The New York herald., 1876-11-25
THE GUNTHER FORGED CHECKS

ANOTHER INSTANCE or MISPLACED coNFI-
DENcE-THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISSIPATION.
II is the old, old story coundentiai clerk In tho
ofhco Of firm OF which ex-Aayor is the ch'ef 10
trusted for his talents as bookkeeper and salesman,
becomes dssipaed neglects bis dutes rcproved and
gently advised after frequent delinquencies 10 dis
charged. is pcnteni. promises reformation. is read
m,ed into the confidence Of generous employers ior
time exhibits penitence. and AT the last moment,
when thcy hopo 10 win MIN back to duty AUD MS oid
place IN society and commerce, he perpe'rasos 'or-
geries upon his bcueactors that, Is believed, amount
in the aggregate 10 between Sc, 600 and $1,000 do
does his work so badly that he is suspected. Tho hrm
OF e. G. Gunther Co., ONO 10 Union square, know
ing and approaching his past services, have no desire
TO blast young mans reputation until all hope OF his
reformation dispeed Al last when forged checks,
very badly executed bearing the name OF this clerk
John }. Hart ns indorser, have been in circulation
hey place Detective Ticr,an, OF the Central Office, on
his track, and for days he shadowed and watched.
While Teman is working the confidential and iath
iu officer indiscreet publication s made which, ex-
Mayor Gunther believes, will give the accused warning
aud result in his escape. The story 10 told briefly
BANKS VERSION
For over twenty dve years the firms OF c. G. Gun
thcr's Son and c. Godfrey Gunther Co. have been
well known and celebrated fur dealers OF this city
During this time the chief oil the firms, ex-Mayor
Gun,hcr mas kept account at tho Mechanics Bank,
IN Wall street aud never has tho account been over
Drawn Recently, II IS said. on the authority OF an
Official OF the bank they discovered that forged
paper OF Mr. Gunther was in circulation The bank
teller aid no, notice The forgery at hrst Mr. Gun
ther always uses ltnograpn check aud the forgery.
the teller expressed u. was perfect one. The
revealed ut last, however, from the TACT
that pecuaf mark. the character Of which the bank
officers uid ht to disclose, was omitted. The
teller believe that the forger ever presented in
rson n II
positive
he in ex-Mny or Gunthcrs employ tor eight or nno
years. and when the dummy road on Long Island was
completed ne was scnt there and II was whiic there
that possessed Of the signatures OF the two
firms. Many OF these checks sent TO the bank
from Canada and different parts OF the United States
short time since when Hart went to q Trend ana
offered him check for SIS. HIS friend doubted the
genuneness OF the check and loaned him 81 on H. and
then carried the check to the bank, when the slight
omission ALLUDED to abGvc was noticed. Detectives
have for some time past been on Harris tracks, and
though they profess that they know from DAY 10 day
where he has been they arc unable to arrest him.
THE FIRMS STATEMENT.
Inquiries were made yesterday at tnc once OF Y. u
Guuther l. Co., No. ~ Union square, by HERALD re-
porter. One OF the firm stated that Mr. Hart was an
Englishman, who had been Tor many years .
trusted bookkeeper In the firm; that OF late years
he had become disspatcd, and was consequently DIS
charged. Exhibtlng desire to reform, ho was from
time 10 time rcnstated and renewed confidence placed
in him. Finally tho ex-Mayor. whose desire was to
reform the young had him appointed as receiver
the Coney Island Railroad last SUMNER George A.
Gunther, o OF tho cx-Mayor, being treasurer In
ths position hc often trusted with tho deposit In
bank daily OF the receipts, that frequently reached
ST. 600 He proved fauhfui official, and no CON-
plant could be alleged against him. Late IN the sum-
mer he again proved that he was unfit or trust, and
was discharged late September, tho intention being
to reinstate him the at No. 10 Union square
q salesman. Before his discharge Of which
1t IS alleged he obtained clew, he alb
stracted number OF Mr.. c. Godfrey Gunther's
checks and perpsraed tho iorgerieA The firm report
that he has negotiated far as they can ascertain,
boon reported to them during part OF tho past
month. His modus operdndi was TO make out n check
for n mall amount blank check, bearing the red
water mark OF c. Godfrey Guniher. Hart was In the
habit OF making out checks payable to himself. and
after presenting TO his personal friends these checks.
his name and secure loan upon the taco OF Tho
check Two OF the largest checks were made by Hart
for $75 each, ono OF which was cashcd by the Me-
chances National Bank, the Endorsement OF Casey
Co, and the other by the Bank Of the Metropolis,
indorscd by H. A. Lawrence. These checks were
cashed BY the banks referred 10, already said,
aud is alleged that the bank must lose this amount
Ex-Mayor Gunthcr stated to he HERALD reporter
that the forgercs wero vor1 poor attempt 20
initiate hts signature, and that before those checks
the Mechanics Bank no,ided tho officials that
OF their old clerks had negotiated forged paper upon
tho firm. Nevcrthoess, one OF the checks was ac-
cepted and cashed. Mr Gunther stated further that
ior many days Detective Teman had been shadowng
the accused and he believed that the publica-
cation OF The alleged forgsros would result in tho
escape vf the forger He said, IN addition that tho
action OF the paying teller OF the Mcchancs Bank
an extraordinary one, inasmuch as no cashed forged
check All er having been officially notified OF the fact
that forged paper was IN circulation Said he:-"Had
one OF my clerks been careless no could remain