New-York tribune., 1885-10-24
A BAND OF FORGERS CAUGHT
SLY, INTRICATE WORK OF TIE LEADER.


HOW THE cnEcRs. SIGNATURES AND NUMBERS
WE'RE oBfAINED-wATCHED FOR MONTHS.
Information that forgers were at work in the city
Vas gwen to Inspector BYrnes about two months
ago by the arrest OF Jim Leacr=ft an eX-convict
VINO tried 10 Dass forged check at the German
American Bank Detective Hagan, of the FIRST
Precinct. was in the bank and took the lorser ITO
custody after tue cashier had refused 10 casn the
check. Leacraft admitted his guilt ard was sent
TO prison for seven years. 1t was suspected that ne
had only ed as tool for band OF foTgeTs, ana
Inspector Byrres set to work to discover who the
chief members were. Detective-Sergeants Sleyin,
UConnor, Hickey, Rogers and keuly watched
several suspected rasealA among Others notorious
20 o-between," Charles Fisher, who had been con-
neeted with several bands of f0rgcrs. They saw
him in the company of several suspicious men, one
of whom particularly attracted their notice. This
man was a young German who boarded at No. 2l9
West Fifty-third-st. His name was Charles
Dencker. Fisher met Dencker at different places
aud always alone. At other times he was much IN
TIE company of Waiter Pierce, a young man who
lived IN West Washugton-place. occasionally
they met and talked with "samb Peters H,a alas las
smash Market jake an eX-convict VINO had an
unsavory reputation as thief. D.
Incidentally the officers learned from +. Dunca D
SnlicE, the advertising agent that his name had
been forged to two checks which had been passed
at the National Park Bank Inquiries resGlted IN
the disclosures of other fOrgeries whch the oceIs
of banks had not reported to the police. In June
forged check for $255 was presented at the Union
Rank of Brooklyn, hut was not paid forged
check on the Nassau Bank for S53 was paid on
June 20, and on July 2 q forged cLcck 1or ~ 5O %
was passed at tho Bank of New-York. -Four days
later another check for $500 was taken at the
samc bank. Both checks had on their tiace ine
forged firm name of Leacraft IL Co., steamship
agents. = NTH.
Pierce and Peters on Wednesday night, and care
was taken until yesterday to keep their arrest
secret while steps were taken to collect he
of their guilt Early yesterday morning Denckcr
was arrested in his room in Flity-thlrd-st. in MS
possession were found articles which showed tndt
he was iorger. lie made confession yeS.er1ahS thS
to Inspector Byrnes. F;om other sources the
officers had been able to CLEAN some interesting
facts about the band aud TO make the action Oh se
forgers plain. Fisher was tho Leader. lie uls
covered that Dencker an expert penmail, ana
procured his in writing signatures. fsheI
wnnld 90 into an aucton Louise or store of any kind
and buy n small bill of goods, and when paying 1or
it would ask for check for $lo or 40 Is an ac-
commodation as he was anxious TO send the money money
10 "A brother or sister in another town. lie would
offer the amount and the check would DC gwen MN
as matter of course. There is IN Broat-St,
statoner named Constantine Schmidt VINO prints
half the checks in the city, and has every variety Oi
blank check on hand To his store flsher wouIu
90 next and when he found the fac-simile OF the
one he had lust obtained, would slyly abstract
sheet or two. The checks come in sheets OF ten
Next Vesey-st. printer, who does SUCH WORK iOr
business houses, would be engaged 70 nuinpct .e,
and then the scratcher" was set az WORK 10 lorHe
the signature with the one obtained by purchase as
How the correct numbers obtained for the
forged checks was shown in the case OF visit
paid by Fishtra Pierce one day IN August 10 n rng
office Of llillhOuSe IL Day, grain mercbants ana
members of the Produce Exchange Inc Nlst vas
purposely paid at an early hour when only a young
clerk was in charge OF the olhce Fisher IepresehSu
himself as sent from the store of Schmidt the
statoner, to look at the cancelled checks OF the
firm aud at the new ones in the check book ana oy
connnrjsvn ascertain if the colored inks used. IN
printing them had faded The boy submitted both
Without hesitation. Fisher stole a few cancelled
checks took the numbers IN the book, and gong 10
Schlnidt's store stole there twenty checks like
tn3se used by the frm BY Saturday, September .
he Lal three checks on llillhouse x Day for SooO
$500 and $3.50. Pierce and Peters were the men
who offered the checks at the ban Ks, and they were
identified yesterday. The prisoners VIII ne
arraicned at the Jefferson Market Police Court this
morning.