New-York tribune., 1877-08-20
a STARTLING STORY OF FORGERIES.

IMPORTANT ARRESTS SAID TO HAVE BEEN MADE IN
THE wEsT-HEAvY FoRGERIEs IN THIS CITY
AND ELsEwHERE-NEw-YoRK POLICE OFFICIALS
KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE MATTER.
Dispatches from Chicago announce the arrest
Of several members Of large gang Of forgers VINO ior
some time have been operating extensively IN various
parts of the country. Detectives have been
on their track for four months, and nhaiiy
ON Thursday last the dispatches state, Detective
jayne Of the Government service assisted by Col Aus
tin banker of Dover N H., succeeded in arresng two
OF the forgers in the Sherman House. Chicago. When
they we're searched. $4,000 in bills were taken from
them The OF the prisoners are said to be Nelson
A. Gesneriand E. B. Weston Detective jayne with the
two men in charge started for NewYork On the 5lo p
IN. train Saturday afternoon
1t is alleged that the operations OF this gang OF swim
dlers have been mainly carried Minnesota and this
city, although frauds have also been practced in Indian
apolis St. Louis Chicago and other cities TIER plans
have been so successful that they are said
TO have realized between 100000 and 100000
within the last year. The head Of the gang is said TO be
a New-York banker or bank-clerl The plan pursued by
the cOnfederates has been for one or two to
90 to some place aud engage in business until
they had gained good reputation commercially
Then, after transactions with genuine checks ana
drafts they resorted 10 forged commercial paper and
carried on their operations successfully for some time,
and finally disappearing from the place. In Chicago
are asserted TO have forged several checks
one for S2GOO0 one for $4,000, and
others Of smaller denominations besides swim
ding the Third National Bank OF that city out OF
nearly S5 600 One member Of the gang said TO have
made his headquarters at Minneapolis, Minn and TO
have succeeded in getting 100000 from the Lake CITY
National Bank OF Lake City, MINI.
In addition to the two arrested in Chicago one OF
the party known as Colonel Cross, captured inst
Louis on Friday night Ell Henderson, another member
of the gang was arrested in Michigan. fifth was cap
tured in Minneapolis, but afterward escaped on
river steamer. sixth man was taken in In
dianapois Henderson, who also goes by the name of
stevens the Western leader of the gang and acts as
business man and general specuator Gesner the man
who did the mechanical work, raising drafts, etc.
He was recently member me Minnesota
legislature. and was formerly raymaster ID
rested in Chicago are charged with passing
forged check for $269s6 10 purporiing to nave been
the amount OF which is unknown, drawn by the New,
York Life Insurance Company. They are also accused
of raisng draft issued by a Milwaukee .bank on the
The forced check OF Wiuslow, Lanier Co.. was drawn
on the Third National Bank of this city, aud that OF the
NcwYork Lite Insurance Company on the Union Trust
No requistion RON Gov Robinson used in arrest
ing the The dispatches received from chicago
the hands Of the police Of this city, but completely
sold by person. so tnat great caution has been
required ever since The man who negotiated nearly all
The forged checks is said to be still III this city,
Superintendent Walng, when inquiry was made IN re-
e matter TRIBUNE reporter that he had
not heard Of until he the published state
nents lie SAID that no complaint Of forserles having
been committed had Deen naIe | 70 on niln AM an
that therefore detectives OF the central once coud
have been put on the track OF the Iorses NO NeS 1OK
detectives in Chicago at the present ulne MI Mal
ling said thai the arrest might have been made by Gov
erument detective, although lie dd not thnk mat Tue
within the province o1 the Cmteu states au-
| thOrlles. =, IL. ,,.,...o,o
| sald they had no knowledge of tile case whatever.
| A Director OF the Third National Bank said that the
| AtfYgIn A. "A TTsU
! in December 1876. The check. which amounted TO be
tween 27 900 and s O00 presented TO the teller OF
money the person who presented 1t, me checA ana
signature appearing genuine On me next day te same
excited the suspicion OF the teller, ana ne c9eck was
Certified Mr. Ed %ard Winslow, who the checks
o. the firm, at first pronounced IL to be correct but TO
| tnen found that no such ckeck had been drawn by
| hin. The check consequently was not paid Two
the NewYOrk Life Insurance Company, which Is thought
have beon perperated by the same person. The Ihird
National Bank however, lost the amount OF the check,
and in consequence forced TO pay the regular dvl
| dend last December.
HOW THE FORGERY OPERATED.
| CHICAGO, Aug. I9-Upon examining the trunk OF
Gesner foger after bis arrest 1t was found 10 con-
tain large assortment of implements necessary to his
profession including inks, microscopes, acids brushes
mems tracing implements, etc In WestOns possessiCn Il
were found number Of washed drafts on which every
thing had been obterated by acid except cashiers sig
natures When dealing in drafts IL was the custom To
| buy them for small amounts and then obiterate
| with acid all ink marks except the cashiers
! names Before this was DONE however, a careful
tracing was made. and when larger amounts
we're written the face Of the draft they had ON the
r.riug facsimile OF number the letters the
figures which were used IN the greater amounts. In
dealing in checks they would learn from some one III
hank or oliice OF firIn deposng in IA particular bank
s how Tie deposit stood III order not 10 over
draw the account 1t said that forged checks
have been drawn for sums as hlgh as @|o'OOo