Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-02-07
GEORGE BIDVELL,
-, rn9rD-glMOUS FORGER, WHO STOLE A
MILLION POUNDS
n, Sank Of England, Tells Of His Peculiar
r. T-,.-..a,ss Here in Whesling-HOw He En-
s,-5si in Mercantile Pursuits, and
the Result

Az
rs, makes a pretense OF knowing what
ING on in the world, has read, at
-, time within the past fifteen years,
:, .rs remarkable cri minal career Of
C,,--s Bfdwell, the forger who, In con-
Ion with two or three kindred
--.-.-s. among whom he was chief, rob-
l.4 the Bank o. England of one million
.,r-5s sterling, and who was only
inch. and convicted by the merest &C.
don't after he had made his escape TO
.L.s..5s of the ocean. The story OF this
-...-,-F5rs crime is a somewhat familiar
So sgrgassiug as 10 does the widest
S-r-s NJ fancy Ia the matter OF plot
arf f-s execution; but 10 is not so gener-
- -rown that Bidwell, the hero OF
chs and many other crimes, was once
-ss.Fert Of Wheeling, and not only
-.g- h-t that ne bought out q long
established jObbing business here, from
one NJ the most prominent citizens Of the
,gr-. and ran it for quite time, under
-rs assumed name Of Cole.
The business thus purchased was the
rrrressIs tobacco warehouse OF Mr..
Henry OFT, and the name under which
-fs business was conducted was 5. :.
Ervar a. Co. This was in 1864, and
me matter will probably be recalled by
MANY. now that ii brought TO their
attention.
Tine muluitudinous crimes perpe-
--t-ai bv Bidwell-hls swindleS, conf
sares games, iOrgeries and stealiugs-
must ever remain a matter Of envy by
even the most accomplished scOundrels.
lie was veritable king OF crOOks-a
mast master in the arts OF deception
srtemer who could give points to the
most astute business man and beat him
ont OF sight at driving a bargain-and
had be turned his phenomenal gifts into
-ra proper channel, ne would have risen
surely and rapidly 20 high place Ia the
business world. His crimes in England
and on the Continent would have en-
s-rsd him lOng-liyed nOtOriety If he
had done nothing else crooked, but his
us.sOric career on the other side Qf the
water was but an incident in his life;
his fame rested upon q multitude OF
other infractiOuS OF the law, white sharp
PRACTICES, extraordinary decepcDs and
transactions Of a confidence" Nature,
although probably Just within the strict
letter Of the statutes, he perpetrated
without number, and in all parts OF this
country.
Before coming TO this city, Bidwell
fell in with a kindred spirit going by
she nAme OF DR.. Samuel B0liveT. lie
met him I'm New York, where BldWeu
had advertised for partner, with five
thousand dollars cash" aBOl!yer was
descended from New England farmer.
Boliyer and Bidwell conducted q series
of swindles upon business men in New
York City, and then came west.
This was in 1864. Arriving
In Wheeling, they looked around for
an opening, and finding that Mr.. Henry
OFT was Offering his wholesale tobacco
business for sale, that he might give
his entire attention TO the hardware
business, coming into his hands through
the death OF his father, they determin-
ed 10 make turn here. The
two sWindlers accordingly purchas-
ed the buSinefs on thirty days
time, intending TO obtain all the goods
they could from shippers within that
period, sell them, and skip out. They
ordered a considerable quantity OF goods
from the manufacturers with whom
Mr.. OFT had been conducting business,
and this was promptly shipped, and the
new firm, in which Bidwell was known
as Cole, while BOvar was the French
form OF Bolivar, sent out one or MI
Outs former employees 70 travel aud take
orders. Before the end Of the month
the two rascais found they had struck
o good legitimate business, and they re-
GREETED afterwards that they hadn't
gone into 10 under their right names,
aud settled down TO become prosperous
merchants. They did give up their
original plan OF Swind.ing Mr.. OFT, ana
determining 70 hold on longer than the
original thirty days, they paid Mr.. OF In
full. About this time man giving
the name OF j. NJ. Eldridge, OF Cumoer-
land, Md, made large purchases Oh
sugar, teas, tobacco, etc, in Baltimore,
and shipped them 70 Cumberland, but
not finding a ready sale, he sent them
on 10 this city, and BOvar & Co., pur-
chased the goods, shipping them TO BIsh-
Oh & Co. Cincinnati, 70 be sold. They re-
tanned one chest OF tea, however, ana
this chest cot Bovar q Co. into trouble.
Eldridge had not paid for the goods, De-
ing engaged in the swindling line MIN
self, and the Baltimore firm sent man
on TO Wheeling who traced the goods TO
Boyar & Co. Surprising the goods TO
be still az the store here, VIII
OF repleyiu and search warrant
we're procured, and Constable Fender
got the chest OF tea. Then he entered
into detective work with the postmaster
OF this city, and the telegraph othclalS'
traced out Eldridge'S whereabouts, IA
Ohio, obtained requiSition for hlm'
had him arrested, and started with MN
for Wheeling. At Belmont, Belmont
county, Eldridge jumped through car
window on the Central Ohio, now the q.
& o.. and got away. Eldrldge made
his way 10 Steubenville, where he tele-
grsphed to Cole (BidwelD for money.
His telegram was given 20 ConStaoIe
Pender. who went to Steubenville, ar
rested Eldridge, brought him back 70
this city and lodged him in jail.
Meanwhile the firm Of BOyar ~ 20
went on. and they secured the services
Of man named Wesley to act as por-
ter. Although Wesley had nothing TO
do with the management OF the JUS
ness, ne got into a good deal OF tr0Gp'e'
as will be seen further along. Nheh
EIdridge was arrested, Bidwell, who as
Cole" was keeping pretty Snauy' auu
making no acQuaintanceS, got slaI u llsi,
and went 20 Evansville, Ind, 10 await
events. There be autographed BoVsf'
and a copy, under the previous arrange
ment regarding Eldridge, was al ONE
put into Constable fenueI
hands. He telegraphed 10 1ne