Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-06-01
HE IS A BANK SWINDLER
Calls Himself William Black and
 Has a Continental Record.
DARING AND ORIGINAL METHODS.

Bankers and Gets Both of Them Cashed by UnsuspectinE Bankers In the South and west-some of His Operations.
 NEW YORK, Juno IA prominent banking firm of this city, with interna- tional connections and an extensive repu- tation, has warned its correspondents in this country against a clever swindlsr, who, under the namo of William Black, has victimized several banks in the south and southwest
 Black is believed to have several aliases. From the manner in which he operates it is thought that he is the same person who. under the name of Taylor, dofrauded a large number of European bankers some years ago. His methods, which are ingen- ious, require O knowledge of banking and exchange
 If Black and Taylor are identical, and there Is no reason why they should not be flor the latter was never captured--he Is n much travelled rogue and evidently of | good address for his swindles are all of an international character. requiring the employment of some original capital and neceSsitAtinR frequent journeys between I New York and London, with shorter trips | in this country and Europe to take prof. l it's" The New York banking firm, the 1 name of which is withheld at the request | of the members. but which Is now warn- 1 ing the inland banks against Black, was instrumental yoar or so ago in putting the bankers of Sweden, Norway, Italy. 1 Spain and other countries on their guard 1 against Taylor, who, if he be the Black of today has simply transferred his field of | work, with but trif1ing notifications. to this country.
 He Has Operated Extensively. | ip tho babit Of YOakin aay- oral European trips a year. Before start ing he would lay out his capital in &200 drafts issued In firsts and seconds on Lon- don. Arriving in London, he would pre- sent the seconds or duplicates of tho drafts at the office of the bankers upon which they were drawn and secure the cash. If any one asked for the original, his excuse was that it was lost in tho mail or had not reached him.
 As it is the custom to issue drafts and bills of exchange in duplicate or tripli- cate either of which being honored, the others are declared void. Taylor expert enced no trouble in securing funds on the seconds when they were presented. With his original capital thus secured he would start for the continent, and in some small city. first in one country. then in another he had no difficulty in selling the original of his draft on London. Of course wheI this reached tho English capital tho fraud was detected, and the loss fell upon thu swindled continental bankers,
 The European field of operation eventu ally narrowed down until the rogue coulC no longer work the ingenious schomt abroad, so, taking the name of William Black, 1t is believed ke has transferred hi practices to this country.
 The man began to lay his plans in Lon don, where he invested his capital in sev eral checks of S2O0 each on various bank of the south and west.
 Blacks Shrewd Game.
 Tho next step in Mir. Blacks scheme | not likely to find favor with the banker of this country. It consisted of his asking the London bank to forward his signatur to the draweos in America, SO that h might be readily identified when he pre- sented his checks.
 In this manner the London bankers be came all unknown to themselves me dium for making the later swindles possi , ble through giving the rogue 0 cortail standing With the way thus paved fo him, Black travelled to America. and il one instance, it is known, invested othe capital. the proceeds of frauds, in buyin a draft in Jacksonville, Fla, upon NeN : York. It was for $500 and issued in du plicate in the same manner as, only short time before, ho secured drafts | !. New York on London.
 Proceeding thence to another souther r. | city, he presented one of bis genuine SEQ checks. verified the signature forwarde 9 from London and secured his money While conversing with the officers of th 2 bank upon his American experiences h produced the Florida check on New YorE He explained that it was drawn for a larl o CT amount than he could use, and aske the hank to change it for two or thre smaller checks
 Has n Knowledge of Banking.
 The hank, anxious to oblige Mir. Blaol in oonsoqueaIce of his abundant funds an international connections, did SO, siNrl ing him n small commission, which he Fl questcd .lem to do for the accommodate and expense of collection. Black and tf officials separated on the best of term but when the check passed through u course of collection 1t was returned worthless, although genuine for dupl cate of tho same had boon paid.
 Tho banking house in New York WI notified In the meanwhile all trace William Black is lost. but the bankers tho country may yet hear from him, f.
 of the Swindlers operations and will lO
 no time in warning the financial instit1
 tions of the now schema
 Black, with tho weight of indorsemel
 that he has received from the unsuspeC
 ing London firm. is able to carry out b
 frauds with little fear of detection. H
 knowledge of banking makes him an e
 Geedingly dangerous rogue