The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-06-23
Clever Forreries.

WESIEhN ShSIEm pt NlCIlmlnlNQ
BANKS THAT HAS NET MUCH sUC-
CESS.
A SYSTEM OF bank swihdling has
been carried on I'm the west for some
time past that has not only alarmed
monetary institutions all over the
country but has bafiied every effort at
discovery. 1t is conducted by men
who are thoroughly acquainted with
the routine of banking business, and
who continue to effectually keep their
indentity secret. That there are
several engaged in it has become an
almost established fact, and that they
are bold, adroit, well practiced rascals
is evident from the success with which
they have so far crowned their opera
tions.
The Exchange bank, of Pittsburg,
Pa, has suffered extensively from the
attacks of this gang on its resour-
ces. It has borne the burden
patiently for year, expecting each
moment to see the guilty parties
brought to justice. That has not been
done, and heagents of the bankin New
York city have taken another course.
This was resolved on Thursday morn
ing, when Mr.. Butler, the paying
teller of the Leather Manufacturers
bank, at No. 20 Wall street, received
two forged checks. One was for $500
and the other for 5000, and both were
drawn OIL the Exchange bank of Pitts
burgh, Pa, and purported to come
regularly from that institution. They
were sent to the Leather Manufacture
ers' bank, the representatives of the
Exchange bank, through the Bank OF
New York and the Bank of Commerce
and had been cashed originally, one in
Michigan and one in Ohio. Mr..
Butler, who has become acquainted
with the evidences of the system of
the western swindlers, returned the
checks and forwarded information of
the matter to the proper authorities.
A reporter of the Herald called on
him during the afternoon to make in
quiries relative to the forgeries, and
lie said that, to his knowledge, the
forgers had been at work for over
year.
"Where do you suppose these
forged checks come from""
"All over the country. These men
frTN r1a to moi
tions to one locality. They know too
much. AS soon as they get draft
cashed in one town off they go to
another, and we have been receiving
them from all quarters"
"To what extent have you been
victimi2ed ~
"The Exchange Bank of Pittsburg
has lost bstween 5000 and $1,000.
This sum has been obtained in checks
ranging from $500 to 81 500 each"
"How are the forgers able to get the
money? ?"
"Well, you see, this man, or these
men, whichever it is, manage to get in
with some drover or merchant in the
town, and they arrange matters for
him at the bank. Probably he does
business with the man, and then,
in the course Of trade, puts the fraud
ulent paper on him. Some of these
country banks have no agents in New
York, and these checks travel round
by way of Chicago and other large
cities to US, and so number Of people
are cheated before we see the checks"
"IIow about the Endorsements ~
"The Endorsements are done in diff
fereut hand from the body of the
checks, but of course that is attended
to in order to avoid suspicion. 1t
might be done in disguised hand by
the man who passes the check if he
filled the body, but it is more likely
that different parties attend to the
different departments of the business.
! You see, a man in remote neighbor-
hood is easily thrown off his guard by
plausible customer and he will read
lily go out Of his way to oblige man
who is likely to do bus with him
in the future, and promises a continu-
ance of most profitable and harmoni-
Gus relations. They are clever, there
is no doubt of that, but 1 think they
will soon be brought to grief"