Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-30
THOSE FORGED DRAFTS.
A Mysterious Transaction Which Puzzle,
the Bank OfRcIals.

A Mysterious Transaction Which Puzzles
the Bank OncIaIs.
The Alta Californian of Tuesday last
contained the following 10 relation to the
Camden Oil Company drafts:
Yesterday, Mr.. Thomas Brown, Cashier
OF the Bank Of California, when asked for
information in regard to the forged drafts
mentioned in the telegrsphic dispatches
Yesterday morning, read from press copy
the following letter, written on the l7th
instant, by him, to l.. A. Cole, Secretary
of the Camden Consolidated Oil Com'
pauy:
1--WE have your lavor of the 10th inst
and note contents. and in reply beg to cay
that some time since we were called upon
by DR.. E. W. Crooks, of Santa Barbara.
stating that certain parties had negotiated
for the purchase of ranch in that county
for the price of $4,000; that terms had
been agreed upon that the parties we're
to pay $75, 900 for the ranch, payable $40.
900 cash, and three scceptanoes OF the
Camden Consolidated OIL Company, 81 :.
437 so, l,737.5O and S24 600, payable
at two, four and six months respectively
| stated at the time that / knew nothing
ss to the value of the property or the
parties to the transaction, bat in case
the First National Bank Of
Santa Barbara our correspondent,
would indorse the drafts, that We would
discount the frat two that would mature
The parties left and few days thereafter
the First National Bank forwarded us the
paper for discount, which was done in the
regular course. As the paper was payable
at Santa Barbara, and the parties stated
that the Oil Company would probably
make us o remittance for cover OF the
paper as it mstursd, they asked us to hold
the paper here, giving ample notice that
remittance might be made before msturi-
ty, aud without sending the paper 10 the
poirt where made payable; hence our no.
ice to you oil the Sd of December. We
we're therefore much surprised on the re-
ceipt Of your kilograms announcing that
the paper was forgery. We immediate
IL com uuicated With the First National
the contents of your telegram and have had
considerable correspondence with them on
the subject which has finally resulted In
their retiring the paper. The whole thing
seems mysterious, aud | cannot account
for the transaction, as there certainly
seems to me no inducement for any for
gerry in the matter as the property pur
chased is represented as valuable, the par
ties purchasing having paid $4,000 coin
thereon, and all the parties to the transac'
ton on this coast are highly respected and
incapable of being connected with crook
ed transaction The brother of Mr.. Cooper,
the drawer OF the draft, called upon US
this morning and exhibited to us q title
signed by Mr.. Chancellor, giving author.
ity to Mr.. Cooper to recsip! for the oil
ooup paay. end seemed es much surprised
at the final result OF the transaction IS we
are.
ga Mr.. Jones, OF the very respectable
house of Bullock & Jones, OF this city, q
former resident of Psrkersburg, states that
Mr.. Cooper, the drawer of the draft, is
known to him through friends as highly
respectable and responsible. AS the mat
ter is now closed so far as we are interest
ed, we dismiss it.
Mr.. Brown further stated that soon at'
ter tie Bank OF OslifoFnie discounted the
notes the money came in exchange from
the Santa Barbara Bank How the mat
ter was settled there is not known. The
officials of that bank have sent word sim.
ply that they were amply secured, aud
would lose nothing By the tsansaction,