Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-12
BABBITT'S BAD CLERKS.
BeckwIth's Confederate ON His
Way Home In the Custody OF q
Detective

BeckwIth's Confederate ON His
Way Home In the Custody OF -
Detective
New York Times, g..
Thomas r. Lewis, who is in
dicted for being implicated in the
extensive forgeries and embezzle-
ments by means of which Benja-
min Z. Babbitt, the wealthy soap
manufacturer, was robbed Of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
is now on his way to this country
from England, having embarked
on the Inman steamship City of
Richmond yesterday, in custody of
Detective Timothy Golden. Lewis
and Chas. r. Beckwith were book
keepers in the employ of Mr.. Bah
bitt, and by means of a close system
of forged bills and receipts, appro-
priated large sums of money, shar-
ing equally in the plunder. Beck
with, who had almost exclusive
control of Mr.. BabbitPs money
matters, left that gentleman's en-
ploy and was followed shortly
arterward by Lewis, to whom it
had been intimated that his resig-
nation would be acceptable. Beck
with, Lewis and another clerk,
whom, it appears, they had made
their dupe, then left the city and
Travelled through Canada in first
class style. Finally they separated,
Lewis marrying a lady named Du-
rand, and goi9g to Europe, while
Beckwith staid in New York, where
he was reinstated in his old position
in the Office of the Manhattan Life
Insurance Company. The third
went to his home in Ohio and en-
deavored to lead an honest life
| Beckwith was subsequently arrested
by Detective Golden, who had spent
months in working up the case,
and with Lewis was indicted on
number of charges forgery
and embezzlement. Beckwith was
tried twice by Assistant DistricJ
Attorney Bell, and having beer
twice convicted, was sentenced tt
ten years in the State prison-i
sentence which he is now undergo
ing. After the conviction of Beck
with, the authorities turned thei
attention to Lewis, and dispatche,
detective Golden to England will
the necessary papers for the arres
and extradition of the fugitive
q Golden went to London and discoy
! cred the wife of Lewis, whom h
tracked to Hastings. He subse
: duently succeeded in finding Lewis
r and arrested him on a charge o
5 forgery. The fugitive did not dis
3 pute the process Of extradition
and after the fifteen days prescribe,
by law had elapsed, left for tn
United States in custody Of Golden
i On arriving in this city he will b
surrendered to the district attorne
and be examined by Mr.. Bell, VIII
will probably extract from him som
J. valuable information in relation
the disposition which his confeder
|, ate Beckwith made Of the larg
r amounts stolen from Mr.. Babbit
= of which no trace has ever bee
= found. Through The shrewdnes
J of Mr.. Mcdonnell, the expert, oW
}, ing to whose exertions the stu
i pendous thefts were discovered an
|, traced, some $40,OO worth {
IS United Stotes bonds, sent to thi
:, country by Lewis to be sold, hav
q been enioined, and now await tn
/ result of civil suits brought by M
1t Babbitt against the estates Of Beck
?, with and Lewis. The evidenC
Il against Lewis on the criminal il
}, dlctments will be similar to thf
n given on the trials Of Beckwith.