Ford's Hotel
with view of giving the officers additional
information concerning the transactions of
Van Ness, and also of making inquiries for
himself.
After waiting some time and falling to see
the gentleman referred to, Messrs. Knox
and Wren went again to the hotel and there
arrested the accused while be was sitting in
the office in conversation with gentleman.
They took him to the First police station,
where he was searched. The officers found
upon him bunch of keys, about twenty
five in number, seven Of which. were safe
keys; four pocket books containing drafts
signed &C. Vanderbit," ranging in value
from s., 700 to $50, 0,0O0-amountlpg in all to
100000.
Van Ness will probably be brought before
Police Justice White this morning. He is
sometimes called Livingston, and says he
was born in New York. He is about five
feet nine inches in height, and is as unlike
thief in bis personal appearance as man
can well be. When arrested he was per-
fectly self-possessed, and said he had money
on deposit in one Of the city banks. About
So was found upon his person.
Among the business men of this city upon
whom Van Ness called was Mr.. William l..
Cowardin, president Of the Virginia Fire
and Marine Insurance Company. He intro
duced himself to Mr.. Cowardn, but that
gentleman, as already intimated, rather sns.
pected that something was wrong, and to
him the credit Of the steps taken which led
to the arrest of the accused is probably due.
The accused, it is stated, succeeded in closing
an agreement for the purchase OF the Touring
mill of MeSsrs. Walker q Saunders, which Is
situated in Manchester, the price offered BY
Van Ness being sufficient toinducc the own
ers to make sale.
He also visited Messrs. Dunlop& & McCance
with view of buying their mill, but the
concern refused to entertain any proposition
of the kind.
One of The last transactions OF the alleged
forger was an interview with the Richmond
Paper Mill Company, in which he made
proposition for the purchase of that estab-
lisbment. A conditional agreement, it is
stated, was entered into, but the matter was
not finally concluded.
The accused has probably visited other
business houses since his visit to Richmond,
and all the facts in the ease will doubtless
be brought out this morning.