The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-16
AMBIGUOUS FORGERlES.
How a Trusted Clerk Victimized
His Employer.
BANK OFFICIALS HOODWINKED.
Disappearance OF the Youthful
Forger with $16, 900.

When II became known on Wall street yesterday
that discovery had been made OF some very exlen-
sve forgesies on the Corp Exchange Bank which some
one in a clerical position mad committed the news
took the shape OF rumor shat bank smploy6 was
the criminal All of wild statements got aaoat
regarding the guilty person and the extent OF his
pecalatops, and for a time curiosity ran nigh among
the habltus oil the street. IL soon transplred, how
ever, that not the Corn Exchange Bank alone,
but the Chase National and the First National
banks had been sufferers well. II then began
to appear that bank clerk. but tho agent
OF a deposuor who was guilty OF the iorgeries
Owing the reticeuce OF the parties concerned twas
difficult at rst TO learn ANYTHING OF positive nature
about the THEFT The name ana antecedents Of the
offender were unknown, and who ms employer was
seemed equally matter Of speculation. In time,
however, some Information leaked out which salts
iactorily indicated the monetary institutions which
the forgeries had been committed and the
gentleman which had been used In the transaction
An approxim,Ie idea OF the paid out ON
the forged paper was also arrived al, and armed
with these FACTS HERALD reporter sought an in
terview with The bank presidents whose motives ior
absolute silence ger remained and who felt
disposed To DO as communicative Ms they had before
been reuconi. II was leurned thar Tor over week
the forgeries had been known but that NO intimaon
of Them had been gwen, toe better 10 facilitate the
capture Of the guilty CLERK Detectives had The matter
IN hand and were ousily engaged upon IT, but II was
believed that publicity might interfere with their
plans aud Illustrate the ENDS OF justice On that
Kept secret until chance started a
winch IN The iight OF investigation developed Into
PLAIN fact.
THE ABSENT CLERK.
Edwin G. Litchheld is tue name OF the employer OF
the absent CLERK He Is gentleman OF means, VINO
has been engaged Ia various enterprises, but who o
late attends only 10 ms private business, AT No. Is
William street. IN his oilics, acting the capacity
oil cop,is messenger and a. tmes performing light
clerical duties, was young msn named Riley. VINO
had frequent OCCASION carry sums To the bank Tor
deposit and had also drawn amounts from IL. He
youth no had been about ten years engaged 10 the
building IN william street, generally IN the en-
poy OF brokers, and whose lace was familiar
70 the paying tellers Of many OF the down
town banks About two years ago he lost "a SIT
ua,ion ana Mr.. Lilchnell engagea him 70 perform
some duties about the office. For eleven months he
spent time ~ running errands ana copy ng papers,
and then he went away TO California Three or four
months ago lie returned To this CITY In no way I'M
tino OF his OLD lie anew. He called upon Ar. Itch
field and solicited employment, and That gentlem
although he had no special occasion Tor his services
engaged him " perform his quondam functions about
the place. he behaved himself wel was faithful aud
industrious and seemed altogether an emuently
honest aud respectable Office boy Such cheeks Mr..
Liichleid had occason have cashed he frequently
ihtrusted 10 Riley, and that young mau was always
careful and upright Ia handling them.
A SERIES or FoRGERiKg.
On December IL, lasi, he presented himself at the
Corn Exchange Bank and had cheek Tor $lO0 cashed.
drawn and signed, and Tie bank employees who had
often paid cierK various sums, had reason to
suspect that any thing amiSs. On the lsth OF De.
cember he presented another check Tor $780, and
the ID OF January another Tor the same ainounL Ga
January 80 Mr.. L'tohdeld sent Riley ~ the bank
TO deposit sum of money. he handed IL over,
received the usual acknowledgment ana returned
10 the Office, hut soon alter appeared IN tue bank
again aud submitted a check Tor $4,000 This
PAID him and he retired, but three days iator he
peated the transaction, this tme, however, larger
scale. A broker called upon MIR. Ltchneld ana
paid him loan he had from INN OF $l2, OOO Riley
took the cheek 10 the bunk anu deposited IT.
