The state journal., 1875-05-14
A FORGER'S FROLTC.
He is COppered for Big Money and
Languishes in Limbo.


Bank. Yesterday morning received dis
patch from Messrs. January IL Co., one
of the banks depositors in st. Joseph. La.
conveying the startling Information that
>very clever forgery of their name had been
committed. aud to be on the qui vivc. At
once the checks paid during Wednesday
were looked over, and one tor S507 found
bearing the signature of January d Co.
By comparison it was discovered to be II
Iorwery, and bank detectives Forrel!. Man
nlng and Boylan put on the watch. Right
" suspecting the utterer of the forged
check, elated with his success, would re-
turn, impeled by the thought that the for
cerv would not be discovered tor several
days. the detectives waited for their man.
A halt-past twelve o'clock yesterday he
appeared, ana without any hesitancy pre-
sented check on January & Co dated
May /, for s400, made payable to freight
or bearer. The paying teller nodded, and
the ferger was tapped on the shoulder by
the detectives,
He did not bear the sudden stop to his
dishonest career with the least spark Of
courage---he tainted, or pretended to. The
detectives speedily restored him to con-
sciousness, when he was conducted to the
presidents Office. 4 few moments con-
versation was had and from the paying
teller was produced II paid forged check,
No. 2154, dated New Orleans, April u,
1875, for SlO3 25, payable to the steamer
Exporter. signed p. p. John Phelps & Co.
per G. A. Smith; endorsed pay bearer.
John Williams, master Exporter; Leon
Goochaux in blue ink, p. A. Trotot, and
stamped Bank of America. The torgel
was reticent but his identity was beyond
peradventure,
He was then escorted to the Central sta
ton, en- route dropping into the lilhernl;
bank, and the Office OF Messrs. Burdeat
& Wayne, steamboat agents. just to see i
he had visited them in Il like manner. a
the Central station, when asEcI tor hi
name, he answered il mattered little, bu
if they insisted he could give one. Upoi
being informed shat that was not the sor
of men they were, he vouchsaled no re
ply. The searching process was com
menced and from number of bills au'
papers found in his possession, he was Sc
down as j. ID. Nelson, alias John viii
ialus, alias Wm. Clark.
As turnkey Flanagan systematicall
went through him, draft OF Messrs. Joh
Phelps & Co., was exposed to view. date
New Carthage, La, April Sth, 1879, to
S1O3 05, payable to John Danner, to b
charged 10 the account OF ID. Andrews
The draft was endorsed by John Danne
and NJ, Clark, clerk Exporter. y scale
letter addressed to Messrs. Weiss & Co
Waterproof, La. was next produced
Nelson reluctantly consented TO open tn
envelope, and hesitatingly handed tn
to detective Farrell. 1t proved 10 b
written on sheet of Messrs. Scmidt I
Zieglers headed paper, and pnrported
have been signed by w. B. Duncan tc
that firm.
The letter was dated April 2Sth, and II
structed Messrs. Weiss u Co., to delive
to- 2. Nelson two barrals OF pork. shipl
ed per steamer Frank Pargoud, &. .. ID
as the amount had since been paid. $lE
10 in currency, n watch. and chain, Sc;
ring, pocket knife, keys, and number
receipted bills completed the inventory I
his possessions. The detectives think j
made his purchases, all of them sma!
and thus Obtained the signatures, heade
paper and other triiesin themselves to al
in his iorgeries.
Nelson is about six feet in height, for
complexion, small gray eyes, red mou
tache and dark hair. Apparently he
about thirty-fiye years of age. After b
ing locked up, Times representative il
terviewed him, and, OF course, Nelso
stoutly protested his innocence OF the io
gerry, saying he only arrived III this cit
on Wednesday, and slept that night 0
the steamer Pargoud. An untruth on I'll
face of it, as the receipted bills and every
thing else show.-New Orleans Time
May Z.