The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-30

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that he even then was not quite sure that
J he was doing wisely in investing so much
money in MIR. Higgins company.
However, he received the stock. turned
over certified check for SOS 900 to Mr.
Higgins, who deposited the money in the
! bank, and then went away full of ambi-
tion and hopes for the development of his
! business
! David Coleman suggested that he would
| like to open a personal account at the
Lincoln Bank and he walked with delib-
crate step to that counter where new
customers register their names in the big
| book. Beside his name was another en-
try announcing that he had been intro
! duced by certain one of the directors.
Then Mr.. Coleman offered certified
check for $4,000 with the Endorsement
of the cashier of the Columbia Bank of
Washington as the first of his deposits.
There was an accustomed manuerism, a
familiarity with banking and its methods
| an experienced hand and speech which
persuaded the officers of the bank that
Mr.. Coleman had, as he said, enjoyed long
experience in the business of banking,
mainly before the counter.
He said in the most matter-of-fa way
to the cashier, MIR Cornell, a man who
has one of the quickest eyes for rogues
| that looks out from behind any tinancier' S
| desk in this city, that he had a partner
ship matter to settle at one of the greater
lawyers offices in this city and would
draw some legal tenders that he might
do it.
He was particular that the money
should be legal tenders, that six of the
notes should be of the denomination of
$1,000 each and five of them of thedenom-
ination of S100
He might have asked for SO, 900 or
even more without suspicion said Mr.
! Cornell this morning. His business
manners were perfect. He did not make
one false step. He said or did nothing
that would create the shadow of sus-
| picion, and as he had been well intro
duced, and had just finished one rather
large negotiation. it seemed but natural
that he should want as much as $4,000 or
$1,000 in cash for another"
Then Mr.. Coleman walked out and he
must, according to subsequent evidence,
have opened some small bottles during
the evening. He certainly appeared the
next morning at the ONCE of his lawyer
with every evidence that the contents of
a good many small bottles had been con-
sumed and the effects not entirely dissi-
pated, but as he said to his lawyer in a
most familiar way: you know that
champagne is the ouly wine I drink and
the only liquor drink, and as dined at
at the Union League Club with Chauncey
M. Depew and some others of my friends
there last night, had some of the best
champagne that is to be found in New
York. [ feel little heavy this morn
ing"
EXPOSURE COMES.
The only remarkable thing about Mr..
| David Coleman so far as these negotia-
lions are concerned is that a man who
would spend three weeks building up a
structure of fraud as he did should i'm
peril it by even so much as one small bot
tie. But he went to New Jersey with
his lawyer and while there negotia ting
for half interest in the silk factory and
paying for it with another large certified
check on Washington and then opening an
account at this bank with another certi-
| fed check, being fatisfied TO draw not
more than $500 on that, Mr.. Higgins and
his secretary, Mr.. Stray, Gen. James and
the cashier, MIR. Cornell, and the director
were in fine frenzy of excitement and
there were flashing eyes and white faces
and an interchange of kilograms and the
sigh of despair, especially from Mr. Hig
! gins
For the Columbia Bank had tele-
| graphed that Mr.. David Coleman was I'm.
! known, that his check was n. g., and the
! certification a forgery. A few hours
! later the Columbia Bank had occasion to
telegraph the same dismal news To the
I bank in New Jersey. and soon again to
| the president of the furnace company, 50
| that before the close of banking hours on
that day there were these extraordinary
! complications as result of the business
| like methods of Mr.. David Coleman.
| The Lincoln Bank was out $500, the
! first time in It's history that it had been
considerably swindled. The director
was overwhelmed with humiliation. MIR.
| Higgins saw bankruptcy instead of pros
perity ahead of him and has, in fact,
had a receiver appointed for his com
pany
The Jersey bank cashier was in high
anger that he had lost 5000. tempered
some what by Joy that it was not greater.
The Jersey silk manufacturer was begin
ming proceedings in chancery TO set aside
the bill of sale which he had made to Mr.
Coleman of half interest in his prop
ertY.
The person from whom this manufac-
turer had borrowed money was raising
a row because the manufacturer had not
paid on the $4,000 mortgage which he
promised 10 do that afternoon The
furnace manufacturer was bewailing
the loss of a considerable sum of money,
as well as some Of his valuable stock,
and Superintendent Brynes and Inspec.
tor Mclaughlin were put to their wits
end because this villain had gone as mys-
GSElOuSlf as ne came anu gone HhlI Iull,
too, for he was in that condition when at
the Jersey bank, according to a report the
police received
Take it all in all, it is one of the slickest
pieces OF villainy practiced by an ac-
complished scoundrel upon astuJe busi-
ness men that has ever occurred here, and
IL was so Sticky done that in spite of the
I heavy losses, of the unfortunate entangle-
ments and the very serious embarrass-
ment Of two manufacturers, there arc in
cidents of the story which those who had
part In IL cannot now tell without laugh
ing.
Coleman probably took passage on one
Of the steamers that left on Wednesday.
The police say that man who swindled
10 this way must have thus swindlel be.
fore, and they believe they will find from
the records Of some d the prisons some
thing that VIII give clew 10 his identity.
Mr. Byrnes declares that we have had
no swinGle ID recent years that compares
with 10 for audacity. for patience and
thOrOugnness on method aud for the com
plete fuceess with which able end shrewd
men were hood Hinkfd bN This Fs0undrol