The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-26
SOUTH AFRICAN ..HIGH RoLLER.,
w. r.. Lippert Sentenced for F~OrEerfes
A-ggregntfng SS43.675.


CAPETOWN, April 25.-William Augustus
I.ippert, who was extradited from the United
states, after having been arrested at Cincin-
natl, Dec. 26, 1894, charged with having COM
mitted forgerias to the amount of $84S, 1875,
in Cape Colony, during the years 1889 and
1880, has been sentenced to seven years
In imposing this sentence the judge took
into consideration the previous high char
acter of the prisoner and several extenuat-
ing circumstances. 1t was within the
power of the judge to send Lippert to prison
for life.
TIL precise charges on which William p.
Iippert or4W. A. Layard as he has also
{. been known, was arrested in Cincinnati last
year. were that on Dec. q. 1889, he forged
Endorsements purporting to be those of r..
p. Albeit and Max Michaelis to a promisory
note signed wv. A. Lippert & Co." in favor
of the cashier of the Union Bank of Cape
town. for f104. 035. with the intent to defraud
the bank. Then there was a like transac-
ton Feb. IL, 1890, in the amount of f53, 800,
and one precisely the same on May 81, 1890,
involving ell 400, a total of f16s, Ts5 or sS4S, SIS.
Lifbert was further charged with having
forged and uttered on Dec. q. 1889. the
initials m. NJ on certain last calls of
stock ON which payment was made by the
first forged note for fl04, 035. Lippcrt fled
from South Africa when his arrest was i'm
minent and the police authorities of Great
Britain were appealed to. to find him. Scot
land Yard sent his description and portrait
to various countries. Early In December
the detectives got on Lipperts track, and
he was found to be living at No. 29 Race
street, Cincinnati, as a bachelor in comfort
able circumstances, although he was look
ing for employment after having lost his
situation as bookkeeper for the Chicago
Publishing Company. He offered no oppo-
sition when arrested to being taken to New
York and when arraigned before United
States Commissioners Shields there he de-
clined to say anything. He was taken to
England in custody and from there was re-
moved to Capetown.
Lippsrt, 1t is said, was born at Hamburg,
but was trained in England to occupy a
position with his father, a rich German
merchant. He filed this position acceptably,
but being ambitious, his father gratified
him to the extent of furnishing him with
capital for a business venture IN South
Africa. AT Capetown he was soon Identified
with the best people i'm business and in So
ciety. At Kimberley, Lippert developed into
one of the boldest spectators of Cape
Colony and his transactions have been de-
scribed as prodigious. He kept III an eS-
Establishment which was the wonder of the
richer people in South Africa. Reverses of
fortune found him with an impaired CAPT.
tai. but he did not change his luxurious
fashion OF living and his forgeriss followed.
Then came his flight from Cape Colony, the
OF his crime. The first trace of Lippert in
America was the discovery that he had been
employed in d book store at Louisville, Ky.
and he was afterwards traced to Cleveland.
and eventually to Cincinnati. o., where he
was arrested as already detailed.