The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-20
A DEEP GAME.
A Probable Plot to Swindle the Canal
Bank OF Portland and Two Banks in
Augusta.


Bank OF Portland and Two Banks in
Augusta.
The Batavia Daily News of Batavia, N. Y,
of last Saturday evening, just received, con-
| tains the particulars of probable attempt to
victimize the Granite National Bank, and
First National Bank of Augusta, and the Ca
nal Natior al Bank of this city.
1t appears that Mr.. w. T. johnson. the
cashier OF the Granite Bank on the 2Sth of
January. received letter purporting to come
from Mr. Thomas Cary, the cashier of the
| National Bank of Genesee, at Batavia, stat
ing that Hon. j. E. Carter, ex-rreasurer of ST.
| Paul, Minnesota, came to Batavia with his
family on January Sth, deposited $4,000 in
his bank, and then left to visit friends in Au-
gusta, Maine, since when nothing had been
heard from him. Mr.. Carter had suffered
from an attack of apoplexy and the family
were greatly alarmed, fearing he was i'll some
where. or had met with foul play. Mr.. john
son was requested to make inquiries concern
ing Mr.. Carter and notify his wife at Batavia
A description Of Mr.. Carter was given, repre-
senting him as man about So years old,
hair.
Mr. Israel Boothby, late cashier Of the First
National Bank, Augusta, received a similar
letter, same date, and he passed it over to
City Marshal White, who answered he would
do ali he could to find the missing man, and
he inserted notice in the Kennebec journal
OF January 10Th asking for information in re-
gard to him.
Mr. B. g. Somerby, cashier of the Canal
Bank of this city, received at the same time
similar letter-except that the name of Hon.
George Miller, ex-state treasurer of Minnesota.
was substituted for Mr.. Carter's name, and
stating that that gentlemen came to Batavia
with his wife aud two daughters January Sth
The letter then follows the same recital as the
other letters to Messrs. johnson and Boothby,
adding that Mr.. and Mrs. Miller met Mr.. w.
w. Thomas, senior, president of the bank,
South, some years ago, when that gentleman
was out of health and that Mr.. Thomas and
he became quite well acquanted-Mrs. Miller
therefore thou hit that Mr.. Thomas would do
all in his power to restore the missing man to
his afflicted family. Mr.. Somerby answered
that Mr.. Thomas recollected Mr.. Miller very
well, but had not seen him in Portland,
neither had Marshal Bridges, and thought il
he had been here he would have called on Mr..
Thomas.
Mr.. Trumbull Cary, assistant cashier of the
National Bank of Genesee, received all these
letters, directed to T. Cary, of the above nam
ed bank, and answered Mr.. Somerby's c,mmu-
ication, stating he had received his letter, also
that of Marshal White of Augusta and also
the Kennebec journal containing the notice
of Mr.. Carriers disappearance. Mr.. Cary also
said he had made no such inquiries, nor writ
ten any such letters, nor could he find any one
in Batavia who had. On the receipt of this
communication Mr.. Somerby sent reply en-
closing the letter purporting to have been
written by Mr.. Gary, January 18th, and asking
its return after perusal. He Immediately re-
ceived answer by telegraph, Feb. 10, that the
letter was received, and to be on his guard for
the whole thing was forgery.
A letter of same date followed, stating that
the printed letter heads, and signatures, to the
Jan. 23d letter were all forgeries; that there
were no families of George Miller or j. E.
Carter in Batavia or ever known to have been
there; that no funds were deposited in the
bank; that no person known as Mrs. A. L.
Cross-the lady with whom Mr.. Miller's fam
lily were said to be stopping-lived in Batavia,
and that there was postal card in the Bata-
via postoffice directed to Mr.. J. e. Carter, care
of Hon. A. l.. Cross, directed in the same
hand and ink as postal held by Mr. Somerby
which had also been furnished to Mr.. Cary
by him-directed to Mrs. George Miller, care
of HIM A T., CroSe which Mr. rIrh o1
been requested to fill out in case he got news of
Mr.. Miller and to send to that address,
The object of the whole scheme is plain.
The writer of the letters evidently is in league
with some parties in Maine to commit bold
forgery. The method was to write to the
cashiers of the above named banks, giving
description of the person alluded to as J. G.
Carter in the first and Hon. George Miller in
the second case, and narrating the circum-
stances of his departure, and the fact of his
having money in the bank at Batavia. When
the proper time came, person answering the
description in the letter would appear at which
ever OF the above banks the game would be
likely to work best, present draft for large
amount which, had the cashier been deceived
by the representation contained in the letter
would doubtless be cashed. Major Boot hby,
cashier of the First National Bank of Angus
ia, committed suicide between the time that
the letter from City Marshal White was written
and Mr.. Cary's letter sent The fact that
Major Boothby committed suicide probably
had nothing to do with the matter, though
curious coincidence. 1t is also curious that
Mr.. Thomas and his son, Mr.. Elias Thomas,
both remember Mr. and Mrs. Miller very WELL
They were very intelligent, quiet, stylish, even
elegant people, and were not only polite but
very kind and attentive at most important
time.
There is at present no knowledge or suspi-
cion of who the persons engaged in this hold
attempt at forgery and swindling may be, but
it is the purpose of the bank authorities to
have thorough investigation, and further
developments of the case will be watched with
interest
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