, 1880-02-07
GIGANTIC FORGERIES.
Charles Droclt1vny Credited with
Frauds Amounting to . Million
Dollars


Ntw York If,raid, Ytb =
The announcement Of tho arrest Of Samuel
Swim, nlltI of Ills confession uf his completely
In the forgerIes Of the gnng of %htch Charles
yrockwny Is alleged to have bcen the leader,
WIS prominent topic Ut conversation yes-
terday III banking circles and among the po-
lice. The operations attributed 10 the gang
IN this city and elsewhere have been SO stlc-
cessful tint for months past The officers Of
banking institutions llnsc been III mortal
terror. Added 10 the almost perfect counter
fclting nf checks and notes was tile extrene-
ly expert manner In which they were pre-
sctltgd, which was 30 mastery ~ to almost
defy detection and invariably prevent an
Identification Of the man who presented
them.
4 tour among tic banking institutions yes
tertny found Tie f0rEerfes the uhjcctuf con.
sessatlon everywhere. There can be no
doubt thnt they have aEgrrgatcI ~ eltor-
Tuned yestertlny. 1t IL believed that tl.crs: IL
hardly bank Of any Importance III the city
but has suffered N0rc or less fr01n the bultE
operations which are stated to llave been car
,s1o 5sa n ty tts ,gaEf fa aa n noE sSehs hss9s 9t
to put q stop to these wholesale. robberies.
the following letter WAS prepared yesterday
to By forwarded 70 Dlstriet.AttDrhey Phelps:
"NEw 01tK, FcD. i, 165u.-lHc lion. 1jcfl-
Gnpg Nc,g YSit YgSrkt-DEan Sri: W. Dtle 9 l'i,: in:
tersigne,l, bank officers uf the City 0f New
Inrk, respectfully Ask your attention to the
matter Of orc Charles Nr0ckway, Indicted
aa Gw y asr 'iI, 5rest M for torFe and s,'s
lArge f0rger!es on the banks Of THIS city and
elsewhere. 1t seetllS to US especially Meces-
sary 1T this time that every PROPER effort
should be nude to exp!se nnd punish the
land
protect them. We .rlrltstly usk yDur lillllc-
ttlatc attention to this case, and rclhaln, very
| respcctfulIy." g..
,IhIs litter, the reporter WIS assured, was
bankers II tic eity, md woull be Signed BY
| all. AZ stated yesterday, there IL q very
| strong fucllng ainOnE biti,kfnE people that
! l3rockway is not only thu, leading spirit IN
these forgeries, bn, that l,e is prottscte;d! By
sny tllut In sending tlIls letter to the District
| Attorney they 10 10 with alt respect for him
IS a public prosecuting officer, but
wish to call his attention especin!ly to
,s fax III |S ts Sssf fss Sl's g, ss
fec they s;lyn crinll.al sYn.et!mes iillds, 4
loophole for escape, \ s1nlar letter Is cir
euntIng In tho Stock Exchange and among
tho brokers.
in conversation witt, m official Of bank
yesterday. 1t WIS learned that It wns MI upel'
srcrut wifi, banking people that the AMOUNT
Of these forEerles would rcacl nearly
! 81, ooV,0o3., Saii he: "Wly, tlaesa IL
hardly bank in tllis city of my prominence
that laa not suffered. OF coursu there nre
nui,y such forgerics that never come to thu
surface because the bank waultl rather pay
Il quietly thu, n,ake tile affair public. tel!
you they are nil Interested III this thing. and
Il most determined effort will be iHuilp to
put this man 9Brnckwas) where hu cal!
10 M mischief" The clever why III Which
the furgery on tie Dank Ut Anleric,
WIS WrltetEa.ed was only M lnstnlset
Of how Suc, nifAlrs were conducted. Tie
Gl,tck tint was presented wsls M almost ex
net copy Ut Mr. Alexander Taylor's check
Tic paying teller Of tho bank, AR. rlMln, Wn:
nwny on vacation, md Ills i,oslton Sas tlllet
by Alr. Bishop. who llas been III the bunk fol
Or twice Mr.. Bishop dsnlurred Mt paying tlt
clIrck,. wlIernupoi ths presenter wUult
iias i,,tl.rssd I,ss y tho iirn.S' 1ie " wo1sit III
then 20 out Msd return. with appurently, tht
su,ne clcck, itdorscsl with. Alexander Thy
lor's Su.ls," which would be paid. Ills cor
fcteratp, who waited IN tile street, woult
have tllU intlorsed check rendy md When tlH
question wls raised they would transfer Ulll
check for another. allowing enough time Il
~ to Atr. Tnylnr's house and return. Mr
Alexander TnytUr aald yesterday that tn
check wus II perfect initiation Of those Of tn
firm.