New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-27
lord ASHBUR1ONr ARRESTED.
THE CAREER OF A NOTED FORGER.

THE CAREER OF A NOTED FORGER
FLOODING THE COUNTRY WITH FORGED CIRCULAR
NoTEs-oN HIS WAY HOME TO DIE
Detective Dunlap, Of the Twenty ninth Precinct.
yesterday afternoon arrested William Grifis, with
half-dozen aliases-a criminal whose career IN
crime has been more than ordinarily curious and
romantic. Griffis was arrested at No. POS
East FIftieth-st, and locked up in the
Thrtleth Street Station House complaint of
Thomas kirkpatrick, jeweler, of No $50 Broad
way. Kirkpatrick alleges that in 1878 Grfis, who
was then passing under the title of Lord Ashburton,
and asserted that he was wealthy English noble
man travelling in this country for pleasure bought
jewelry worth 81 800 and paid for it in forged cir
cular { 10 notes of the Union Banking Company OF
London Grifis was the central figure of the band
OF forgers and counterfeiters who In the latter
part of 1878 flooded the large cities Of
this country with tho forged circular drafts.
His career at that time gave him much newspaper
nOtoriety. Although comparatively young
man, being born in 1s49. he Ia now o COM
plete physical wreck. Last night when locked
up in the statiOn-house no said that he
expected to live only short time. He suffers from
hemorrhage of the lungs and aneurism of the heart
Grifis was born in Dartmouth, Devonshire.
England, and in his youth went to
private school Ia London. In 1851
he was sent to Eton where he spent two years.
From that college he entered the service of tho
Bank of England as a clerk. While employed In
this capacity he became familiar with all sorts OF
bank notes and made experiments In litho-
a brief stay in this institution he
went to China and spent some time as the con-
fdentisl clerk of a wealthy London tea importer
in the cities of Hong Kong, Shanghai and Pekln.
Then for some transaction Of dubious morality he
was forced to leave the service of the mer-
f'" reached fnd s Re San' in 1867 and
for several years was employed as clerk and lived
moral life.
Becoming weary of morality he turned his atten.
ton 10 his old pastme of hthographing. He studied
and experimental with marked success In this d.
rection. He became acquainted with gang
of forgers who were then operating
become ono OF their number. Walter 4. Flosswell,
alias Esmond, was one OF their leaders.
Awaiting themselves of Gnfiis's knowledge OF Euro
pean banking, they forged untold quantities OF the
London banking notes. Kountzo Brothers, Jesup,
Patton IL Co., and many other prominent down
town firms. were swindled by the clever forgers.
which were nearly all of the denomination
of f10. they. travelled over the country
scattering tho forgeries broadcast throughout the
principal cities of the Union. In Boston, where
Grfis passed under the alias of NJ. W. Savlle he be-
came acquainted with woman known as Georgetta.
The forger induced the woman to accompany HIM
titles of Lord ana Lady AshburtOn lived In
sumptuous style at the Lindell House, in
st. Louis. superintendent Walling heard OF
HIM In that city, aud sent Detective
Cunning after him. When the detective got
there the forger, warned of his coming fled to Dem
YER There he was found out by G. Z. Joy, a Den
yer detective. Joy offered to give him up to Super
ntendent Wallng provided he well enough
paid. Mr.. Walling's terms were not high enough
and Joy struck blackmaIl bargain with the bogus
Lord Ash burton. Together they travelled to San
Francisco. The woman, however remained III
Denver
In San Francisco Z. J. Baldwl, the proprietor of
the Palace Hotel, together with Matthew
Cahll, Brown & Thompson, and other
stockholders swindled by the swindler.
He made thousands of dollars and was freely bled
by Joy. Finally the Denver detective became un-
bearablc and Griffs told him to leave him he
would never give him any more money. Joy then
denounced him to the San Francisco police
Failing to be indicted through some technicality
of the California law, he was sent 10 Virginia City
and prosecuted ON charges brought by the Bank OF
Nevada. He was sentenced to eight years III the
Penitentary. This in the fail OF 1879.
Last November GrItfls was released from
the Nevada Penltentlary as he was
thought TO be dying He went to
san Francisco and married girl of twenty, q dis
tant relative He took his bride to the warm climate
of Southern California But he became rapidly
worse in health, and finally determined to return TO
night. 4" to die at home" He reached this city
few days ago. Mr.. kirkpatrick. the jeweller,
who had never forgotten the young English
nobeman who had deceived him with the tlQ
drafts learned of his presence in the city and had
him arrested yesterday. His young wife called to
see her husband in his cell last night and the scene
between the two was affecting.