St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-19
RoBBING THE BANK OFF ENGLAND
How the Worlds Richest Depository Was Vic
timiZed for Half Million.

How the Worlds Richest Depository Was Vic
timized for Half Million.
Chambers Journal.
The largest great fraud by which the Bank
of England has been a sufferer was that or
Austin Bidwell and his accom- pices. On the
18th of April, 1872, Bidwell called upon
tailor named Green in Savile row, and, under
the assumed name of Warren, gave him
handsome order. On May he paid Mr.
Green another visit He was then professediy
on his way to Ireland, and, having about him
large sum of money, asked Green TO take
charge Of it during his absence.
Green hesitated to take the responsibility,
but remarked that the branch Bank of Eng
land was in Burlington Gardens, close by,
aud offered to introduce Warren there. This
was done and Warren opened an account by
deposit of e1,200. He gave his name as
''Frederick Albert Warren" and his address as
Golden Cross hotel. He paid in and drew
shortly began to offer bills for discount.
They bore the best of names and were dis
counted without hesitation. On the 18th OF
June, 1873, bill of Rothschilu for "a, 500
was offered and was discounted in due
course. Having thus gained by transactions
in genuine bills the confidence of the bank
ing authorities, the supposed Warren COM
menced operations of another kind. Bills
came in thick and fast for discount, still
bearing the same frst-class names-Roth-
schiId, Blydenstein, Suse, Sibeth, etc., but
they were now cleverly executed forgeries.
The bank continued to discount without
suspicion. Naturally, however, it paid in its
Own notes, of which the numbers were re-
corded, and which, when it was discovered
that the bills were forged, would be difficult
to realize. Bidwell in order to dispose OF
these, and to diminish the chance of iaentii-
cation, opened an account in another name
(HortoD) at the Continental bank. Here he
paid in the notes received from the Bank of
England, taking French and German money
in exchange, Hills-under the name of
Moves acting as his clerk. Sometimes, by
way of variety, Hills changed notes into
gold at the Bank of England itself, alleging
that the coin was for export; but the gold so
obtained was brought back again by Mac
donnell and exchanged for fresh notes,
which, thus obtained. would have no obvious
connection with the original fraud.
George Bidwell undertook what may be
called the manufacturing department,
namely, the preparation of the plates and
the printing of the bill forms for the forger-
les. By thus dividing their labors and
working each in a distinct department of
the fraud the gang hoped to evade
discovery until they had made what
they regarded as a sufficient haul, when
they would doubtless have retired to foreign
clilnes to enjoy the fruits of their labors.
How much further they would have gone
il is impossible to say, for they had already
offered forged bills to The amount of elo2,-
PIT 19s. I'd when happy oversight led to
their detection. Two bills for $1,000 each
professedly accepted by Messrs. Bydenstein
and payable three month after ''sight'' were
not ''sighted"-that is the date of accept
ance was not inserted. A clerk of the bank
was sent to Messrs. Blydenstein's to get the
omission rectifed and was met by the
startling information that the bills were
forgeries With some little trouble the whole
of the gang were arrested and after trial
lasting eight days were convicted and SEN
fenced to penal servitude.