The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-08-20
ARREST OF THREE DANGEROUS
FoRGERS.
THEIR OPERATIONS REACH THE
MILLIONS.
How They Managed it.

For long while the New York banks
and some in Chicago have been heavy
sufferers through the successful forgery of
drafts for large amounts, and although
every effort has been made to discover the
forgers the scoundrels have eluded the
officers until Thursday last, when three
of the gang were caught in Chicago,
at the Grand Pacific Hotel, having
in their possession when arrested, $4,000
in good money, There appears to have
been a regularly organized band. whose
operations extended all over the country,
and it lis estimated that over $45O,000 has
been realized within year. The matter
was placed in the hands of two skilled
detectives from New York, and through
their efforts and with the assistance OF
Chicago constable, named Hartman, three
of the party were brought to grief. The
way the forgers managed the matter was
liable to disarm suspicion, and showed
them to be old hands at the business.
The head devil of the gang is New York
banker or bank clerk. The plan gener-
ally adopted was for one or more Of them
to go to a city. engage In some
reputable business in small
way, and by observing the
strictest integrity in all their transactions.
estabish themselves in the confidence of
the community, make themselves solid, !"
in the parlance of the fraternity, Thus
two Of the parties now under arrest
were recently operating in Burlington,
Iowa, and having got their work in on that
unsuspecting town, they transferred them
selves to Chicago, probably with the IN
tention Of gaining a foothold there. Another
party has been in Minneapolis a fifth in
St. Louis, and sixth at Indianapolis.
The three prisoners now captured had
been operating in Chicago about two weeks
when the arrests were made, and in this
time they had bagged $4,000 from the
Third National, it is said, and as nearly as
can be learned, 100000 from another bank.
They remained scattered throughout the
United States, one or two in a city, doing,
as has been stated, a straightforma ard bust
ness. handling heavy drafts and checks
witE certain bank until Its officers knew
them well and were thrown off their guard
They also had skilful engraver witt
them who could make dit
that would produce fac-simile
of signature SO perfectly that it coult
scarcely be told from an autograph
The time would arrive for strike, and thel
the New York partner would buy a small
graft, say 800 and send it to the Chicago
house, who would by the use of chemical:
raise it TO 100000 Then the name o
the cashier of the bank on which il wa:
drawn would be forged aud the draft de
posted with the bank with whom they die
business. Now, as the bank they wer,
doing business with had already re
ceived many genuine drafts from thei
New York agency" through this sam
channel before, all Of them large, and ha
had them Investigated so often and foun
correct the cashier of the bank had above
the last few to be cashed unquestioned, an
had been thrown entirely off his guarC
When the 100000 draft was presente
it would form one of the large numbe
which had preceded, and the, consequent
was that the money was paid over withor
suspicion. By such well-planned sohem
as this the Lake City National bank,
Lake City, MIMI, was swindled out {
100000, with which enormous SUN ii
forger ON the Mississippi river is now tr,
ing to make his escaps, unless he HI
already been arrested.
The ring leader of the gang is one CO
Nelson A. Gesner, of New York. He
highly connected, being member of one
the oldest families in that city, and will
remembered by some Of our citizens as Of
~ of the campers at Maiden Rock two yea
ago. He is man Of fine address, We
y Intelligent and possessed of certain Sal
= fr0id manner.
i0 When arrested at Chicago, he gave
u start, not even a token Of surprise, accol
Ie panied the officer to a room previous
LII secured and cody remarked, I'VE
W you've got me, haven't you" and wi
10 that entered into pleasant conversation.
The scale on which these soperatlo
" have been conducted are simply enormo
Os and will reach nearly, if not quite, $1,000
900. The detectives who have the matter
10 charge are reticent as to details and see
u DESTROYS to keep the particulars seer
90 for the present Wien fully published
" will furnish the grandest scheme of villa
NC ever recorded 10 the history of this COUNT
as Mildness conquers- and hence it is tt
he the gentle yet positive influence of /
Bulls Baby Syrup overcomes so quicL
al the disorders OF Babyhood. Price 25 cen
er There's millions in it."