Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-25
THE ROMANCE OF A FORGER.
william Il. Gray's Remarkable
Career.

Few rascals have SO romantic career az
William f. Gray the forger, who arrived
dt New York, July 10th, at the end Of
nearly nine years chase by the most ex-
pert detectives Of the large cities Of the
world. His father, Rev. DIR. +. II. Gray,
formerly preached at Shellburne Falls,
and was for eight years chaplain Of the
United States Senate, and the son had
every incentive to lead q respectable life.
After leaving college he was clerk in the
Treasury Department at Washington,
until 1866. when he voluntarily resigned.
The next year he went TO New York,
armed with letters Of recommendation
from General Butler, Senators Fessenden
and Morrill, and other dignitaries. He was
then %, fine young fellow of correct
habits, who passed as q model Of virtue.
Learning the secrets OF stock brokerage
with A. W. Dimock 4 Co., he was soon in
business for himself, and at once began
his adroit vallainies. He dealt in stolen
bonds. and his fathers purse had 70 re-
lease him from Dudlow-street Jail, family
iafuence covering up other swindles from
the public knowledge.
In November, 1869. Gray gave out that
he expected legacy Of $4,000 from a
rich aunt, and. on the strength Of this and
$4,000 ready cash he claimed to have, he
launched out in grand style as a heavy
operator at "A Broad street, afterward oc-
cupied by Woodhull & Clafin. He sailed
under the firm name Of W. T.. Gray & Co.,
his partners being unsupported rogues like
himself, and they made Quartz Hill min
ing stock cover for their frauds. The
gang got hold Of stolen New York State
bounty loan certificates, United States
tonds and some stocks, and, raising the
certificates, they borrowed money on them
n a. n. II.
broker. Of nearly every lender in the city.
At the very start. Gray nearly ended his
career by borrowing from jay Cooke Il Co.
on spurious Government bonds, but, as
lie replaced them with genuine bonds and
carried himself as an innocent person i'm
posed upon, they laughed at the detectives
suggestion to arrest one so respectfully
connected and endorsed. In December,
however. a suspicious cashier discovered
that the bounty loan certificates were for
gcries, though the President and Cashier
Of the Manhattan Bank declared that they
were as good as gold. Gray was so cool
aud told so plausible o story when con-
fronted with the facts, that he was not
taken into custody. Next day he disap-
pearcd. leaving eight firms $3.50, 900 out,
and. after hiding in the city for week. he
left the country, and nothing was heard Of
him for two years.
During that time he was lording it mag
Efficiently in England "A James p. Morgan.
nephew OF George Peabody, the millionaire
philanthropist. With forged letters of in
PRODUCTION from United States Senators and
other men OF distinction, he entered the
highest circles Of society, and lavished
money right and left, drivi ig four black
imported horses, and dressing magnificent
ly. At dinner given the niece OF
n pAth tl.A sfl. ass
American made speech on Eng
fish finance that astonished the
moneyed magnates, and there was no
art OF fashionable society he was not expert
in. He was intimate with the Duke OF
Edinburgh, and might apparently have
imposed on the English nobility indef-
hitely II his money had not failed. At that
time London banker named Chatteris
got Morgan into partnership with his son.
The boy was soon short fl5,0O0. Spu-
fious United States bonds carried the in
formation TO New York officers that this
was the old offender Gray, and they crossed
over to arrest him. He was too sharp for
them, however, and, after failing to sell a
mythical Colorado silver mine at The
Hague, he turned up in Paris as DR.. Coll
ietso, the oculist. Being recognized, DR..
Colletso sailed for this country to escape
extradition from France, and after swind-
ling for time at Galveston, Texas, he re-
turned TO London, and got $50, 900 on a
copper mine some one else owned.
1t was when the last fraud was disclosed
tn 1876, after Gray was arrested, that the
English Government refused to surrender
him, with Winslow and Brent, the Louis
vile forger, because Secretary Fish would
not promise to try them only on the
charges named in the extradition papers.
When Gray could be had, he had fed, to
be recognized in Edinburgh month ago,
and arrested on his arrival in London.
He had been living In the meantime with
woman who claims to be his wife, and
says she is the daughter Of the composer
Balfe. Gray must now stand trial for
forging United States $40 and New York
State bounty bonds, the minimum penalty
I'M each case being 5000 fine and Ave
years in jail and the maximum $4,000
and ten years imprisonment.