New-York tribune., 1878-05-01
THE STORY OLA FORGER.
REVIVAL OF CASTER's CONFESSIONS

REVIVAL Or Ian IEkS CONr
EXTENSIVE FoRGFRIE5 AND FRAUDS IN SING SING
PRIsoN-MEAGRE RESULTS OF THE INFORMATION
WHICH CANTEn FJRNIsHED-HIs RECENT AP-
PEAL TO Ex-GO OyERSoR TILDEN.
The notorious fGrger, Jack" Canter, has pub
lished letter TO Ex-Governor Tilden, ASKING for
lease from prison as recUmpense for his confessions
of fSauds in the management Of Sing Sing
Prison. The story oil his disclosures and of
his strangeafe is given by Sinclair TOusey, and by
K. l.. Dugdale, an expext accountant, who visited
Canter in prison. Canters work at Sing Sing, in al
tering vouchers forging signatures writing reports,
and shortening the terms of prisoners, was very re-
markable but little practical benefit to the State re-
suited from his confession.
CANTER's PRISON LIRE AND DISCLOSURES.
A letter has been sent to ex Governor Tilden
by Jack Canter Vel-known fOrger now in prison
at Easton PENN asking that measures be taken for his
release in consideration " the revelations made by him
two years ago forgeres the accounts Of sing sing
prison. by which the SUITE Treasury was defrauded
OF large sums Tho letter gives in detail the
efforts made by the writer to give the TOusey
Prison Commission full information about the frauds
which Canter says amounted to several hundred thou
sand dollars Canter claims that he made this confession
with the understanding that the commission to use
its influence with the Governor OF NewYork TO secure
his release. He adds
2
afrerpece 10 y0ur victory over the Canalers" it
entirely apropos and gave yOa further prestige in your
recompense of an executive terceson for my release,
ana have bere your agreement 70 my terms Though
counsel IN the case, peirrrrg to first hear from TINS
communication.
MR.. ToUsET oN CANTER's STORY.
Sinclair Tousey, who chairman OF the commits
sion and who visited Canter prison, gave last night
the following history of the matter:
In the Winter of 1875, Canter made com
muncation, which was published, that by means
Of false voucher from persons in charge Of
Sing Sing Prison. large sums of money had
been drawn from the State Treasury. He Of
fered to make further disclosures about details, the
price OF his information II t found to be trne and
valuable being the efforts ci the NewYork authorities
TO secure his release He tl0n sent to the department
the names forged, the name OF persons who got the
money, the da-es VI the vouchers, the
amounts altered etc Canter had been clerk
at Sing sing for many years, and be
claimed yhat all these forgeres were made by his own
hand These communications covered 81 pages OF
commercial note paper Tny were all written IN ildc
hand each page OF when would make al ie,'-s tnree
OF type. Together they make up large volume
-" on bot day IN Jui}: .: $50, aeeqiaP4iusu , 1g y,
Mr. Dugdlc. the expert OF the commission, Hehl 10
ihe Easton Prison 10 Cauter We went in az IL a. m
and did not out until after suudOwn. II was
nearly the death Of ne, az the place was sunhs no.
Canter went the prison books with the accountant
He agreed furnish key by which DLldaie could nnd
out al the fraudulent vouchers III tAe Stdte IohIoe
oice: IN. . .-,.s ~ r,o, --o
y
can't promise To release. We VIII simply do
the for ana present yodr cas-" To- the GOV
enor' On yrrturn took OCCASION to ins ~, clse G.
fore the Governor. Idt what said F0i for HIM Al
that time Governor TAdeu was very bug: about cam
uain matters and the incoming Governor absorbed
In his prospective duties. M n JEry tod me When
here last that soile action would .9on ne De taken @
maini7 instrumental ID feno' " inc fri,oD
Inspectors T. d1''gl. I eoHl',gn go, tt, "a '
clever man BE is about sfty years old and hr ha-
e4s i4lf % Il
heard Of this citg. Here secur, good educAtlon
He has a smattet'nc of Latin, Is good cnemist,
magnificent penUan, and something Of me
chaniC. For forgery derr years ago ne was
low VINO hss ever been there. soon he was ap-
pointed clerk and had clark. Of az the accounts f9r
series Of years DC apfenrod there with great reuiiy'
being convicted each t'nt Tor forgery Ihls lme nc
had something 10 90 with an insurance gI9mrapy u,
ia, clutches OF ihe iag. an got seven years
THE ACCOUNTANTS EXPERIENCE.
In conversation last evening about Canter' Richard
l. Dugdaie the accountant VINO visited ue prisoner
With Mr. TOu.rr, sad:
q saw CGuter alone the day after NJ. Tousey left
He gave ue the key % eI vouchers The process
by which he made the 10 ge-es nc described thus
The vouchers were for supplies furnished By
prison contractors and for prisoners money deposited
with the warden al their entrance convict life. Can
ter took transfer Oh tissue paper OF tbe ha4ne
OF any firm Who-s :. nature ne M@!shSu @ -, 20
turc signature War maze nf sNp'i'L V,.lh III. ,i.
Outhr voucher 60 be- signed hld tracing OUT the etlefs
tlre after certain date was an exact facsimile Oi Tue
rst This ietLOd he claim u, secured perieci freedom
from detection. Re gaze the dates OF Ger
tain .Sarrbers WHICH he SAID were Forged,
and the names ~ nTmH whose slCnHtnrcs
were amended went t. Albany and took transfers OF
these and matched them with the signatures 0i the same
firms % large number Of vouchers Gamer sslu tuo5t
which matched por,ecGy would De- tne loIEgu ones
suent two days tns work frequently matching more
than ffty o. signatures, hui not single
oap could get O. perfectly Win itc ones ne gave
me Al least they showed much variation 1B ordinary
sio1tures uspav u they fOrgeres tIey were
cortaIpy execut ID ya cuMsi Another way he gave
me was in the drawing oi -us under The signatures
I couldn't fuG SOLITARY one that matched
ms kew made th., REPORT the comm sson and u
was doubtless this which prevented any action Tor
Caufpr'- reeasD have uulDt h" made many IorgtI
les bur me gave mt clue sufficient 10 detect thcm
I'm searching au.Ong the prison papers, however
7 foun0 many evidences ~ Canter's Work. Here
were p0riiOus u inspectors report In Can
cooked MP bv MIN. lie told me that
when Walker was contractor lie habitually altered
tlc figures in biz contracts He Wa also accustomed 10
change the ~ prisoners, crasing either
the date Of the prison or the Term or sen
fence and altering them make the cOuycts term a.
short a. II could be made safely. The fraUds IN sing
sing prison accounts were extensive, without
30 mingled tnat 1t Is hard work 70 dlg
them ont. Much petty a. eli was practised. some
bills being altered for trlng sums OF % cents or Il
Cantsr impressed me a. y intellectual man sadly
broken down. Occasionally goau oi the old IRE would
flash from ms his !FIt sctmed completely
crushed. lie had ability enough 10 MAKE iOrthhe IN
anv legitimate business but he will doubtless die IN
prison Or in pO0r-h0usc"