Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-10-04
AN AMERICAN FORGER.
Arrest, in England, of William
Ringgold Cooper.
"a Fine Old English Gentleman. +"
How the FOrgeries were Committed
and the Capture Effected.
By Cable to the New York HcrnId.l

who was arrested last week for forgery
at Messrs. Glynn, Mills & Co. s, bank
ers, Of this city, has just been identi-
fed as William Ringgold Cooper, an
American by birth and education, for
merly of the United States navy, but
one of the most daring and successful
iorgers who ever operated. He was
ensign on the staff of Admiral Lee, OF
the North Atlantic squadron, during
the war, after which he was given
duty in the Office of detail, in the
navy department.. In Washington he
forged the names of several paymasters
to the amount Of several thousands Of
dollars. Though well known at Wash
ington he went to the fourth auditors
Office, coolly represented himself as
paymaster at Baltimore, got money !;
then went to the next Office, repre-
sented himself another paymaster, and
secured further sum. lie was sub
sequently arrested, Cooper's friends
represented that he died ID prison, but
in reality he went to San Francisco at
the expiration of his term, where he
became a stock broker, and committed
tremendous forgeries a year or two
ago, fed, and was never heard of after.
COOPER'S CAREER IN LONDON.
Cooper's forgery on Messrs. Glynn,
Mills 4 Co., of London, was for sum
of 100000. The check had been
Maid and but for fOOlhardiness of the
forger, the signature being perfect,
Cooper would have escaped. But
when the detectives and the bankers
thought he had flown he coolIy walked
into the lions mouth-otherwise the
banking house of Messrs. Glynn,
Mills & Co.-where he had the au-
dacity to keep an account, and de-
manded to know what was all this
talk about torked check. He was
very indignant, but was nevertheless
Immediately arrested. This affair led
further to his detection in another
forgery perpetrated on the Bank of
England in June last, for which he
will be arraigned tomorrow, and to
discovering the manner in which he
has been living in England while per-
petrating his forgeries. The detec-
tives found that he had been residing
at beautiful country seat called East
Lodge, at Hemmel Hampstead, Hert
fordshire. There he had carried out
life in a sumptuous fashion. He had
six horses, a drag, carriages, traps,
three hveried menials, number Of
other servants, such as any rich gen
tleman would desire to have. He
followed the hounds and hunted and
shot with the neighboring gentry; he
attended the villa church with pious
regularity; gave grand dinners and
parties and donated literally to the
poor Of the parish. He kept an ac-
count at the village clearinghouse
he paid his bills promptly and his
house was filled with valuable books
and pictures, bric-a-brac, and was
superbly furnished throughout. He
was known and highly respected in
the entire district.
BEHIND THE SCENES.
While playing the English gentle
man at his country seat he paid fire.
quent visits to London, where he went
about in all sorts of strange disguises
and forging the names of his neigh
bors down in Hertfordshire. The
manner in which he imposed on astute
bankers is well illustrated in the fol-
lowing story; On the 28th Of June a
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 check and
instructions to get the money for il
inside. The check was drawn by j.
Goodwin for e400. The signature was
perfect and unsuspected. The clerk
asked the boy how he would have IT,
The. boy answered "GoldW As the
bank never pays out large amounts in
gold without explanation, the paying
clerk asked the boy where Mr.. Goodwin
was The boy answered, Outside. 1"
Call him, said the clerk. The boy
went and told the pseudo Goodwin
what the clerk had said. Cooper, who
was disguised in bushy brown whis-
kers, refused to leave the carriage
The boy returned to the bank and
told the clerk what the gentleman had
said. The clerk becoming suspicious
went to the front of the bank, but the
brougham with Goodwin had disappear.
ed. The boy, being questioned, said
that he had met the 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 the check.
MS DISAPPEARANCE AND ARREST.