The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-11
R0BBEDA MEXICAN BANK
a PLAUSIBLE YOUNG MAN AND A
TEGEGRAPHER FORM A PLOT.

1t Works to the Extent of $4,000.
They Expected 20 Get $4,000 More.
But the Plan Was Exposed-The Men
Arrested.
From the Neio York Sun.
story was told in New York yesterd ay
OF a young man named Silverherg, said to
be the son Of New York merchant, swind-
ling McManus & Sons, banker Of Chlhua-
hua, Mexico. out of $4,000. and of his be-
ing caught when be tried to get 10000
more. The story was contained in this dis
patch made up from dispatch alleged to
have been sent to the senior Mr.. Silverberg
in this city;
CRY OF MEXICO, Jan. ga few DAYS
ago young man representing himself to be
bent on buying property in Mexico ap-
peared in Chihuahua. He stopped a. the
best hotel and spent his money lavishly. On
Monday he presented himself at the office
OF the banking firm Of McManus q Sons,
the wealthiest firm of Chihuahua. and in
quired whether they could cash a draft for
him on the Bank OF the United States. They
replied they could. He then left. On Tuesday
he returned and asked whether they mad
received a telegraphic order from the st.
Louis National Bank to pay to him on sight
the sum of Sl3, 900. The members Of the irm
Informed him that no such order had been
received, and therefore he could not pay the
money to the young man. That same day
telegram was received from the telegraph
office, as follows:
Pay to George Silverberg $4,000 American
gold and charge Co our account WIN draw on
You for 1000 tomorrow.
ST. LOUIS NATIONAL BANK.
Although the bank OF which McManus &
Sons are correspondents are accustomed to
pay money by telegraph, IL was an unusual
thing for so large an amount to be paid,
and, therefore, the senior member Of the
firm wired the st. Louis bank, Saying that
they had received their telegram, but de-
sired to call their attention to the small
balance to their credit, only 5000, upon
which it was impossible for them to draw
800 900. At the same time they asked If the
payment Of Sl3 900 was all right. In few
hours the firm received reply from the
bank as follows:
Draft in favor of SiIverberg all right.
Have scot you funds to cover to-morrow's
draftn
1t did not yet appear clear to the members
or the firm, aud 80 they again wired the
bank asking for description of Silverberg.
The description was sent and it tailed with
the young man. During this time the
young American was frettinR and Tuning
at the delay, saying that it was an insult to
gentleman Co believe him dishonest after
the bank had once wired a confirmation OF
the original draft.
The firm finally paid over the money and
Silverberg departed. Nothing more was
thought OF the matter. until one of the
members OF the firm next morning suggested
TO wire again to the bank telling they had
paid the $l3, 900, and that they wanted to
know whether the bank desired to have
them pay the other $4,000. which the
young man said he would call for in the
morning.
A telegram was sent early in the morning,
and In few hours a reply was received
from the bank saying that they did not
know such person, that it had ordered no
money paid to any one by their cor
respondents at chihuahua, and, further
more, they had not ordered the draft of
$4,000.
OF course, the first thing which was done
was the arrest Of the young man. He as
sumed an air of wounded honor, and threat
ened all sorts OF things. He said that unless
he was let go at once he would notify the
American minister and the state DEPART
| ment and that there would be trouble for
the persons committing the outrage.
A hunt for the records Of the kilograms
| received was made, as the belief was gen.
eral that his accomplish was at St. Louis,
but no record was found of the kilograms,
| nor Tere there any entries as to the tele-
| grams sent by the firm to the bank.
When all this was brought to the young
man, and also the fact that the telegraph
| operator of the Mexican Central railroad
| had suddenly departed. he broke down.
He admitted that he had attempted to
swindle the firm CT bankers, and told the
ingenious plan whereby he expected to
mulct them for 800, 900 more.
lie had become intimate with the opera
| tor, and with his assistance they Matched
up the plan. The first telegram, spurious,
OF course, was sent to the firm, and upon
the receipt Of the telegram from the firm
for the bank it was stopped by the operator
and when the proper time had passed the
spurious replies were sent. In this way
everything was all right. He added that
the night he had received the money he had
divided with the operator and they had
| agreed to wait until the next day when 1t
was expected 20 collect the 800 900 and then
both leave for Texas. He spoke bitterly of
the operator who had left him in the lurch.
After some search tho police were able to
verify the facts by the restaurant waiter
who saw them counting over some bills and
dividing money while they were at supper
the night previous. A search was instituted
for the operator, but he had left the night be-
fore for Texas; in fact, he had left by the
first train after he had divided the money
with SllverberR.
Questioned as 10 his origin, etc. Silver
berg said that be was the son of promi-
nent merchant in New York, whose offices
are somewhere in Broadway. He said he
would wire his father and would be surely
taken out OF the scrape. There is no doubt
that had the operator remained another day
the firm would be minus $33, 900.
There was no merchant on Broadway
named Silverberg mentioned in the direc-
tory. At the Mexican consulate it was said
that the case had been heard of, but not in
an official way, and whether the story was
true or not they would not say.