New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-07
UNEARTHING THE FORGER.
A DELINQUENT INSURANCE AGENT.

TIE PROFITS OUT OF ALL PROPORTION TO THE RISK
CLUMSY WORK At BEST.
The mystery surrounding the forgery OF the cheeks OF
She Manhattan Life Insurance Company, OF Nos 156 and
l5s Broadway, was partially cleared away yesterday
The with the discovery of these
frauds were published exclusively In THE TRIBUNE OF
sunday so far the management OF the insurance COM
pany say but two OF forged checks have to
light
The first was $3.50. and passed through the Clear
Ing House and presented at the insurance CON-
panys counter Monday Of last week 1t was dra wn
upon the National Bank OF this where the in
surance company had account. had been marked no
funds" and bore the Endorsement OF the International
Trust Company, No As Mkst.. Boston. The check had
been printed with ordinary type upon Inferior paper
and a common looking piece of work The check
bore what purporcd TO be the signature of James NJ
Mclean, president, and cOunersgned Is usual by
Jacob l.. Hdlsey and H. b. Stokes the first and second
vice presidents They ali good limitations OF these
signatures but the regular checks of the
pany are handsomely prepared by the American Bank
Note Company from engraved plates, the difference in
She printing too striking to eluire moment for
detection and Mr. Hasey pronounced the paper a
forgery at once
The next day a similar check drawn for 5000 and
bearing the Endorsement of Springfield Mass, bank,
returned through the Clearing House 1t
Arawn upon the First National Bank where 1t had been
Endorsed no funds" and was in all respects like the
other except that bore the Endorsement OF the Spring
field bank instead Of the Boston Trust Company.
SETTING DETECTIVES To WORK.
When the first forgery appeared the officers OF the
Manhattan Life Insurance Company placed the IN
the hands of their special detectives who have discoy
cred the following facts: Tho first check for $3.50
which from Boston. had been offered in that city
about middle of January by person whose appear
snce TALES with that of Of the Manhattans agents
In the of Mass chuse, creditor OF his In pay
ment OF long standing debt The supposed agent re-
qucsted his creditor to take sut the amount dre and
the agent the difference in cash This the creditor
international Trust Company OF Boston, aud that insti
tuition requested to cash it. The Trust Company de
cnel do this unless the paper should be Endorsed by
Irresponsible party The cheek finally left with the
Trust Company for collection. and was thus sent to
keW lora IN tae usual course Of business. ..., -
After leaving the check the sam, person returned to
the Trust Companys office and asked that small ad,
advance mot exceeding SO being made
LITTLE MADE Ry EITHER VENTURE.
As to the check which came from Springfield, the
detectives found That person whose description indi
cacs that he the who had ate nptel to
the first check in Boston went to the bank In
Springfield and after futile effort to have the paper
eashcd left it for collection he had left the other III
Boston.
in the meantime President Mclean received a
telegram from ". II. Bradford Boston printer asking
larse quantity Of cnecks printed .-.
The cOmpany's detectives sent at once to visit
Nj Bradford. and learned that man. judged by the de
scrpiJn Of him at the printing o1ice 10 he the
agent hal called ere about month ago aud had
ordered several Thousand che with other work TO he
done for the Manhattan Company OF New-lork repre-
seuting tnat they necessary for tue conPlnys
Massachusetts business days later this person
came again and asked He got three or feur
proof, Of the printed checks on the First National Bank
Mr. Br1dOrl asserts that these proofs were the only
ones taken AMI that others were Obtaine by the
who ordered the printing done lt Is said, how
that he did receive proof copies Of check fDr max
ing drafts upon both the Citizens Bank ana the Union
Trust COMPANY of this city, where the Manhattan com
pany have accounts ami that large dOlnts additional
have been drawn forupOn forged paper What this amount
viii probably be disclosed until after the arrest Of
the person guilty of the foTg res The detectives on
his trail they say, and expect soon % capture him,
although another report saws he has fed 70 Canada. |
NceP President Hasey said yesterday the company de-
sired OF tine agent kept secret for few days
Although the had nei it M -t turn out that he Is
insane, he had only recently recovered from severe