Then il appears the cortaiuty OF his ultimate dscoy
cry forced itself upon HIM and he made up his mud
to decamp He was not wiling 10 60 empty handed
however, or even with few THOUSANDS. SO he went
10 The Corn Exchange Bank anu presented check
for $780, The money was handed TO nm and
then to the Chase Nauonal Bank, whore he pre-
he proceeded 10 the FIRST National Bank, where a
cheek Tor $4,000 was similarly houored. Since that
time Riley has not been seen, and his whereabouts
have become matter Of speculation Tor employ or,
bank presidents and detectives.
WHAT THE BANK PRESIDENTS SAY.
This Is substantially the story Vi RiIeys iorgeres as
1t got ahoaL 10 authenticate Il the reporter called
upon The officials Of the banks which suffered by
M sdeeds. Mr.. William A. Falls, president OF tue
Corn Exchange Bank stated that the amount paid by
the institution OH what WAS said 10 be forged paper
was Sl3 $50. This comprised i've different checks,
the largest and last paid oil wnlch Tor % $50.
'sThe Others, as you perceive" SAID Mr. Falls wsre
for smaller sums The young mon evidently feel.
Ing bis way. On December IL he presented tue check
tor 500, which pad HIM. That the entering
wedge SO to speak. Success embodencd him, and so
he became quite high handed in bis peculationa "
Mr. Fails went to say that Mr. Litcbfeid was al
old dcpostor In the bank and that the young
man Riley had been accustomed TO deposit and
checks Tor him. His face was familiar, and no reason
10 doubt his honesty ever Offered itself. II was on
Mr. LIchhed's private account that the check
drawn
Mr. q. +. Baker. president of the First National
Bank, said :-"Tho sum paid 10 Mr.. Litchhcld's clerk
was $4,000 IL was drawn on The account oil the
Brooklyn Improvement Company, which Mr. Litch-
neld.represents, and tho name OF Mr. Savage, that
gentle man IS confidential cerk, used. We had
ten years the CLERK mas been coming here Of
field"
Mir. Samuel C. Thompson, president Of the Chase
National Bank, said :--"Mr. Lhchned has ept
count here IN his own name almost since the opening
oil the bank. This young man accustomed 10 pre-
checks here 10 be cshed and 10 perform the usual
functions OF an account clerk. He presented check
on February Tor s, 900. winch pad him. Later
were informed lhat II was forged"
WHAT Is KNOWN OF RILEY.
Further inquiries revea ed that Riley is the son Of
respectable parents, living on Long Island he always
seemed " oe lad Of good disposition when engaged
by the brokers who preceded Mr. Litchhed hts en-
ployers, aud since he has grown up be continued
regular course OF iie had no object ionabie acquaint
ances aud no suspicious habits. He 10 now about
TWENTY-FIVE years old On February he came 70 Dir.
Ltchled aud requested his salary, cncck for which
was given hun. On the following morning the janitor
oil No. Is William street, saw him in the bulding, but
when his employer arrived he gone and nothing
has been heard from him week passed before
the forgeries wero discovered Then Mr.. Litchdeids
son nappcn nv into one oil the banks was
about the checks anu denied their enticty. Fur
her inquiry revealed the extent OF the forgeres How
Riley procured the forms and able 10 80 accurately
reproduce mis- employers signature, Is explained by
tho nature oil the position occupied. lie was ire
Quenty Entrusted with the cheek book, aud besides
there were numerous old cheek books which he
may have secured by rummagins Mr.. Ltcn-
fields desk Some OF the checks appear TO have
the signature forged by beng traced upon them, and
In some instances the Imitation Is said be not
perfect II might be. IL evident however, that
Riley, by Practice no doubt succeeded in Obtaining
ar mastery over the pen and was able TO fairly repro
q a nuyi
tellers told him have the check certified aud he
took II away for while TO return IL soon with the
proper Endorsement apparently in Mr. Litcnheld's
handwriting.
Pinkerton's detectives are hunting for Riley, but
are unwilling as yet TO say how far they have pro-
cocded and with what success