The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-04

The Capitol omcers are Certain That it is
spurious.

The Capitol omcers are Certain That it is
Spurious.
Coloucl Frank q Rufin the Second Audi-
tor. has obtained information recently which
leads to the conclusion that there may be
forged or spurious bonds of this State in oX-
lsteuce
IL Is certain that one has recently been sent
% the Office OF the state Auditor about the
spuriOusness of which there is no doubt
whatever.
The bond in question is for S560, numbered
40 and issued under the act of March 29,
1851. II has all the coupons attached from
1861 up % 1886
This bond was some weeks ago sent TO q
well-knOwn resident IN TINS city by Mr.. John
IS Manning. broker 10 have its tundablc
value a9ccrtNuoQ.
When the bond was presented at Colonel
kuiius Office tie suspicious OF the clerk
whom 10 was handed % We're at once aroused.
An investigation was begun, which resulted
In the discovery that q bond Of the same
description, corresponding ln amount and OF
TIE same number had already been funded.
A comparison with the bonds of the same
date also showed several important dl1er-
ences. The bond sent 10y MIR Manning was
not made from the same plate. IL was ol % dl-
ferent die
The diameter of the seal on the spurious
bond was probably quarter of an inch larger
than that Of the genuine ones.
The name of the engraVer was different,
and DO referred 10 party who ha1 never done
any work for the Commonwealth. These
and other discrepancies and suspicious CIR,
cumsAnces led the second Auditor ana
Treasurer Iiarman 20 investigate the matter
stIl deeper, and correspondence with Manning
was opened through his Richmond agent.
The board of sinking fund commissioners,
consisting of Auditor Morton Marye Second
Auditor Rufin. and Treasurer Harman. III
whose hands the matter had been placed,
secured the services the Plnkerton, Agency,
aud through It's and the history OF the pur-
chase of the bond has been traced up.
From this sOurCeit was learned that Bernard
Sheridan "a builder. OF "a east IWeltth street,
New lOrk sold the bond u Mal-sireeJ
broker Mr.. Sheridan said that he got the
bond from his foreman, Bartholomew 1ealeY.
ll- latters story is that lu 1888, wnlle eat
iur ms lunch one day in restaurant on Cen
tre street. opposite the I0mbs. "a stranger
come ia and offered him the bond for 60,
which offer be accepted.
twill be seen that the bond has been held
back ever since 1855 Why tins was done Is
not very clearly explained. Mr.. Manning says
that his client. for whom he was Offering the
bond did not send It IN owing TO the various
complications growing ont of the STATE
financial condition at and since the time IL
came ia his possession.
ia turns out by letters OF MAN. l.Hg' nov
ever. that the latter first said that he held the
bond for a client, while he admitted later on
nat De owned it himself.
There Is no doubt that the bond is spurious,
a1I the Capitol officials agree that 1t is hardly
fr.b bable that O single counterfeit bond would
Lave been made. m
There may be many others. The preamble
o. the coupon killer No. ] sets forth the TACT
o. the existence OF forged State secuuues.
Iu AN opinion of Mr. Justice Field, OF the
Supreme Court Of tho United States given IN
D1e of the Virginia cases, he undertakes TO say
that that preamble rocites an untfuth
ID is true that the bond IN question is not OF
the issue of 1871. whose coupon was at that
time IN litigation. but as there has been at
least one othor case in which counterfeit
bond has been detected there is good reason
~ believe that there may be couhterIeits OF
tle issue Of 1871. especially as bonds oi that
issue are more easily ycountertelted tnan Donos
of tho issue Of 1851, because the signature 10
tic coupons of the issue OF 1881 was slgneI
imssrbly. while the coupons ot the Dohds ol
the issue Of 1871 have engraved signatures;
The bond has been demanded oy lls New
York holder. but the commissioners OF tno
sinking fund have determined very properly
not % surrender IT, If exception shO9ia DO
taken b. that course the courts would cer-
taiuiy be open 10 the claimant.