Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-07-19

William f. Gray, who has Just been tiktH
to New York and imprisoned in the rnmhs
after a nine years chase hv the most
famous detectives in the world. has q
criminal career that is remarkable even il
comparison with the most notable uf The
| lives Of society's robbers. His tath,r, the
Rev. f. II. Gray. wGs a native Of Brdp0rt,
in Addison county, and Tor many years u
resident OF that place: and was subsequent
| ly (lS6l-6s) chaplain OF the United States
| Senate. lie was graduate of MidGlebury
| College, and his now notorious sou was also
a college-bred man, and had before him
| every prospect of a useful and honorable
life. After leaving college the young man
was clerk in the treasury department at
Washington until 1866, when he v1lnn-
tarily resigned. Inc next year he went to
New York armed with letters Of recJmmen-
datiOn from Gen Butler. Senators Fes,en-
den ard Morrill, and other dignItaries. lie
was then %, fire young fellow OF correct
habits, who passed Us model o! virtue.
Learning the secrets OF stock brokerage, he
was soon in business for hmscli, and at
once began his adroit yillainirs. lie dealt
in stolen bonds, and his fathers purse had
to release him from Ludlow street jail,
family influence covering up other swindlei
from the public knowledge.
Ia November of, 1863, Gray gave out that
he expected legacy of $50 900 from rich
aunt, and, on the strength OF this and
SO, 900 ready cash be claimed TO have, he
launched out in grand style as Il heavy
operator, sailing under the firm name Of
W. Z. GRAY Il Co., his partner. being un-
suspected rosueS like himself. The gang
got hold of stolen New York State bounty
loan certificates. United States bonds aud
some stocks, and. raising the certificates,
they borrowed money on them and on the
bonds, through reputable broker, of
nearly every lender in the city. At the
very start Gray nearly ended hi1 career by
borrowing from Jay Cooke Il Go. ON sprr!-
Gus government bonds, but, as be replaced
them with genuine bonds ard carried HIM
sell as an innocent person imposed upon.
they laughe at the detectives suggestion
TO arrest one 80 re-pectably connected and
indOrsed. In December. however, 4 su>-
piciCus cashier discovered that the bounty
loan certificates were fGrgeries, though the
president OF the Manhattan bank declared
that they were a good a. gold. Gray was
so cool and told 50 plausible story, when
confronted with the facts, that he was not
taken into custody. Next day he dlsap-
peared, leaving eight firms $3.50 900 out,
and, alter hiding in the Guy for week he
LETT the country, and nothing was heard of
him for two years.
During that time he was lord.ng it mag
niticently in England a. James 2. M0gan,
nephew OF George Peabody, the millionaire
philanthropist. With forged letters of intrc-
duction from United States Senator's and
other men Of distinction, he entered the
highest circles Of society, and layished
money right and left. driving four
black imported American horses and
dressing magniiicsntiy. At dinner
given the niece of Baron Rothschili,
the rich young American made speech on
Ens !l-h finance that astonished the noneyed
ragratc>, ard there was no art of fashion
able society he was not expert in. lie WAS
intimate with the Duke OF Edinburgh, and
he might apparently have imposed on the
English pohIliiy indefinitely ii his money
had no; failed. At that ,lmo Il London |
banker named Chatteris cot Morgan to 90 |
into partnership with his son. The boy |
WAS soon short il5,0O0. Spurious United |
S.ate> h"nfs carried the information Il New |
York uihcers that this was the old offender |
Cry, and they crossed over to arrest him. |
lie ~as too sharp for them. however, and. |
after failing to soll mythical Colorado |
silver mine at The Hague, he turned up at |
PtriSas .CoileisO. the oculist. Being rec
osnIzed, DR.. Collctso sailed for this coun-
try to escape extradition from France. and |
after swIndling FIR a time at Galveston,
Tex h. Eturnvt - l. ndnn and got S20,-
900 On cUPi"r insut >"uie one else owned.
1t was v hen tho last fraud was disclosed |
in 1876, alter Gray was arrested. that the
English government refused to surrender
him. with Winslow ard Brent, the Louis
vile icrser, because Secretary Fish wuuld
not promise to try them only GU the charges
named in the extradition pspsrs When
Gray could be had. he had fled, tn be rrcos-
nizsd in Edinburgh month ago and ar
rested on his arrival in London. lie has
been living in the mean time with n woman
who claims to be hi- wife, ard says she Is
,he daue hter OF the composer Bale. GRAY
must now stand trial for forging United
States 5-20 and New York State bounty
1cnds. the minimum penalty in each Case
Being $1,000 fine and five years in jail.
md the maximum SlO,Ou0 and 10 YEAR
mrt lsobment.