National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-12-31
A TALENTED FoRosR,
w. y. Grny's Life In Lonaon-A Career
that Renda LILO n EiciInn


A few doysago remarkable story was published
offs iorger who founded the "Uniied Globe Eieo.
!ric Light Company" in New York, and without
investing any money In II himself, succeeded in
en!rapping such capitalists as Senator JONES' Cor.
nelius Vanderbilt and the son Of Marshall o.
Roberts The forger was W. L. Gray lie had OK.
reserved box at the opera for the convenience of
the wives or daughters of tho men whom he
wished TO bring into his speculation schemes
Gray is usome respects the most talented forgerin
America. Captain Sampson, the chicfdetectiveof
the New York stock Exchange, tells good story
about him He relates II as follows when Mr.. Van
Dyke was Assistant Treasurer in New York, about
twelve years ago he said to mo one day 'samp-
ington as stolen. l want you to 20 over TO Pitt
Cooke 4 Co. and make them give you ten other
bonds for them. Mr., Cooke called in his two part
the bonds came from. We bought them fDm
william y. Gray was the reply, whose ONO Is
able young man. aud son OF the Chaplain OF the
United States Senate"
SAMPSON WENT TO cpAY's OFFICE,
and there he found quite dull yourQ man, with
long bands aud arms, long limbs nearly six feet
high, with hair 80 light brown that IL was nearly
gray, white, cye.lashes, and a small moustachc
with scarcely any tint lie Looked like highly
respectable Alblno. "Herg arc ten bonds Won
sold" said Mr.; Sampson (which have been
%S len sood want you to replace then
he was mover surprised at anything, the young
man said: Certainly. Give me the bonds
ten good SS But BStN who to tnSo cb %lSe
Of this officer looking around on the rich firni-
lure ans ns 9ce Why yon can stay
Sampson, Il might steal what is IN the Office Be
sites, do not know whether want you to go away
again" "Weli," said the Young man in the same
composed voice, here is drawer full of bonds,
which will be security for my return" and with
that nc pulled up the edges of a stack Of bonds
many times the value and number OF those re.
turned. In ten or fifteen minutes he came back
with ten good bonds.
IN Tur MufrfpI tcrry oy pttatSpaa
no more attention was paid 10 Grny until II was
found some months aflerward that he had robbed
Inc street OF SIO0OO0 on raised bonds and had quit
New York for Europe with the plumber. These
bonds, Captain Sampson says, were stolen
county bonds Of New York, which had been sys.
bond being procured, and the word one, when
printed, changed TO ten and the figure one
being turned Into cipher aud another figure
one put before IL. This was so well done
that the bonds were never questioned. The gov
crning committee OF the stock Exchange Thought
they sent Captain Sampson to England The chief
magistrate OF Bow street had his officers discover
the culprit, who was living ON bloomsbury Square,
aud two Of them placed themselves therein, SO
that when Gray was coming In his house ono sig
nailed the other, and he was arrested.
WITHOUT THE LEAST EXCITEMENT
no remarked: "What is II f0rY' They told him
for forgery In America. "Why," said he, with a
smile, Il Is Gray that you are after, who boards
which he gave) and We arc said to look like twins
III go and send him down to you In minute"
ltn tlhl brhy managed 10 get the door open and
slam II IN the officers fnce. lie then went up.
stairs, hastily blackened his eyebrows cut off his
and fixed himself up rs to pass for
another man. aud, getting over the back fence dis.
appeared. In the meantime Gray had been going
intothe best kind ofsOcety. He never took drink
nor cigar, and when dinner was over would say
to the gentlemen: 81 will join the ladies on the
lawn" There he was an accomplished Tennis
player. and stood very high socially. At the same
time he was not man of much reading or educa-
ton. but soft and tranquil In his nature. If You
would fire pistol oil In the same room where he
sat he would not turn his head, and, after the
lapse OF moment or two say: al don't think
would have fired that pistol of Il were yOu."-
Ne0 York letter 10 me Cincinnati EnqitircT,