The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-11-10
FIFTY YEARS A ROGUE.
Canter, the Celebrated Forger, In q Penn
sylvania Prison.

philadelphia Times

lPhlladelphla Times.
Every penal establishment has among its
collection of convicts some who are distin-
guished above their fellows by reason of
having perpetrated some peculiarly afro
cious blood-curdling deed of villainy. some
extraordinary burglary or bank robbery, a
phenomenally audaciOus forgery, or other
crime which served to lift him above the
common herd of petty rogues The Eastern
Penitentiary, or Cherry Hill, as it is termed,
is no exception in the possession of
these enyied rogues. Among It's resi-
dent population are double-dyed vii
lains whose bloOd-thirsty instincts have been
satiated in the life current of their victims;
bank robbers who would scorn to undertake
any operation except where the spoil prom
Used to be among the hundred thousands:
forgers who have so successfully initiated
the handwriting of other people that the
bank accounts of the latter have been de-
pleted many thousands of dollars. One of
the "liOns" in the collection of roguery at
this famous prison is an aged individual
with an eye like hawk, who, within few
months past, has begun to betray the symp-
toms of breaking up and no wonder.
considering that he is a sexagenarian and
has passed half century of his career
in the practice of the forger's art, and
doing service TO the State for his misdeeds.
Twenty-Five years of his life drifted away
behind the walls of Sing Sing and Auburn
prisons, New York State, and he is now
doing this State long term of penance for
implication with the celebrated Safeguard
Insurance frauds, in which Halfman, Hit,
and others were implicated. The prisoner
was convicted under the name of George
Ripley, but he has been known for years TO
the detectives as Jack Canter. Long years
of criminal experimentation has made him
familiar with all the devices and tricks of
the forger's art, 50 that the imitation of sig
natures has come with him to be second
nature. He is one OF the men whom it is
safer to have under lock and key than to
allow them to be at liberty.
His manners and conversation proclaim
him to be entitled to his pretensiOn that he
received superior education at some of the
best universities abroad. He says he is a
native of South Carolina. He was educated
in the best schools of Europe, and studied
medicine and surgery and took regular de-
grees. Most OF his knowledge was gained in
the most famous schools of France. His
father gave carte blanche in the matter OF
expenses. The great point was to give his
son finished education. His name first
appeared in criminal annals fOrty-twO years
ago, in connection With the counterfeiting
of notes of the State Bank of South Caro-
lima. These were not put into circulation
at once, but were sent over to New York and
there used in election betting. They were
so well executed that they readily passed
into circulation. The forgery and counter
feiting was traced to Jack, and he was ar
rested and sent to the Eastern Pententary
for ten years. Some time ago one of the In
spectors recalled the fact to the veterans at
tention, but first he professed oblivion Of it.
In a moment he recollected ii, and told the
name of the man for whom the work was
executed. His memory was refreshed by
file of New York criminal newspaper,
whicheprinted an account of the whole af-
fair. He passed subsequent terms in New
York State prisons for forgery until his repu-
tatiOn came TO be as national as that o. Cross,
Pettis, Brockway and other noted forgers.
He has the whole minutia of the art at his
fingers ends, and is aided by his compre-
hensive knowledge of chemistry.
In the last incarceration in Sing Sing
prison, New York, he was selected to fill the
post of bOOkkeeper on account of his skill
in accounts and his superb PENN lnship.
He turned the latter advantage to account
in way that startled the prison authorities
before long and procured his dismissal from
the easy berth he was occupying. The dis
cOvery was made accidentally, as all discov
cries of rascality are made, that Canter had
altered the records so that the sentences of
some Of the principal conyicts had been re-
markably curtailed. 1t was charged that
this was done through the corrupt work of
some of the outside friends of certain bank
robbers. Canter was next heard from in
Philadelphiain1s 1876, when he was arrested un-
der the name of George Ripley for collision
in heavy insurance frauds, involving the
alteration of stock certificates, etc, which
formed part of the assets of the Safeguard
Insurance Company, from a low figure to
one proportionately higher. He was ar
rested, convicted, and sentenced to a long
term Of Imprisonment, which is likely TO be
his last, as recently he has begun to sue
cumb to the natural debility of old age. He
has often been complimented by the prison
officers upon the cheerful, contented spirit
he shows and his freedom from restiveness
NO." he replied to an Inspector, Il don't
allow myself TO worry / have my reading
and my guitar and my shorthand writing
1 keep all these up and md diversion enough
to keep my mind from brOoding. leave
that for the numbskulls. get my cellmate
to dictate to me from the papers, and l
write 1T all down in shorthand Nothing
makes man break sooner than the lack of
occupation and diversion. I'm going to put
his sentence through, think" Notwith-
standing his cheerfulness and confidence,
however, it is apparent that the body is not
strong enough TO execute the work the
Intrepid will has set down for it. "Ah, that
old Sammy Tilden and Sinclair Tousey, his
Secretary of State, hoodwinked me nicely"
came here, you know, they sent on COM
mission to see me to find out something
about the abuses and favoritism at Sing
Sing knew all about it, and they extended
promises to me which l placed full conf
dence in. They took my statement for three
days and it was long one, and made many
printed pages. Well, they got that and they
ferreted out the handwork at Sing Sing, and
that was the last of it. Here am and here
| am likely to stay till my time is out.
saved New York State many thousand dol
lars"
Several months ago there was contest in
the New York Courts over the will of de-
ceased Judge There was a codicil to the
will, the validity of which was disputed.
The parties interested in proving it to be
bogus sent on a commissioner to have an in
terview with Canter, who was reputed to be
the man who had forged it. A United States
Commissioner and the executor obtained a
pass aid visited the Eastern Penitentiary.
where they saw the forger When they told
him what they wanted and how important
it was. he responded: Gentlemen, | won't
get into any trouble or criminate myself by
anything L may confess. will I?'' He was
assured that nothing would be done to in
jure him.
''WelI then, I'll tell you. / wrote that
signature to the codicil myself"
A week or so ago on came another Com
missioner. This time it was the other side
lxx-l,o tod To OF Tao had