The New York herald., 1876-03-24
A FORGER CAUGHT.
CHARLES RALsToN FOUND AND HELD FOR TRIAL
HIS ANTEcEDENTs.

CHARLES RALsToS FOUND AND HELD FOR TRIAL
HIS ANTEcEDENrs.
Charles Ralston alias Walter Sheridan, alias Walter
Stuart who Is well known the police as connected
with OF the noted forgcries in the country.
has been at last arrested For years past he has do
fed the police OF this and other cities, but Nemesis
his track in the shape OF a woman and to her in
small extent, he owes his betrayal and subsequent
capture ''Charlie" Ralston formed part OF the well
known gang OF Gottlieb Enges, Andy Roberts Spence
Potts George Wilkes and Ed Hale who are alleged TO
responsible for the forgery OF bonds Of
millions of dollars. follows:-Buialo New York and
Erie; New York Central, Chicago and North
western, Central Railroad OF New Jersey Cali
iornia and Oregon, Central Pacific, Union Pa
cinc, Allentown (Pa) school bonds. Erie water
loan bonds, Western Union Telegraph Company and
the Tebo and Neosho Railroad On the I'd of septem-
bcr 1872 the HERALD published fact that this great
'gang'' had flooded Wall street with bogus shares OF
Buffalo, New York and Erie, New York Central and
Western Union Telegraph stock. Raston was given
large quantity OF New York. buffalo and Erie Railroad
chare and by his address and he succeeded
In borrowing $40 900 IRON the New York Guaranty and
Indemnity Company, giving as collateral $lO2 900 oi
the forged bonds. The National Trust Company was
also yctimzed by him to the extent Of $50 0OO Ael
the exposure Ralston went to Europe and finally
turned to this country few months ago, with sam
Perry, alias Morgan While In Europe Ra.ston lived
like 4 nabob In hotels and gambling houses
His career given to HERALD reporter last night
by Mr. Robert Pinkerton, the detective, who captured
him, follows-Ralston was born in New or.
lears of American parents and received splendid
education In 1860, when about twenty-five years oi
ago, he appeared in Missouri horse thief, and be
came we'll known Previous this he had been
sneak hei and had been in prison with an accompco,
200 Moran at Akon Penitent'ary Illinois, FOR hotel
robbery at Chcagd After his liberation from prison
he was confidence man, and hundreds OF unsophis-
ticated defrauded out of money by him.
BLArcHFORD ROBBERY.
The venerable father OF Judge Blatchford, while buy
ing apple at fruit stand some years ago. in Liberty
street, left his box containing bonds, on tho fruit
stand. Ralsion seized the box and escaped. Subso-
quently Neuman, alias Dutch HcInrchs was arrested
for the theft, but ultimately discharged. Cooper a
friend OF Ralston, offered some of the bonds for
sale at Washington, ID. O., and arrested,
but finally discharged Charles Hicks, it is DO.
ievcd, Helped Raston in this robbery. subse.
quently Philip Person, alias baltimore Phillyn
with Hicks and Ralston robbed the FIRST National
fenced eight years imprisonment PIerson escaped,
while Raston arrested at Toledo, Ohio, by William
Pnkerton and taken TO Springfield Tor trial. The jury
was .'nxed, however, and Ralston, after paying all
expenses left the court room free man with $780, 900
In his pocket Another celebrated robbery in which
he participated that Of the Maryland Fire Insur.
ance Company at Baltimore. He and his companions
engaged clerk in conversation while some of the mem
bcrs OF the gang crowded the vault made their
escape with Il large amount OF money without being
discovered Another robbery and OF similar charac-
ter carried out by him at the Merchants and Me-
chanics' Bank Scranton Pa, with Little George Cor
son. where they "sneaked" out $S7 900 in money The
bank in question is better known in Pennsylvania al
THE BANK OF ENGLAND FoRGERrEs
Raston, with Roberts and Gleason put up the orig
ina capital for the Bank of England iorgeres which
carried out by Mcdonnell and Bdwell; but as
the latter showed too much galantry for the fair
sex, Ralston withdrew his money.
Roberts and Gleason 1t may be mentoned are now In
Ludlow Street JAIL while Mcdonnell and Bidwel are
in prison for life. Ralston was also implicated in
a $40 900 bank robbery at Cleveland, Ohio. with Jes
Allen and 'Joe Butts both Of whom imprisoned
for ten Ralson escaped and went 10 Sandusky,
Ohio, and Hudson, Mich.
ARREST
On Wednesday night Detective Robert Pinkerton
went TO Jersey City with Counsellor W. Writ Hewett
to capture Raston as he expected to by the
half past ten r. NJ. Philadelphia train Ralston
rived, and went board the Now York ferry boat
muled up to his eyes, Upon his arrival in this city
Detective Pinkerton slipped his under Ralston'a
and said IL want you to to the Church Street
Police station with me- have a bench warrant for
your arrest" The prisoner appeared to be much
tonshcd and said that there must be mistake some
where. When he saw the bench warrant, issued for
his by District Attorney Phelps dated in 1873,
he nodded his head sorrowfuy. He gave his name "a
the Sergeant at the desk Charles keane In hif
pockets hfty-fve cents in money found, and
address 'Joseph Wilson, Oliver and South streets"
we'll built weighs about los pounds has sandy beard,
very gentee in appearance, wears no jewelry,
has anything 1ashy about him, ana has very refined
prison. although he has pursued OF crime for
many years. He remarked TO Pinkerton, Lord, what
lots of money I've got through and how lucky have
been.n
The gang to which Ralstop belonged may now bs
fairly considered have retired active business
Roberts, the chief who used to live in grand style al
No 200 East Twcntyhrst street. is shut up. before
stated, and his colleagues Abijah Richardson, Coum-
bnI and II. p. Bunster, are scattered Gleason, the
former wealthy printer and engraver, is also In jail
Williamson, lately arrested in Broad street, is to be
tried next week, and the rascaty Of the gang
al an end.
TRIAL.
There above 100 Indictments pending against
Raston, but he was only called upon yesterday to
plead 10 eighty, and to them he pleaded not guilty
He is in the Tombs in default OF bail George
0lmstead of Staten Island, now out bail engraved
seals for the fraudulent bonds, while Gotleb Enges
and George Wilkes alleged to have done all
writing or forgery DR.. Blasdell, also out ball.
of Burde murder notorioty, stated that he receiveda
his bonds from Gottlicb Engels, who is now in this
CITY.