The New York herald., 1875-10-16

BILE that the case Mr. Tweed must come to trla De-
fore the Supreme Court Circuit, at the commencement
or the November term. II is possible however, that
continuation Of the strategic skirmishing success
fully practsed heretofore may be further made with
like success This remains to be seem
THE ONE MILLION BOND FORGERY.
In the Superior Court Of this city there reached
and in readiness for trial yesterday the or the
New York Guaranty and Indemnity Company VS.
Andrew l.. Roberts, Frank Gleason and others Tho
suit Is brought to $75, 900 advanced a loan
upon forged bonds collateral and the peadings and
other documents connected Herewith disclose system
OF organized crime bordering the romantic. In the
years 1871 and 1872 and part OF 1873 there might be
around Wall street a man Of medium height,
fair complexion, light blue eyes, auburn hair and
whiskers, high forehead and OF gentlemanly and
business-like appearance. He had an oa,ce in the
vicinity of Wall street. and holding himself out as
gentleman Of and occasionally dabblng stocks
when favorable opportunity occurred he bought and
sold securities for cash, ana thus famiarized himself
among the business - O.. o, locality under tho name
OF Charles Raston In the latter part of the summer
OF 1873 the financial portion OF the community were
startled by the announcement, then exclusively made
In the HERALD that forged bonds TO amount reach
ing nearly $780, 900 had been successfully negotiated
the market These fogeries OF bonds Of the Buff
falo New York and Erie Railroad Company the New
York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company and
the Western Union Telegraph Company and the actual
amount executed exceeded 81, 0o0 O00 Some OF them
were negotiated in Europe and the amount negotiated
in this city, far the sufferers willing 10 ad
init their losses $500 0o0 the largest amounts
having been obtained from tho National Trust Com
pany, the New York Guaranty and Indemnity Com
pany, Saunders 4 Hardenberg, Cyrus Baker, obrig 4
I n nd hers TOR
these forgeries and the negotiation Of tho bonds their
origin traced Andrew L. Roberts, Valentine alias
Frank Gleason spence Pettis, Walter Sheridan alias
Charles Ralston and Henry s. Corp. Sheridan, alias
Ralston. the Wall street operator who had ne
gotiated the bonds fed to Belgium, carrying
with him proceeds OF his crimes estimated at
nearly 100000 Spence Pettis also fed, but
subsequently arrested and convicted IN Boston of
negotiating S. 900 bond with Boes Brothers OF that
city and is undergoing sentence there OF ten
wears, Imprisonment Roberts, Gleason and the
graver were arrested and indicted in this city The
graver claimed ignorance or the which to have
been made Of his work was accepted witness for
the people and testified as such against Roberts
on ria OF the latter in the Court of Oyer and Termi
which resulted in disagreement of the jury Sub
sequently civil suits were commenced against all the
parties Including the wives Of Roberts and Gleason
One of these suits, brought by the National Union
Trust Company $50 00o tried during the
past spring and resulted In verdict against all
tbe defendants Except one named Gotlieb Enjels
against whom had not been joincd) for $36 600
Upon that trial presented the novel feature In le
gal proceedings Of using the testimony OF unpar-
doned convict-Spence Pettis having testified by
mission against his associates The admission Of the
testimony the ground that 1t taken in the
State OF Massachusetts,, where such testimony Is
ceped what 1t is worth Soon after the conclusion
OF trial order Of issued in the pres
ent suit by Judge Van Worst of the Superior Court
under which Roberts and Gleason have been since
imprisoned in Ludlow Street JAIL in default of bail
in the Of $85, 600. The papers connected
with show that the first venture OF Sheridan
alias Rafston the financial agent Of the conspiraors
/ was with the National Trust Company, and that ho
effected loan of $50 900 there pretended bonds Of
! the Buffalo New York and Erie Company by means of
forged letter Of one Of the trustees, Mr.. John A.
pany So well initiated the handwriting and sigma
ture of Mr. Fellows that it deceived both the President
several OF the directors Of the company The let
presented on the day succeeding that which
Mr.. Fellows had left for Saratoga and, besides intro
ducing Ralston, recommended loan the bonds Of
/ fered. The President of the company Immediately
sought Mr. Fellows but learned that he had left for
\ Saratoga the previous day, and the letter
\ being then shown TO several Of the directors,
the loan was recommended by them, and made by the
President. With this a basis loan then readily
effected with the plaintiffs IN the present case In effect
ing these loans Ralson seemed be in little hurry
| as he slow and crcumspect in speech He would
call the parties stating that he contemplated some
operations within lew weeks and ask II he might
upon loan upon such and such securities and
what rate The character OF the collateral being ap
proved and the proximate rate fixed he would take his
leave, and in onhand, business-ke manner, say
he could call again If he decided TO enter into his
templated operations. At the end of week or ten
days he would call again, complete his arrangements
and secure his loan. These civil suits have been
tested with great persistency both SIDES the PLAIN
tins being represented by Mr. Algernon y Sullivan,
ants by ex-Recorder Smith and Messrs Beach and
Brown but to the defendants, who relied much on the
disagreement OF the jury in the criminal prosecution
against Roberts, the verdict rendered in tho former
suit disappointment Alter Roberts aud
Gleason had been safely lodged in Ludlow Street Jail
under Judge Van Vorss order of the plaintiffs
attorneys set themselves TO discover property belong
ing the defendants which might be applied in pay
ment OF the judgment in favor OF the National Trust
4 Company and Of any judgment which might be OBJ
tanned in this action In this they were successful TO
/ the extent OF about $4,000 Learning that
/ there boxes containing special deposits
! in the names of the of Roberts and
\ Gleason in the Stuyvesant Safe Deposit Com
pany a search warrant obtained by virtue
of which the box was broken open and II found
bonds and cash amounting TO the named, the cash
being about SIS 000 Out OF this after satisfying the
I Judgment OF tho National Trust Company, there stl
remains about $4,000 to apply future Judgments
When the case was called for trial yesterday both
parties announced themselves ready but the trial in
the former had occupied three weeks was plain
10 the Court that this could be completed during
the present term, and on this ground il was put
until next term.
II is claimed from information coming to the plain
\ tins counsel that Pets, the main witness, now in
prison IN Massachusetts, is innocent Of tho crime Of
which he convicted and Pettis himself claims that
he was convicted through the efforts Of Roberts and
Gleason TO prevent his being witness against them,
and that Bdwel the London forger when arrested In
Havana admitted he bad done the for which Pettis
was convicted. Before the former trial a strong
effort made to procure the pardon Of Pettls
such effort being backed by District Attorney Phelps
and Governor Dix. But the application was denied
the ground plaintiffs believe that the Governor and
Council Of Massachusetts, thought it made in the
interests Of private bankers in this city seeking
their money. This application Is being
newcd backed by Governor Tiden and the bankers of
Boston, as well as OF this city, who deem II legitimate
and IN the interest oi justice to use the testimony Of
Pets to break up gang Of forgcrs reputed Of great
wealth and dangerous cunning and ability.
AN IRATE LAWYER.
In December last receiver appointed in the suit
of Heatherton vs. Hastings, the suit upon which such