The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-06-20
A NOTED SWINDLER.
ONE OF THE SUCCESSFUL SCoUNDRELS S
OF TIE COUNTRY TAKEN Al LAST.

ONE OF THE SUCCESSFUL ISCOUNDRELS s.
OF TIE COUNTRY TAKEN Al LAST.
The detectives have ut last succeed
ed in hunting down and arresting a
man named lLindner, who has long
been recognized rs one of the most
daring and adroit; .swindlers in, the
world, and has opelated. successfully
in most Of the cities of the continent.
He is the son of an Austrian. officer,
and twenty years ago came, to this
country and worked two years for a
pawnbrokcr, at Cleveland, Ohio, who
paid him 81 per, week. He made the
acquaintance Of u set Of burg lars, and
finally assisted them to rob the pawn
shop. Soon afterward he went to st.
LOUIS, and enlisted in Missouri reg
iment, from which he deserted after
pay-rolls. He WAS next heard of in.
New York, where he speculated in
stocks and made moncSffor time,
but finally lost $4,000 in Hannibal
and ST. Joseph stock in one day. !
BY various iorgerics Lindner again
accumulated money, and at tile close
of the war bought largeplantation
near Natclez. This proved TO be a
bad investment, and lie abandoned
his heavily mortgagcd property and
renewed his career Of forgery, work
ing principally in the Southern States
with raised checks. He then went to
Europe, committed several lorgcries
on tue the Rank of England, and re-
turned to this country in 1870. i,
Obtaining u'genuine letter Of credit
for 500 German marks on bank at
Hamburg, Germany, he stole q blank
forged q letter of credit fors730, 900
marks, went to Hamburg, drew the
money and was back in less than four
weeks. In 1876 he committed q most
|idaring and successful forgery. at a
time fixed upona confederate pre-
sented to the Chicago Grain En-
change certified check for S9,S5O
on a New Y ork bank. Atltliat time
Lindncr was in the ,vcstibulc Of the
bank, his cap i'll his pocket and pen
behind his ear. H:y - eaI rggihu
When tho telegraph tncssenger' ar
rived at the bank withSa tlispatc tch ask.
Ing if check No. z4-= Nv .-Wias ;Wsiss SSorircct'
Lindncr intercepted him. and With an
air Of authority, opened the dispatch,
read it and handed the messenger ar,
affirmative answer. Later he. opened
4 small job printing Office in Eighth
avenue, near Thirty-second street,
and printed & large number Of checks
on banks all over the country, the
paper being genuine paper, which a
confederate Gan cx-vice-prcsidont of
q bank) procured at Washington.
He had seven confederates with whom
he carried on extensive operations.
About two years ago Lindncr be-
gan operations in Newark with raised
checks, and succeeded in defrauding
several banks, but, the banks bccom-
ing more careful, he began the work
OF forging the certilications, and, re-
turning to Newark; swin.llcd large
number of merchants. The clue
which led to his arrest was given by
q convict in the Hudson County pen
itcntiary. The next clue was given
10 Detective Becker from Petersburg
Va, where Lindncr was seen to pur-
chase tickc6 for Bost ton. lie is
now confined in Essex County Jail, al
Newark. His cell is handsomely
carpetcd and fitted up, and he is ap-
parcntly not greatly depressed.