New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-02
EROFACLEVER FORGER

In one Of the strong rooms at Police Headquarters
was imprisoned yesterday n swindler and bgamiss
who for more than two years has lived extravaganty
at the expense of persons who mistook him for
man of honor and means. His right name is be-
lieved to be Robert c. Ballard, but he has been
known in this city as r. c. Bulard aud by other
names in other places The police do not know
much of his history except for the time since he be-
came professional swinder He is about fifty years
old short and compactly built, with gray hair and
dyed mustachc. lie would be taken probably by
stranger either for o clergyman or for well-to-do
merchant. With benevolent look and digniied
ma he is able to impress most persons favor
ably.
1t is said that Ballard was born in the South, and
first came to this city after the war. His wife.
woman who belonged to very respectable family
in the South, died about that time. He had soIne
knowledge of medicine, and he found employment
in more than one hospital in this city, When he
tried to build up q private practice as
physician, however, he failed. His first
experience in raising money on worthless checks
Is not known to the police but they think that he
left this city about three years ago, after carrying
on some fraudulent transactions under an assumed
name. He was in POughkeepsie early In 1881 and
boarded with Mrs. Brock, q widow She believed
him to be rich speculator, and before he
had been boarding at her house long,
he obtained consent to marry her daughter, an in
experienced girl who had become dazzcd by his
polished talk and his supposed wealth. They were
married in St. Johns Church. His name was be-
lieved to be r. s. Bullard at that time
Having contracted TO buy q house and
furniture, he deposited in the Quasick
Bank a check for $4,000. drawn e,
Northampton Bank AMI s:gaed by himself. To hs
wife he also gave check for large sum, drawn on
the Chemical Bank Of this city. The checks were
worthless but Le managed to borrow from the bank
in Poughkeepsic a small amount of money on
pretence that he wished to use it at Goshen in
searching the titles of property which be intended
to purchase. His wife parted with Him, expecting
that lie would return from Goshen ID q fen days.
but she did not see hD agao. When II became evi:
dent that he was an mpOstor, valise which he bad
| left behind him was opened. Ii contained moro
worthless checks on various banks
USING Ills SECOND WIFE AS CATsPAw.
Billiards. next exploit, of which the police have
information, was to present hsclf to real.estate
agent in Boston in September. 1882, with forged
letter of introduction purporting to have been
written by l.. S. Hutchins, of Pr evidence, X. l.
! The agent introduced him at the Blackstone Bank
| in Boston, and Ballard obtained 300 on a bogus
certificate OF deposit OH the Rhode Island National
| Bank of Providence, for $1,000. Two
months later the sswndlcr was stay.
| and calling himself X. G. Bullard lie became ac-
quainted with Miss Annie Van Houten, young
| woman who was staying AT the hotel, and showed
her several bank books and papers winch made her
| believe he was wealthy. Miss Van Houten mar
| RED him after brief cOurtship, and as sbo
had relatives in tins city IT was agreed that tnsy
| should come to New-York immediately after tho
| marlilg re ceremony. He engaged ro0als at Earle's
Hotel and they lived there together for fey days.
In the irst part Of December the swndler s was
| Of his new wife, he had returned to
Baltimore and had obtained 800 from bank
| there on a worthless check drawn Oh the Chemical
| Bank introducing himself as w. c Russell OF this
| city On December 20 he gave Mr. Earle check
| for 81 80 to pay board bill and he presented his
wife with check Tor 1000 on the Fifth Avenue
Mrs. Bullar3 No. went to the bank, nnsusPicious
| of wrong. ard was arrested, the check held oy her
| having been indorsed with W. Z. Russells name:
| She not locked up because 1T was discovered
quickly that sne an innocent sufferer.
Mr. Frisseli. cashier OF the pank toia lDspec'os OF
| some of its officers d few days before as W. C'
| Russell Moses Minzenhemer, grocer, Of No:
102l, rhird-ave, u customer OF ths pank, naa
sented that he wished to buy house.
| The introduction was made in good falth W t1o ,
grocer, who had been mlsed by by n the sw.ndlsrs
| plausible story A check for $4,000, drawn ON .
PhiIadelphi bank, was deposited there by him. bus
before Mrs. Bullard dcaled with her ctec Tor ~ 0O0
| that the 50, 900 check was worthless. me woman
was discharged and she returned To the hotel, ex
pectng to meet her hnIoanu A5 Once, we, ,b.t ,bc
paper given to him was worthless, but 'he swhuier
| mad disappeared
BUYING REAL ESTATE AND RESTAURANT.
Ballard nd himself for a few days, bGt on JAM
nary "a he was introduced to u. y. Fowler, ef
| Atlantic CITY, as w. G., Russell of New YORK.
Mr.. Fowler sold him twelve share; ares
of insurance stock at at 9 SSo nv;os siabse are swn. sa
dler 5000 in cash. One month later, under the as
snmed name Of ii. C, Matby, Ballard visited Arthur
Devine, realcstaie ageni o. NewaTi eva anu % con
for $500 III part payment and then borrowed StOo Of
Mr.. Deyinc on the strength of the bargain between
them. Tne check was worthless 81 course; ns,- az
| No 2lS Market-st Hc agreed to purchase Oh her =
quantity OF silyerwarc, and offered to her cneck
| for $3.50 in payment. She deinandeo
that the check should be certified before she accepted
| H. He appeared to be willing to comply WIN her
request, but he was missing on the morning Pom om
| cautiously from the boarding ng-housc. taking win
hun a liver teapot and q silk cloak. belonging u
Mrs. Carter and leaving an unpaid board bill
On March 10 the rogue offered to buy the store at
No, 73 Futonst., Brooklyn, from B. II: Doan. the
proprietor and gave n check for TOOo Ihen 10
board in West Thrd-st, Ballard made the
acquaintance of Mr.. Lester, a, carpes
dealer in Broadway, near Tenth-st, and Indaced
| him to cash worthless check for 500 DAY or
two later lie attended sale OF the Brighton Hotel,
| at Broadway ana Forty second-st, and purchased
some furniture. He gave cheek ior S2oq, ,,a nas
did not get any of the furniture. He was IN Phiia-
| delphia on March 20, and engaged to pay
| Wannemaker's restaurant, at No. AZ South Second-
| ST. Alter leaving some worthless paper WITH tho
proprietor he borrowed $50. From samuel liar.
| rison. of Grard-aye., he borrowed Sloo on Malcn
| IN in similar way and then returned to this city.
Two months ago the swindl7r was indicted IN this
| city on the complaint of Mr.. Earle, and bench
| warrant for his arrest was givea To Inspector
| RvTnrs Detectives searched for him IN several
( places, but were not able to hnd bim.
! IL was thought best TO wateh his
| second WIFE, as 1t was benrved mat ne
| wonld soon try to renew his intimacy with her.
| Mrs. Buard boarded with relative in West fry
| fourthsts At p. III. on Saturday, Detective oer-
| gents Mclaughlin and OConnor saw Ballard near
her boarding house and arrested him. lie declared
| at first that they had made mistake, anu
That lie was w. z. Wheeler, but when thcy toa nins