The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-08-28
Steamer Partially Burned.

SiARLEsToN, W. NA.,. August 2I.-Ihl
steamer Boone, now lying at this wharf
caught fire in Il mattress in one Of hestat,
rooms this evening and damaged the boa
about $500. The origin OF the fire is
mystery. 'lIad not the city fire depart.
lnent turned out SO promptly the boa
wopld have been consumed by the flame.
|insashort time. < lS, &
APROspERous MERCHANTS cR1Arr
Many ForgerIes Traced to tho Hand OF n
-, Wealthy Importer.
New YORK, August ga handsome
man, about iorty-iour years old, five ice,
ten inches i'll hight, with thick grayisl,
mustache' and beard, was escorted to the
police station by the Old Slip at 5 o'clock
this afternoon by four men and locked up,
The. prisoner was Joseph NJ. Peasc, m i'm.
porter ot:West Indian and FOREIGN fruits at
No. So Beaver street. His escort consisted
Of Detective Robert Pinkc,ton, Captain
Caarey Ward, Detective Charles Hacan
and William II. Cox, the president of tlr
Mechanics National Bank, ut No. 80 Wall
street. Mr.. Cox laid a complaint against
the fruit importer OF forgery, naming three
specific instances OF the crime. Mr.. Peasc
seemed overwhelmed by his arrest, and
could scarcely be induced to answer the
regular questions rs to his are and resi-.
lence. When Captain Catrrey reached
him he took number OF papers from his
pockets, and also n Scan-opencr. He laid
the latter article down on the desk, but a.
terthe prisoner was locked up the captain
could not find it, He went down to Pease's
cell, and, searching him, discovered the
missing article. He had mar a.ed 10 re.
possess himself OF it surreptitiously.
Mr. i'eaSc is one OF the best. known of
tho wholesale fruit dealers in the CITY.
His father founded the house and business
ut No. S3 Beaver street and carried it on
successfully. His son was associated with
hin IN business, and after his death con-
tinued i'll the fruit trade. Father and son
were anon. the oldest and most respected
OF the depositors in the Mechanics Bunk
Less than 4 week ago, however, Mr.. Cox
hht4-hl suspicious aroused concernin.
several checks which had been drawn by
separate firms and indorscd BY Joseph NJ.
P.ase. The similarity OF the Handwriting
on all ofthe checks led to an il1yrsti ,ation
as result OF whicl, Mr.. Cox had Il aconsulta
ton with Mr.. Garth, the cashier, and then
sent him for Robert Pinkerton, who
was instructed to shadow the suspected
man. This was three days ago. Mr..
Pease was placed under surveillance and
the Investigations into his dealings with
the bank, continued. It was discovered
that Mr.. Pease had deposited with the
Mechanics Bank, rs security for a loan, n
note for 81 ,S24 81, dated july eth, 1854
drawn by Charles Parsons < Sons, whole.
sale dealers in fruit at No. 90 Murray
street, payable in sixty days at the North
River Bank to the, order OF J. NJ. PcaSe.
and bearing his endorsement. Mr.. Par.
sons pronounced the signature, oi his firm
a forgery. a second note, deposited MS
security for q loan by yPcase with the bank.
was dated July Goth Of this year and pur,
ported to be drawn by sUnderhill, Stewart
Il Scott, fruit dealers, Of No. 100 Warren
street, and payable i'll ninety days at the
Peoples Bank to JIM. Pease, for the sun
OF s., ,4G2 20. This note was also foi gerry.
A third note was dated July Goth, Is$l,
and called for Sl,7GS n, payable in sixty
days at the 1rving] National Bank TO the
order of. n. Pcasc. This was endorsed
by Mcdowell, Pierce. 4 Co., ero.crs, at
No. 20 Washington street. Like the other
it was asccrtaincd to be Il forgery. Money
had been secured on all OF the notes by
Pcnse. 81; IL l 81
Possessed OF this information, President
Cox sent word to Mr.. pinkcrton to arrest
his nlan. 1t was some time before the fruit
dealer .and his shadow could he found.
Thcy.wcrc finally discovered, however, in
West street, near Battery Place. The de-
tectivc reported that Mr.. Peas, was acting
queerly, as though he was demented. lie
was afraid that lie was goin. to- Jump in tho
North River. Robert pinkcrton was told
that the object OF his search was in a back
room nlingling Will, a crowd of 'longsllorc-
men. He entered and arrested him and
marched him down to the police station.
The extent Of Pease's forgcrics is not
known. He is 4 married man, and lives
at No. 100 East Fiity;iourlh street. The
counsel for the Mechanics Bank is Horace
E. Dennlng, OF Brooklyn, 55l. ,,]S i,]Sl