The Princeton union., 1878-04-10
Remarkable Forgeries.

For several days past the telegraph has
been bringing intelligence relative to the
Bugbee forgeries which have shaken up In
dianapolis so thoroughly. An Indianapolis
letter of the 4th gives the following state
ment of the case:
What the Winslow forgery was to Boston,
the forgeries, made public to-day, of Joseph
W. Bugbee, are to Indianapolis. AS yet they
are known only to a few. but, when the
will prove the most sensational event in
Indianapolis history. Bugbee has been one
of our most honored and respected citizens,
believed to be perfectly solvent, and never
suspected of anything dishonorable. His
business reputation and creeit have been ex-
cellent His attorney, Charles P. Jacobs.
who has done all his legal business for the
past three years, was overwhelmed with dis
may when the reporters conveyed the intelli-
gence to him tonight. Not one word had
Bugbee ever breathed to him, nor even to his
father-in- law, the Rev. l.. G. Hay, who was
prostrated to-day when he was first Informed
of his sons disgrace Bugbee came to In
dianapolis in 1870, and soon established
standing for wealth, push, and business
ability. He was the representative of Holt &
Bugbee, of Boston, and, beside his lumber
business entered deeply into
real estate and buildings. He put up two
large and handsome business blocks It is
his real estate speculations undoubtedly that
led him to the commission of his forgeries.
He was very highly respected. and is now
serving his second term as member of the
city council, being one of its leading and
most useful members. The story of his
crime, so far as is known, is about
this: Last Sunday he called his
wife and his father and mother to him
and confessed to them that he had been
doing very wrong great wrong, and that
exposure must come. He then sent for a
business associate named Lyons, and to him
7 made a detailed confession, giving names,
dates, and amounts of notes outstanding
7 which he had forged. Lyons made memo
randum of them ali, and then told Bugbee.
he knew not what was the right course to
pursue, but by advice. he started at once for
Boston. Arriving there Tuesday, he handed
over the confession to Holt q Bugbee.
and it is now in possession of Mr. Holt.
e John B. Bugbee, of the Boston firm, started
I at once West, and arrived here to-day with
t Lyons. He is too prostrated and excited to
/ make any statement, but, with Lyons, has
G gone hurriedly over the Indianapolis blotter,
and has found in that numerous false entries
of sales which are said to have been paid by
notes-no doubt the ones forged. Tomorrow
a a systematic and thorough examina-
;, ton of affairs will be commenced, and the
: facts made known. So far, it does not ap-
= pear that Joseph has used the name of any
= Indianapolis FIRMS and no indianapolis bank
= loses. 1t was custom for Joseph to send
the notes to Boston, where the firm of Holt
}, & Bugbee indorsed them and discounted
e them, they beng returned to the banks here
}, for collection. Bugbee made arrange
It ments here to take up the notes
! and, therefore, the parties whose
4 names were used never were
4 notified of their existence. When he be-
~ came powerless to protect them longer, he
) let 60, and in one of the drawers of his desh
5 was found letter to-day from a Louisville
n firm saying they had been informed of 6
n note held against them by Holt & Bugbee
that they had never made such a note
n and demanding to know of the banl
st here who sent the notification by
d whom they had been imposed upon
N The bank of course turned the letter over tt
70 Bugbee, who found the end had come, ant
- anticipated the crash. Bugbee cannot b'
-, found tonight. The employees of his lum
~ ber-yard say they saw him this morning, bu
L. he is not at home, and his father-in Lax
y states that he has not seen him since las
IL night, when he was suffering from a sever
A. headache and incipient fever. The forgerie
$, acknowledged to by Bugbee amount to $132
Is 900, as stated in the associated press dispatc
from Boston.