New-York tribune., 1880-01-06

GERS BANK, Mr.. Ha1Sn DdNlUR
was well known there. The reply was fayoraotI9e,
and we consented to receive his deposits. ne
opened his account by making a deposit, and OF
ceptances. These were found to rate Al in the
mercantile reports. They were passed to his credt
without hesitation. After he had gone again e1-
amined the acceptances and my suspicious were ex-
cited by the fact that Notwithstanding the hlgn h
character of the names offered, not one OF them hau
made his acceptances payable to bank. l re re,
quested our discount clerk at communicate
with each of the makers by. mail, and
inform them that held their paper.
supposed that If there were any lrreguarities
we wonld be made acquainted with them at once
On the morning of December 26 we received tele-
gram from two of the alleged acceptors that II we
held any of their paper II was forged. l9una on on
looking over Mr.. Haigh's account that he had sur
fcent funds to his credit which lie had mol Set
drawn to cover the amount OF the paper we heid;
The amount of forged paper was at once charged
notices to persons making acceptances until a
short time before they fall due but IN this case our
suspicious were aroused for the reason have given
Mr. Haigh was at once sent for. and an oi1cer
was also procured. We would have arrested hlm at
once but discovered that the Grocers' Bank was
very largely interested in the matter. Mr. Halgh
came around soon after our message was sent TO
him He seemed at first surprised at the inlorma-
tion that any rregularity existed about the paper
and that monthly returns were made to the main
house here He claimed that whatever irregulari-
ties there might be were with the Chicago branch.
He said that he would make arrangements
TO send an agent to Chicago that even
ing to. investigate the matter and report;
His explanation was not deemed snfeient' ana ana
some searching questions put to him. lie
finally forced into corner, and at length
admitted tnat he the guilty man. HIS plan
undoubtedly was TO take mp the paper before II
matured lie confessed that there was large
amount of the forged paper afloai. He thought 1t
might reach 100000. The major portion OF this
was in the Grocers' Bank Our purpose was to
arrest him and prosecute him at once, but we
deemed it best to send for the officers OF the
Grocers' Bank. When they came and learned
Al. af he
that he be turned over to them. This was done.
Practically the bank does not lose one dollar by Mr.
Haigh. understand that ne has been under sur
veilance from the time we turned him over TO the
officers of the Grocers' Bank. The officers have
been using him to straighten out the affairs Of that
institution; Indeed we requested the the Officers nSas
surveillance, and as ked that whatever ar
rangement they made should be for the
projection of all the holders of HaigRs paper.
d" His mode of operating was ingenious. Instead
of letting lis discount the acceptances. he attached
to them his own notes. which maatured about one
month before the acceptances. lie expected, OF
course that we would inform him when his notes
became due, instead Of sending tothe persons whose
names were glvenD
of The directors of the Park Bank, SAID last evening
that the institution held some OF Mr. Haighs paper.
He was positive that the amount was not over
S25, 600 or $4,000, and probably not less than
5000. He added that the bank held some the pa
per of the Grocers Bank, but that 1t was the best
and secured by a large margin.
held some of the forged paper. The president, q;
NJ Hard said yesterday that the bank now held
warehouse receipts received @ from Haigh TO tne
amount of about 5000 These are on steel wire,
which was in LockwOod's stores in Brooklyn.
When Mr. Haigh's failure occurred Mr. Hard had
new receipts made out, with the name of the Chat
ham National Bank substituted for that Of Mr.
Haigh The amount loaned was less than $4,000,
and since that time, he said the price OF steel wire
had materially advanced lie added that the Dink
would lose nothing by Mr.. HaiglIs failure. Mr..
Haigh had been dealing with this bank for some
time, and it had discounted his notes from time TO
time. The notes presented by HIM which the bank
now holds he believed to be perfectly good.
OTHER FACTS OF MR.. HAIGd's CAREER.
Mr. Haigh is said to have been the defendant in
suit brought in 1873 by Jennie Hughes an actress.
II is alleged that when he became infatuated with
her he was married man, living in Harlem Some
actors, however claimed yesterday that Haigh fol-
lowed her to Boston and married her. They also
stated that he came with her TO New-lOrk,
mer disagreement followed and they separated;
The woman then returned to the stage ana PLAYED
at the Metropolitan Theatre. The manager asked
her how she wanted to appear on tue Dlls, ana snc
said as Mrs. j. Lloyd HaIgh. nee Jennie Hughes"
The bills were accordingly posted through the city,
Ii is stated thai Hagh retalIated by having other
bills sent out connecting the name with that of
well-knOwn theatrical man. Those VINO say they
know declare that the woman later sued Haigh for
S2j 000 but that the suit was finally settled Dy MS
payment of $4,000.
CONDITION or THE GRoCERs' BANK.
The receiver of the Grocers' Bank, Stephen v
White, refused yesterday to furnish list of the
forged acceptances. The Haigh debt, which
amounts to nearly 800 000 consists OF acceptances
of which the bulk il believed to be forged. The re-
fusal to make known the names Of the aceeptors
and the amounts OF the separate drafts is based upon
the uncertainty which surrounds some of the paper
The receiver was also unable, yesterday, to COM
plete his statement of the banks affairs.
Much comment among bankers and merchants
has been occasioned by the reports In connection
with the failure of the Grocers' Bank that goods III
warehouse had been taken out while the bank yet
held the warehouse receipts. The law makes II a
misdemeanOr punishable by fine of not less than
SI, 600 and imprisonment not exceeding one year
for any warehOuseman TO deliver goods except
ON the surrender and cancellation of the receipt.
Warehousemen may deliver property on the order
of persons holding nOn-negOtlable receipts, but on
negotiable receipts the delivery without the surren
der of the receipt is prohibited.
An attachment for 1919 against the GrOcers'
Bank has been granted by Judge Van Iloesen on
the application of Messrs. Bumenstiel x lirsch, at
torneys for Isaac Hamburger, who deposited $779
in the bank the Monday preceding lts failure at
the solicitation of the vicepresident His attorneys
SAID Yesterday that the Sheriff had levied the at
tachnent before the receiver appointed or took
possessiOn.