The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-22
AN EXTRAORDINARY FORGERY
The Story Equal to The Exploits Of Jim
the penman.
4 CHECK FOR 81 RAISED TO $4,000.
Richmond Men Likely to Lose by the Trans
Mountaineering story of
the Affair.

A most remarkable drama in real life which
relates 20 an extraordinary story of forgery. has
inst occurred. in which the career of tine Villain
equals in sono respect. the daring exploit. oil
Jim the poman as told IN the play OF ihat
nams
The last scene in il, so far as the actors here
are c0ncerned-or rather go far as the puDnc
could Doe Interested in it-occurrcd yesterday.
ON april nth the City Bank of Richmond Mt
j. ". Sinton cashier. received q telegram from
prominent New \ ork bank. which read:
ON March 9Th We certified check OF FIRST
National Bank OF Lea'enHorth' hHh'a,, ior
Savings Bank. Grand fountain L. O. J. X, Rich
m0nd. Va. Check was drawn for II only; As
certain how much Hi has adyancel on check
Obtain possession OF check n possible.
II Is proper 10 state here that I'LL i negro
WHIT no sEE hill.
As soon as he received the telegram Mr. SIN
ton al once went 10 the Grand Fountain SAVINGS
BANK. i0l west jackson street. ana saw nm
who showed him ihc correspondence ne Aau
had vi DO man named George Lewis.
The latter represented himself 90 be coiored,
said be- had made considerable money az cattle
raising In the West and that soon nc Woulu
continuing. he wrote that he has instructed
his agent 20 forward 90 the Savings Lanh' %. T..
check for s4iOu. to be held tor safe keeping
The check. which was dated February TO- 1891,
came. ami llili rknOW ledgcdlts recent.
4 short while after he received letter from
Lewis asking an advance on account OF SD
uill sent him q check for The amount drawn
on ms own bank.
dor-ed GrOrgc Lewis ami Neorge II. Case, an.
went through thc Lcayouworth FIRST Nah"uhl
Bank tO the New York bank and thence 90 me
'lty Bank mere, Do, llchmohl cog ii,l.u.'
ami the latter collected 1t at the Grand loun-
tain Bank.
BHcAME SUSPICIOUS.
Not long after this Hi became suspicious,
hearing nothing from his western deposition.
aud he SEM the $4,000 check TO the New ork
bank upon which 10 was drawn, Tor certlhcatioh.
The bank. unsuspclOus Oi anything wrong,
certified the check and returned II.
40 the end of last month when The lcaVth-
worth and New York banks were examined IL
appeared that the LcaycnwOrth bank was
charged with s9JoU0 certified CHECK when had
The New York bank was wired. and this in
turn trlrgraphed tho Richmond city BANK
An INVESTIGATION was begun. and the check
Wa Withdrawn from ilills possession. and Will
be used tO prosecute the raiser"
Vow for the story as 10 Is leared from the
other Cnl-hun,as.
THE STORY.
The Kansas State pcnitenfiary is i'm Lansing
One Of its prisoners i- "a black negro named
George cwls. now serving q five year. sentence
for forgery, committed while an enlisted man "a
He was tried and sentenced by the military
authorities to prison for ten years, but the Sec
retary Of War thinking the punishment 100 Sc
we're. cOmmuted The ame 20 hve years.
lie has served now about TWO years, and dur
Ing this time his conduct has been excellent
snd be- has worked himself into the graccs OK
the chaplain of this institution
Being well-eIucated fellow ana good ac-
countant for his race, and an excellent penman,
the chaplain had HIM transferred TO do clerical
IL was y, customary for him 10 get for the CON
virfs every month from twenty 90 twenty-five
drafts. which he mailed % their relatives, and
also used them 20 purchase Tor them certain
permitted newspapers.
ALTERED THE CHICK.
The chaplain attended 20 this IN person, bnt 10
appears that during his absence from ms ONCE
hc distracted one of these letters sent IN the
Office mail box and altered the draft therein TO
II remains a question yet where and how he
obtained the acid 10 make the alteration so per
feet a. even 20 deceive the New YORK bahh "hch
il waascnf to them for ccrfihcatlOu.
4 month after he had placed the altered draft
with Tin. IN Richmond. ON dc oslt ana teellnS
secure of hi- Ill gained none, made dcsper-
ate attempt az liberty lu trying 20 obtain ms
pardon from prison. and very n arly succeeded.
In .orne unknown way ho had communication
with some persons outside the prison walls, AMI
had letter mailed 10 the warden OF me penl-
tentiary urfortIng 90 De- an order from me AS
si-tant Secretary OF War lhring mlliafN
prisoner directing the warden 90 release hum
mon receipt OF the order he Signature OF fhe
Assistant Secretary Wa, the work Of Lewis and
perfect
The paper on which the order was written is
the same sta lOnery as uaed az the " ar Depart
mcul iu Washington.
ION the receipt Of the order for his release
some Official discovered a slight iuegularity IN
the wording Of H.
Suspicion was aroused and particulars were
tolegraphed for. hen the fraud was discoy-
cred
lflewis had succeeded he would. with the
se5O from Hill have probably proceeded 10
Richmond. drawn the balance of the funds. and
skipped the country.
The check will he sent 20 the Leavenworth
Bank which will proceed against Lewis as soon
as his term expires
Hill will likely loso the s250 he advanced 10
the prisoner.