The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-12-14
PIER CE'S FORGERI. III |
THEY ARE EVEN naonn nx1.spHsrv1 (. &
THAN EIA.sT SUPPOSED.


Yankton, s. D., Dec. THE Piseeo
forgeries continue to produce new de-
velopments each day. On Thursday
the register Of deeds Of this county
received cablegrams from England
asking IL certain mortgages amounting
to $500 had been r Sntled IN July.
OF course they had not, and the Eng
lishmen are minus their money. On
Wednesday the treasurer Of Doai
HOmme county received this cab1e-
gram from London: "Are there le1al-.
ly issued school bonds for $4,000 o.
School District No. 2, and $500 for
District No. A"
Inquiries Of similar nature have
been received by the of1cers Of Clay,
Union, Hutchinson and Charles Nix
counties In this state, and In Cedar,
Knox and Pierce counties In NebfaS-
ka, and careful tally Of these IN
quiries indicates beyond q doubt that
Pierce transacted o larger business
than was at first supposed. It has
been ascertained that during the last
sixty days prior to his departure from
London he received 100000 from the
sale Of his forged securities. It has
been further ascertained that many
Va \ AOASO . 0SSOAASAC6 WSAC ACSVN0V0&4
and sold by Stanton & Coffin, the New.
York bankers who failed on Oct. j.
1t is rumored here that a large
among the banks effects, and It 70
further supposed that the failure Of
Stanton & Coffin on Oct. had some
thing to do with Pierce's flight On
Oct. 8. Stanton & Coffin conducted .
h,Nut ri - kH.-A -
Wright & Co.
Yankton Men Implicated.
The handwriting on the forged
bonds and other securities has been
recognized here, and as the details
connected with this firms methods
crop out, it grows more evident that
ut least three other Yankton men A.
sisted in the production of the fraudu-
lent securities. The writing Of the
various instruments is in different
hands, and their execution clearly In
dicates that some person well posted
on the legality and regularity Of 10.
suing school bonds was a party to
their issue; and it is further evident
that these securities were nearly an
prepared in Chicago. 1t may also be
stated that the bankers, Coffin & Stan
ton, also had an Office in Chicago, and
the Chicago Office of Pierce's attorney
is said to have been In the same build.
ing.
During the past few days it has
been learned that Pierce's accomplice
in Mexico, who assisted In swindling
the English with worthless mining
stock, has also disappeared from his
Mexican home, and cannot be found.
The more the Investigations are
pushed the more apparent 1t becomes
that Piercc's swindling operations ex-
tended to all parts of this country,
and that the disclosures thus far made
are trifes compared to the total.
William p. Dewey, Jr., of this city
is, or was the attorney for Pierce.
Wright & Co., and 1t is said that he
owns the equity in the grade Of the
YanktOn, Norfolk s. Southwestern rail-.
way, which is probably worth $780,
OOo. although 1t is claimed that the
grade and right of way has already
cost Pierce $4,000. The TrafIic Con.
struction company was a corporation
organized for the purpose Of construct.
ing railroads. 1t was this company
which graded the Yankton, Norfolk 4
Southwestern railroad. The latest ad-
vices from England are to the effect
that an effort will be made to squeeze
Pierce and his accomplices, but their
plans are SO we'll laid that it will prob.
ably be impossible to recover q cent.