New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-02

The crime for which William r. Foster is wanted
&c for swinding by means of forged mortgages the
produce Exchange Gratuty Fund Of which ne
was ne counsel. Of the sum named in the Berne
dispatch.
The discovery Of the swindle which created
sreat sensation IN New-York. by reason or the
MAGNITUDE OF the amount and the high standing
NJ Foster in legal circles In this city. was made IN
eeptember 1855 As counsel for the fund roster
had entire charge OF It's financial affairs lie was
rnder no bonds and up to the time OF the as
coerv had the fullest confidence Of the trustees OF
the fund 1t was through the forgeries OF james
/ Reden that Fosters criminal transactions were
d,s,ovored Only few weeks before. Bedell VINO
was a member Of the law firm of Shipman' bar
low Larocque 4 Choate. was found to have been
conducting big swindling operations by means OF
forged mortgages Like Bedelrs, the methods en-
Moved Icy Foster were to prepare mortgage OF
certain property. forge the Signature oi the regis
Ter attach a false seal and execute any other
freerics that might be necessary to give the docu-
,,.-, LEGAL aspect. Checks for the fictitious
mortgages were then drawn upon the fund and
rocketed by the forger.
When Beden's operations came to light Alexander
Mum one Of the trustees Of the fund suggested 10
,5e secretary the advislby of Foster being called
upon 10 show how his accounts stoou al" ~ nav
his securities examined.
Foster. however. when spoken to ABOUT the mat
Ter made frivolous objection TO the pFofoseu tN-
animation The trustees subsequently lnss'eu 'hdt
securities An appointment for the examination
pas made on Septernber %. 1883. hut Foster. on
,ba rlaa Of sickness failed to aiteId lheh Avn
ander r orr the chairman Of the trustees anu
Secretary Duncan c. Norval took numpef VI INV
-,,a.s mortgages to the Registers cfhce ana II
was then Immediately discovered that seNeidi .,
.hem were forgeries and later developments s"o"e"
that the total amounted 10 S19soo" 49,.
Detectives were at once put on the case pu'
Foster succeeded in getting safely away. Inc ias'
time he was in this city was OH Inv ""' "
should have met the trustees
7, was found that the methods adopted by roster
were similar to those Of the notorious Bede".
Foster AT that time was well preserved man
about forty-hve years old. He lived al bayPois'
Long Island. in a house said to have cost SSoVoo'
His crime created intense surprise among MS at
,,,ointances because he was never known TO specu-
!. late on the Exchange His income il was eS"
mated wasabout S. 800 a year. He dressed 'yishy'
but his bearing gave the impression that ne hau ai
exaggerated idea Of his own Importance re was
a member Of the firm Of Foster Wentworth pu'
his mariner had nothing to do with the Gratulty
Fund or the Produce Exchange business. MI WENT
worth is now q city Magistrate.
Foster belonged to the Down Town CUB the
South SIDE Cub the Union Club ana the west
side club OF Newport His father had been
member OF the Exchange for several years ana
was reputed to be worth about $2cOt"O lie hVed
al Babylon Long Island. and had a business at NO.
. Canal-st
BY many it was thought that Mr.. Foster, sr,
would make good his sons populations, but these
authorizations were not realized. 1t was also said
that Foster had forged his fathers name to
check for a large amount, but this statement was
never verified.
The search for Foster was prosecuted with the
crea,es, dnieence Detectives tracked him far as
St Adams VT and It was thought that he had
gone over the Canadian border. reward of $50
was offered for his capture in Canada. Brazil
was the only country to which Foster could have
fed without risklng being surrendered by the
authorities. but It was not thought that he had
gone there.