Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-12
A SHREWD FORGERY DE.
TECTED.
How a Chicago National Bank
Was Saved Twelve Thou
sand Dollars.

The Union National Bank saved
$4,000 yesterday, owing to the shrewd-
ness of one Of its employes-Mr. Au.
gust Blum, who has charge Of the for
eign department. About 10 o'clock a
man named John W. Mackey-J obey
dropped in, and, in the regular way,
offered to sell sight draft on London
for 92500. Mr.. Blum knew him,
having often bought foreign drafts OF
him before, and said he would take
this one which was to be delivered in
the afternoon. Between 2 and B
o'clock Mackey. obey appeared with
the draft. II was drawn on Frederick
Hirth 4 Co., Of London, and signed
N. X. Fairbank & Co., per Guy Il.
Gossman, who attends to their foreign
business. Mr.. Blum knew Mackey.
Joley as an employe Of Fairbank Il
Co. They talked about terms, Mack
ey.Joley wanting more than Mr. Blum
was willing to give, but finally cons
cluded to accept his offer. He then
asked for draft on New
York in the name Of Char.
les Gabain, so as to save
good deal Of bother in the Office"
Mr., Blum knows the Gabains Of
Hayre and Marseilles, and inquired
who this Charles Gabain was. Mackey,
Joley said he was a son Of the Havre
Gabain. Mr.. Blum looked the draft
over, and it didn't seem all right to
him. He was aware that Eairbank &
Co. had at one time done business
with Hirth & Co., but not lately.
This fact aroused his suspicious. He
took the draft to the bookkeeper and
asked him to compare the signature Of
Mr.. Gossman with that on documents
in the bank which it was known he
had signed. 1t did not correspond
exactly with the genuine one. In the
meantime Mr.. Blum had quietly dis
patched his boy to Fairbank X Co. s
Office to ask whether such a draft was
genuine. Mackey-J FOLEY heard him
direct the making out Of q check for
$12, 900, but did not hear the supple
mental request, Take plenty ot'time,
and don't deliver it until / pass on it.
Mr.. Blum tried to raise Fairbank l.
Co. on the telephone, but the thing
would not work. Whiis at the in
strumept the boy returned, aud re-
ported that the draft was a forgery.
Mr.. Blum stepped to his desk and
gave the alarm signal on an electric
Bell. This brought Special Officer
McCabe to his window, and when Mr..
Blum said ARREST that man, point
ing to Mackey-J Obey, the latter was
apparently very much surprised, and
asked "What for2' Mr.. Blum said:
THE draft is a forgery" Msckey-
Joley said: ut cannot be. A city
policeman was called in and he was
taken to the armory. On arriving
there he pretended to be very drunk
and would not talk.
1t appears that Maokey. j oley was at
one time in the employ Of Fairbank &
Co., being q clerk in the export de,
partment, and having charge of the
exchange. He, however, left there a
year ago. His name then was simply
John w. MAckey, but he added Joley
to il in order to get several thousand
dollars left him by a relative in Csna>
da upon condition Of making the
change. This money, IL is said, has
been squandered. AS the blank draft
was genuine and also the stamp, though
an old one, it is supposed thatMackey-
Joley stole them before he left the en-
ploy Of Fairbank & Co.