The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-20

the money. and wish you would get me
,o.es for The amount I'll bring the bonds
T., 10. r,orrow 81 noon, and shall be IN
bury"
This order. too. was accepted anu exc
cuted without question, ana sr' "oe0-
bury passed In turn to every DroSeraSe
house In the "street" which mad been
bonored with his acquaintance ana win
which he had paved way by his desul'
tow sneculations. To one set OF brokers
be gave orders to buy various amounts OF
a diversity Of bonds or other securities,
and in each case gave orders to another
cot for the sale OF the same supplement
ing 1t by polite request that the pro-
Goods be handed him in cash when he de-
liyered the bonds en- the ensuing day.
Wcstbury made his appearance about
MON az the office Of the first firm on his
carefully PREPARED list. and took posses
sion Of his bonds, rendering IN payIaent a
check On his bank with the usual certlii-
cation scrawlcd on its face After a little
OF his usual pleasant chat, he lett. and
then few like the wind 70 the Offices 81
the brokers who had sold the same bonds
for him.
Having delivered tic securities and re-
ceivei his money. which he carelessiy
thrust in lis pocket book. he departed
only to carry ont the likeprogramme vi a
two other houses 10 which be had IN
trusted his precious orders. In short. by
this ingenious plan OF obtaining bonds
end securities. paying for them with Ills
certified checks ard immediately recely-
ing cash for them IRON the houses when
he had directed 10 sell them. lie became
possessed within a couple q hours Of
something like 100000 in United
States notes: and although he was tread
ing on a volcano, and was liable 20 de
struction at any moment. 1t was after
ward subject Of remark among the vie
tins that Mr.. Westbury's manner was
never more charming and friendly, nor
did his blue eyes ever wear more honest
look and wholesouled expression
He had almost completed his round,
end was in fact delivering 70 the last Of
his victims $4,000 worth of a certain
issue of bonds which ne had but mo-
ment before obtained from another firm
in return for his check, apparently bear
ing the certiication Of the bank, wnen
one Of those contretenps which some
times overta6e the able strategists al
most upset his calculations.
The firm in question had but the pre-
ceding day sold precisely that amount Of
the bonds in question, and when M
Ncstbuiv handed the head of the house
lis package of bonds. tie latter passed
them on TO his head clerk REORGANIZATION
before giving Wcstbury the proceeds.
Vow the clerk waJ "a sharp youngster,
and as soon as his ewes fell upon them he
recognized from the number that they
were the identical bonds which his firm
had sold the day before To another house
in the street.
Without q word he slipped ont the back
door of the Office and ran 70 thei, Office.
IN answer to lis hurried inquiry he
learned that the young stranger had but
q few moments before taken the bonds
away having paid for them with ccrti.
fed check. 4 messenger was at once dis
patched 10 the bank. and the clerk flew
back to Lis own o.iico. full Of suspicion.
Ncst5ury. however. hal already taken
alarm az tie delay, and pleading tact he
was lac I'm keeping an engagement. AMI
itr--4--- Nt-- Af.Nt-~A ~ ift-- ~AAN 4-+f-- '--
credit. be called cab and drove away
last Us the GREATNESS clerk came back.
OF course the messenger came back
with tic news that Wcs;bCry had drawn
al BIS money cut u tae bank the day be-
fore, and the news quickly went around
the street Some e tie firms which had
been victimizod with the forged certiti-
cation kept silence with regard TO their
loss. but enough vas Known to show that
the clever scamp had made away with tho
sum of money which has been mentioned.
The last known of Mr. Westbury was
that he discharged his cab q few blocks
away from Wall street. and the entire de-
tcc.iyc force failed 30 trace him. Il YVES
perhaps a satisfaction 10 his victims TO
learn that jast prior to his appearance on
these shores, the confidential clerk Of a
leading London banker had been dis
charged for dishonesty. aad lad only es-
capped prosecution BY accident. As he
correspondent In appearance with Mg.
Wcs;bury, it was judged that they were
one and the same person. Gavin Pen
dergast in Once a Week.