The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-01
CAPTURED IN LONDON.
William E. Gray, the Forger, Arrested
BY a Scotland Yard Detective.
THE PRISONERS ANTEcEDENTs.
A Rem arkable Career on Two
Continents.


Continents.
cable despatch from London received In this city
last night announced the of Gray, tho orger
In Pimlico by Inspector Shore, OF Scotland Yard.
w. ". GRAYs PREVIOUS HISTORY.
Gray lie u son OF tho Rev. Edward H. Gray, who
held the position OF chaplain the New York State
Senate from year 1861 to 1859. His lrst position
in business clerkship in the fourth auditors
once in Washington, which was secured through his
fatners influence In this capacity nile still young
man, Gray appears 10 havc acted honestly In 1865
his resignation accepted and no came to this city,
bringing with HIM letters of introduction
mspdation from Hon. lafayette s. Foster then acting
vice President, and also from several United
States Senators. He soon succeeded in obtaining .
position In the banking house OF A. W. Dimmock &
Co. and retained 1t until the suspended, winning
the confidence and esteem OF his employers After
their failure no went into business on his own &C
count, taking desk New street, and acting as
attorney Tor Mr.. j. D. Sands. whose business In the
gold room was intrusted 10 young Gray.
the FIRST
In July 1869, IL is alleged Gray began his career OF
srime the step being the appropriation OF
tain amount OF funds which had been intrusted to
him by Mr.. Sands He also acted. it was charged, as
agent in tho sale OF stolen government
bonds. In September Of tho Same year Gray
became acquainted with Eugene Fink, stock
broker who, liking the man, desired to join In bust
moss with him. After waiting for some tme until,
as he said, he should receive $4,000 from aunt
In Maine, Gray Joined forces with Mr. FINK under tho
firm name W. E. Gray j. Co An Office
fitted up Al No A Broad street, rooms
st,crward occupied by Woodruff, Clafn Co. Here
Gray used operate to considerable extent In the
stock and mining boards. Finally, It Is alleged, he
told his partner that he had formed pool Tor opcr
ating in Quartz Hill mining stock, and gave him in
structions to I'LL for the pool
BEGINNING THE
About this time Gray borrowed largely against stock
coilaerals on the strectn which proved be mostly
stolen government securities and New Y ork county
bonds, altered from ST. Oc0 to $4,000 He in tho
habit Of keeping his money and securities in the
Bank OF the Metropolis, and on the 10Th OF December
1869. he overdrew his account, leaving as security
,nree BONDS Tor $1,000 each. which were declared
aerward to have been raised 10 $10 600 apiece Inc
alteration was detected BY Tho teller Mr. Elis, who
took tho paper to Mr.. Harberger. of the Manhattan
armed. 4 message was dsspasched to Gray 70.
Qucsting personal explanation of the affair That
young man hastened to the Bank OF tho Common
wes I'm and INSISTED that he had received the bonds
from Mr. I. II. Pratt OF tho 81. Nicholas HOTEL
GRAY's ESCAPE
The next morning Gray went TO his office as usual,
but alter remaining short time got into
M1s Isabel. se Hsskins il u was saia parnS
the day Sir. FINK found that his missing
ss Saa and 0,,ss sooo.
Jay Cooke IL Go. The greatest excitement prevailed
when the fact OF Grays flight was made known, ana
believed that by series OF skilful operations he
had cefrauded "thc street, OF nearly $500. 900 Tho
sheriff immediately took possession OF tie abandoned
Cf1cr found nothing In IL Of value, with the
ccpt,on of 100 shares Of Quartz Mining stock, worth
$500 Mrs. Haskins, who had been arrested, was sub
scquently released Ii rumored that
trays accomphce was one Thomas h. Pratt. In
1870, u is understood. Gray returned to this.
arrested. 1t Is said hat at QUO tlmc he was con-
nected IN certain financial operations with Baron
Rotnschild and the Duke OF Newcastle, being looked
upon American milcnnaire.
In November, ISL. Captain Thomas Sampson,
detective Tor the United states government, Tor tho
Stock Exchange and Tor tho sub-rreasury, visited
England IN quest OF the iorger but failed 10 arrest
and reported Gray by telegraph. The latter. 1t is
said, escaped to the Continent, and his pursucr re-
turned this country the month OF February 1879
While in England Gray lived IN grand style near
Russell square, London. Before many years, under
scheme. ana Identified by London detective
aamed Mieglejohn, who had photographs Of tho for.
yer ia his possession.
comm IN ication sent TO Detective Sampson
asking what II would DO worth to capture Gray.
Ino letter shown TO The officers OF the stock Ex
change and the various nnanciers in this city who
bad been victimizcs, and the result was that SaEp-
son, alter sending the necessary letters to the
London detectives, made another trip to England.
Meanw bile, on Saturday the I'd Of April 1876, Detcc
arrssrng HIM, took him the Bow Street
Police Court, where, after preliminary
live SIMPSONS arrival from this country. On
Inc 18th OF April further examination held be-
ore Judge vausnan and The deposilons OF tho officer
who mad arrested the forger, we'll witness
sbo mad known him IN THIS CITY, were read
and sworn 10 cray was again remandea I'll April
peared and produced the papers with which ho was
PROVIDED. Judge vaughan thea formally committed
Gray 10 the House OF Detention Tor fifteen days It
least alter which the British government
would decide ns 10 whether or no he should
I.ufts nA nd -
Tor the defence, contended that his client should only
DO tired Tor crime Tor which his extraction was
bends, altered from $1,000 10 $40 600 On the
soilowing day Gray was re-examncd In Judge
on Inc previous day was proved. and additional
ordered Gray's mmittai additional charges OF
forging aud utlerins eo nd Tor $1,000 and uerns
was removed TO Clerkenwen Prison
Tux RKIkAsK
On May tho Brush government normod the
American Legation that Gray would DO released when
his hau expired. ON June 81 at noon, the prs
taken before Justice SIR Robert Lush, in the
his release on a writ OF haDeas corpus. IL
being customary TO give the Attorney General
notice In such cases, word sent TO the Homo
ONCE, and at haii-past one O'Clock
turned that the Crown did not Intend 10 oppose tho
prisoners release. JudgeLL Lush then remarked
that the two months had expired and pro-
cccded 10 indorse the writ OF habcas cor
pus. whercupon Gray bowed and left the
court room. As soon as. he liberty no took
pains to contradict tho charges published IN the
papers in this country relative hts transactions in
New York county bonds, maintaining that they were
all hypolnecatcd against an open credit BY a client
whose name was reserved for purposes OF tho
defence. lie also stigmazsd as false tho runors
cerning hts operations in Europe IN forged securities,
sald that he would hesitate 10 return 10 this
CIV Tor trlal could rely upon tho true testimony
OF the with whom he had been associated here.
on tho day of Grsys reissse nm Effort TO Introduce
the subject OF an amendment to the cxtradition
treaty between this country and Great Britain was
drowned down IN the House OF Commons The qucs-
tion stl subject OF great interest when, early
In January OF the same yoar, 1915, u became known
that Gray had ned to parts unknown.
His Whereabouts since that 10 IN known to tho
police But he has been wanted ever since, and his
capture now by the Inspector "a regarded by Cap
"a mr. Az cry He 4 ed u M