New-York tribune., 1874-11-11
A SRILLFUL FORGERY.
PHILADELPHIA BROKERS swINDLED BY FORGED
CITY WARRANTS "A LARGE NUMBER PLACED ON
TIE MARKET.

PHILADELPHIA BROKERS swNDLED BY FORGED
CITY wARRANTsA LARGE NUMBER PLACED ON
TIE MARKET.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 10.-Several brokers
along Thirl-st excited and alarmed to-day upon
learning that they had purchased several thousand dol
la worth city warrants with very little hope
OF their money coming back to them The brokers who
have suffered Charles ID. Barney & Co., Ackey &
Smith, Maris & Smith. and J. f. Ridgeway. The way
the warrants were placed showed beyond doubt that
the swinders skllful operators and had weighed
the matter well before entering into it, The warrants
cOuntereited those OF school teachers and police
purporng to from the Office of the Board OF
lucaton and the Mayor. The former printed on
yellow sheets, about square, in black letters &C., while
the latter white paper printed upon with bronze
ink. The counterfes well executed that
taking up and examining it the forgery could
not be detected The operation was evidently done
by two men, set Of education warrants and another
set OF police warrants purchased, and then four
each counterfeed and this afternoon they were
all sold TO the brokers trst mentioned. The firm of
saer & Stevenson had purchased set from one Of
the swndied firms and subsequently Mr. Gibbs of the
firm of j. E. Ridgeway, happening to step into sailer
Steveusons saw his surprise that they had bought
the same warrants that he had purchased.
AS the warrants were beng purchased the buyers
went Individually to the City Controller Hlncock) who
failed TO detect the forgeres and identified his sigma
urc believing to be correct or course, upon this tho
warrants were taken good and tho money paid for
them.
AT the Office of j. Z. Ri1geway man appeared shortly
after with ST. worth Of the bogus paper for SALE
H. represented himself TO be VIM. H. Randall and Mr..
Gibbs, who was behind the counter gave him check
for 1900 on Farmers and Mechanics Bank and the
balance ia cash. Tue then left his office, and few
minutes a!terward Mr.. GlObs discovered that he had
swniled He hurried 10 the bank to hnd that his
check had already been presented, put the teller had
declined account OF the large sum IL carried
on its Mr. Gibbs ordered payment on 10 10 be
stopped AMI returned to his oce Here he learned that
the man was that moment Ill the Office OF Charles d.
Barney & CO. endeavorng to get MS cheek cashed lie
went to that Office and found a detective, who
had been Informed of the swindes aud man whom ne
had seen before. Mr. GIBBS Identified his check, ana
the told hun had received II from Mr. Randall
IL. then asked the man where Mr.. RlnCall could be
found aud he offered take the detective 10 hlin Ine
detective aud the stranger started out but when they
got the sidewalk the detective turned around TO
speak to third person, and was engaged Ia con-
yerstton only moment or When De turned around
to leave he found the stranger had gone. Tue swndled
brokers collected at the City Controllers once shortly
aterwLris ana then it with some trouble that the
bogus warrants distinguished from the genuine
ones. TIE extent of the swndle reached about SlOOO
Messrs. Fell, KY IL Co., and W. W. kurtz CO.. are
also victims to the bogus city warrants swinue IL Is
now estimated that the extent OF the sWlnde reaches
$4,000 E1ch party firm yictmized suffered loss or
about 5000, tueTeabOutS