, 1881-01-02
Senator Conkling Emphatic
ally Refuses to Take Part
in the Scramble.
Levi P. Morton Will Take the
Treasury Portfolio or
Nothing.
Boss" Mclaughlin Likely to Meet
the Fate Of John Kelly.
The Commercial Failures for the Year 1880
The Smallest Since 1873.


a BIG HAUL.
BOSS FoRGERs GATHERED.
Special Dispatch to Tbs Chicago Tribune.
NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-George Engells and
Charles Becker, who are reported to be two
Of the most expert forgers in the world,
were brought as prisoners to-day to police
headquarters. Their arrest was due to a
combination Of circumstances which
revealed plot to swindie bank
ing institutions in Europe. They
are the associates Of a person named Wilkes,
who for fifteen years has managed mangg
schemes to obtain money on forged drafts,
letters of credit, and bonds. Wilkes is recog-
nized as a leader by criminals who live more
by their wits than by their audacity
or skill as a mechanical burglar.
He opens banks with a pen,
not with jimmy, and his knowledge
of the banking business is not surpassed by
that of any bank cashier. He is an Amer
ican by birth and gentleman in address,
appearance, and education. He manages
such schemes as the forgery Of the
Sc, 600 draft OIL the Union Trust Company or
the flooding of Wall street with forged
bonds. and, Of course, gets the lions share
Of the plunder. A year ago Wilkes =.
PLANNED GRAND COUP
in Europe. He planned to obtain large
sums by means OF forged drafts, and also
upon forged letters of credit On the
principal banks Of London. He left
America in the winter Of 1879'S0 with
Peter Burns. They were followed by
George Engells, who was engaged to do the
forger1es, as he is the equal of Wilkes in the
art of forgery. 'Engells was accompanied by
his family, and lived in London like prince.
Becker, who was arrested for forging the
SCI, 600 draft on the Union Trust Company,
went to Europe after Engells. Becker is an
expert forger, and he was engaged to help
Engells. Wilkes, Engells, and Becker were
the principals in the scheme Of forgery.
Their European scheme
DID NOT WORK WELL,
and three agents, named Bell, Clary, and
Burns, returned to America in July. Soon
afterwards, when Brockway, the forger,
negotiated with them to present forged
drafts in Baltimore, they accepted the
offer without hesitation, and on the
10th Of July they did their
work 50 well that two banks in the city paid
them S1G, GOO on forged drafts. The negotia-
tors, or "layers down. Of these drafts re-
turned to New York, and the money was
distributed. The cashier Of one
of the plunde1ed banks has a good
memory for faces. lie visited
Inspector Byrnes, and described the man
who presented the check at his bank, and
thus gave clew which speedily resulted in
the arrest of Clary and Bell, and third party
named Wilson. About a month ago
Engells and Becker returned to Amer
lea They were under surveillance,
the detectives knowing that their arrange
ment with Wilkes was that as soon as they
were safe in America he would begin opera
tions in Europe.
THIS WAS VERIFIED
by visiting banking institutions here and
ascertainlng that Wilkes, as soon as Becker
and Engells landed in New York,
tested his forged circulars by
presenting one at a banking
house in London. Its execution must have
been good, for he or his agent received
check on New York banking house for
small sum. The man who received the check
here was arrested. but he proved that
the transaction was an innocent one,
as far as he was concerned, and he was re-
leased. It appears that, after testing the
forgeries, another pal named Hamilton, with
Burns and Wilkes, went to Italy, intending to
make Florence the base of their operations.
They were arrested on Christmas-day-
Wilkes and his wife and Burns and
his wife at Florence, and Hamilton in Milan.
Burns gave the name Of George Ashton
Colbert, Wilks that of Henry Wiles, and
Hamilton said that he was James Jay Julius.
The first dispatch received here stated that
they were arrested for selling forged
Tunisian, French, and other bonds, but In
spector Byrnes adheres to the belief that
their scheme was to flood Europe with
FORGED CIRCULAR NOTES.
News of the arrest was telegraphed on the
Goth u1t. to Gen. Smith by Mr.. Crosby, the
American Consul at Florence. This dispatch
urged the arrest of Becker and Engells, who
were recognized as in the plot through
communications between the London
and Florentine police. Consul Crosby
intimated that the prisoners In Florence had
relations with persons in several American
cities. On Thursday another TELEGRAM from
Consul Crosby addressed to the Follce CON-
missioners was received by Superintendent
Walllng. 1t again urged the arrest Of Becker
and Engel1s, and stated that the evidence
against them was conclusive
SEVEN DETECTIVES WE'RE DETAILED .
on the case, and yesterday afternoon Engens
was arrested and locked up IN Police Head
quarters. Becker had either a suspicion
that he was under surveillance or had
left home temporarily on business.
as be disappeared on Wednesday,. De-
tectiyes were instructed to watch his
house near Cypress Hills until he returned.
They could only watch it knee deep in snow
from behind neighbortng fence. They
watched it Wednesday night, all day Thurs
day and Friday, and up to a. III. to-day, and.
suffered intensely from the cold, when
BECKER WAS CAUGHT.
Last night Inspector Byrnes telegraphed
to. Consul Crosby that he had arrested
Engells. To-day he received telegram