The New York herald., 1879-09-30
Dismissed from the United States Navy and
Wanted in San Francisco.
A "FINE OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN"
How the Forgeries Were Committed
and the Capture Effected
[pY CABLE TO THE HERALD

at Messrs. Glynn, Mills g. Co.'s, bankers Of this
gold Cooper, an American by birth and educa-
tion, formerly of the United States navy, but
one Of the most daring and successful forgers
who ever operated. He was ensign on the staff
of Admiral Lee, of the North Atlantic squad
ron during the war, after which he was given
duty in the Office of Detail, in the Navy De-
partment. In Washington he forged the
names of several paymasters to the
amount of several thousands Of dollars
Though well known at Washington he went to
tho Fourth Auditors office, coolly represented
himself as paymaster ut Baltimore got
money; then went to the next office, repre-
sented himself as another paymaster, and Sc
cured further sum- He was subsequently ar
rested. Coopers friends represented that he died
in prison. but in reality he went to San Francisco
at the expiration of his term, where he became a
stock broker, and committed tremendous forger-
les o year or two ago, hed and was never heard
of after.
CoOPER's CAREER IN LONDON.
Cooper's forgery OH Messrs. Glynn, Mills &
Co., of London, was for sum Of $4,000.
The check had been paid, and but for fool
hardness of the forger, the signature being
perfect Cooper would have escaped. But
when the detectives and the bankers
hi ha bad ha wal cd
into the lions mouth-otherwise the banking
house Of Messrs. Glynn, Mills g. Co.-where he
had the audacity to keep an account, and de-
mandcd to know what was all this talk about q
forged check. He was very indignant, but was
nevertheless Immediately arrested. This affair
led further to his detection in another forgery
perpetrated the Bank of England in
June last, for which he will be arraigned to-
morrow, and to discovering the manner in which
ing his forgeres. The detectives found that he
had been residing at u beautiful country scat
called East Lodge, at Hemmel Hampstead,
Hertfordshire There he had carried out
life in a sumptuous fashion. He had
six horses, drag, carriages traps, three
ivcried menials, number of other servants
such Us any rich gentleman would desire to
have. He followed the hounds and hunted
aud shot with the neighboring gentry
he attended the village church with
pious regularity gave grand dinners and
parties and donated literally to the
poor Of the parish. lie kept an account at the
village banking house, he paid his bills promptly
and his house was filed with valuable books
and pictures, bric-abrac, and was superbly fur
nished throughout. He was known and highly
respected in the entire district.
BEHIND THE SCENES.
While playing the English gentleman at his
country seat he paid frequent visits to London,
where he went about i'll all sorts of strange dis
guises and forging the names Of his ncighbors
down in Hertfordshire. The manner in which
he imposed on astutc bankers is well illustrated
in the following story:-On the 2Sth of Juno
% well appointed brougham was driven up to
the Bank Of England A boy descended from
the box seat and going up to the door Of
the carriage received from the gentleman
inside u check and instructions to get the
money for it inside The check was drawn
by j. Goodwin for f4OO The signature
was perfect and unsuspcctcd The clerk
asked the boy how he would have 1t. The boy
answered "Goldw AS the bank never pays out
large amounts in gold without explanation, the
paying clcrk asked the boy where Mr.. Goodwin
was Tho boy answered Outside "Call
pseudo Goodwin what the clerk had said. Cooper,
who was disguised in bushy brown whiskers,
refused to leave tho carriage. The boy returned
to the bank and told the clerk what the gentle
man had said. The clerk becoming suspicious
went to the front of the bank, but the brougham
with Goodwin had disappeared. The boy, being
questioned, said that he had met tho gentleman
at the Cannon Street Hotel that he had asked
him to come in and brought him to the bank,
where he had asked him to present tho chcquc.
his DIsApPEARANcE AND ARREST.
At tho Cannon Street Hotel Cooper had en-
tered his name on the registry as Neville Hum
ter. After leaving the bank he badc his driver
take him to the hotel, where he alighted. The
driver then noticed that Cooper had smooth
face. The swindlcr got his luggage, drove to the
Charng Cross station and dismissed tho
brougham. He was never heard of aftcrward
till his arrest last week, when Detective
Mitchell, one of the shrewdest officers of the
London police, thinking that the Glynn forgcr
might be the man wanted ut tho Bank of Eng
land, succeeded in establishing his identity.
HIS IDENTITY ESTABLISHED.