West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-04-13
A NOTED FORGERY.
ONO That Is without a Parallel I'm
the FIistory OF Crinno.
Clever Negro posmaa Who Used the
Nsmo or President Grant TO Get
Himson Out OF tho Pen
ttcntfary.

George Lewis (colorcd), formerly a
member of the Ninth cavalry, who had
been serving d long sentence In the
pcnitcntiary for forgery, was arrested
On another charge of the samc kind as
he was leaving tho prison gate the other
day. after having completed his last
sentence, says a Topeka (I<nn. corre-
spondent of the New York Times.
There was nothing remarkable In this
except that his arrest recalls story of
forgery that Is without parallel In the
history OF crime, ut least In the west.
Lewis had been a messenger Ia WASH
ington, detailed on duty ut the war do
partmcnt. 1t was while there that no
committed the first forgery that led TO
his imprisonment. He had been In
prison less than year when he pro-
cured through the assistance of friends
n blank pardon, such as is used by tho
president of the United States. This
he filed out and signed tho names Of
President Grant and the then assistant
secretary of war. Having completed
this work. he Struggled IL into the pris-
on mail. opportunities for which were
plenty, as he had been detailed az clerk
in the wardcn's Office. In due time the
friend In Washington TO whom It had
been sent telegraphed the warden that
tho pardon had that day been transmit
ted, signing the namc of the presidents
private secretary to the dispatch.
When the expected pardon was re-
ceived by Warden Smith the signatures
were compared with others known to
be genuine, not TINT there was suspi-
cion, but merely as n matter of precau-
ton, as had been customary. The par
don was pronounced correct, and Lewis
was called I'm and informed of it's re-
ceipt and notified that he was q FREQ
man. Had he been satisfied with his
freedom Inc would soon have been at lib
erty, and detection of the forgery might
not have occurred for years
When the warden told him to prepare
TO change his clothes for those of n cit
lien Lewis asked that he might have
the pardon, in compliance with mar
ginal note in the paper. This request,
showing knowledge of tho contents
of the document that had not been
shown him, excited the suspicion of the
deputy warden, who desired TO know
what he wanted IL for. The answer
was ready: For purposes of identiflca-
ton" He was ordered back 10 his coll,
and the warden then autographed TO
President Grant inquiring II the par
don had been issued on such date. In
less than four hours the answer WIS re-
turned that It had not been issued then,
and that II such document had been
received 1t was fraudulent.
When confronted with this message
Lewis denied nll knowledge of the trans
action for time, but the dark cell soon
caused him to confess It was only
then that another and equally bold
forgery came to light, which was part
Of his scheme for providing for himself
when free.
lie had in somc manner secured q
draft on a Virginia bank, payable at
one of tho Lcavenworth national
banks. The amount on the draft was
one dollar, which he slSillfully raised to
twenty thousand dollars. This he sent
10 the First national of Leuvcnworth,
with an order that two hundred dollars
be paid upon the amount and the bal
nnce deposited in Richmond CVn.)
bank 70 his credit. The two hundred
dollars was paid and the deposit made
Us directed, but 1t was soon discovered
that the draft had been raised. Lewis
had rniscalculated only two or three
days in the time he had arranged for
the pardon to arrive. lie had intended,
as soon as released, to take the pardon
with him for purposes of Identification,
secure the nineteen thousand cighth hum
drcd dollars, and then leave the United
States.
After the complete exposure of all
his schemes he was asked to write the
name OF Gen. Grant, which he did so
perfectly that the most expert could not
distinguish IL from the genuine sigma
ture placed beside It. Lewis claimed
that he could reproduce the signatures
of most of the public men in Washing
ton of that time from memory.
This last arrest was for forgery and
obtaining money under false prctcnse,
being the uttcrancc of the draft for
twenty thousand dollars. lie will pass
the remainder of his days In the Kan
sas penitcntiary, which Is used as
military prison as well as for state con-
victs- Ills forReries were committed In
the prison Office, where his work ns
clerk gave him opportunities and
brought him into communication with
outsiders. IIis confederetes were never
discovered