Evening journal., 1896-11-06
GANG OF BIG FORGERS.
New York officers on the Track
o. Extensive Operators.
SEVERAL BANKS ARE HEAVILY HIT

One Man Arrested. who Is Said TO BE
the ooi of Coterie of Criminals who
Have Been Operating over a wide Ter
ritors.
NEW YORK. Nov. 6--Thero is man
locked up at police headquarters about
whose case the detective bureau and the
district attorneys Office have observed
such secrecy as TO leave no doubt that the
arrest Is one Of gravo Importance.
Tho prisoner, IL is said is the tool Of q
gang Of check operators on a large scale
who have viotimized many banks, some
in this city. The man In custody was ar
rested N we'll known down town bank,
the name of which tho police will not dis
close as no was presenting a check, made
out, It IS assorted by tho person or per
sons whose tool he was, and TO effect
whose capture the detective bureau and
the Pinkerton agency are working tooth
and nall
The man was taken 60 police headquar-
ters on Wednesday night, anS it was then
reported that the arrest was tho first move
toward rounding up several man who had
nitude
Detectives Valley and O'Connell of
the central Office and several Pinkorton
men accompanied tho mysterious prisoner
from police headquarters to the district
attorneys office yesterday morning. He
was handcuifed, but when tho detectives
approached the criminal courts building
through Franklin street tho handouts
were removed, and the prisoner walked
along with the detectives as If he we're at
liberty.
He Is about 35 years old, tall we'll built,
well DRESSED, and Judging by his bearing,
a man who has held sOmo responsible po-
sition. Once IN the building he was hur-
riod to the private room Of Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Battle, and Acting District
Attorney Davis was summoned.
a Secret Inquiry Held.
So desirous were all concerned that nc
inkling Of the nature of the case should
get out that Mr.. Battle sent his stenog
rapher and Office boy from the room, and 0
detective was stationed In the corridor be
fore the door. No one was admitted. Ever
one Of tho assistant district attorneys, wh'
knocked for admission, was requested t'
call later on.
The prisoner and Mr.. Davis spent near
/ ly two hours together IN all At ono tim'
the man was brought out into the cor
ridor, where he sat with several detective
until lie was summoned inside. AT las
no was taken back to police headquarters
There every one refused to say anything
definite about the matter.
Mr.. Davis said he must preserve silenc
in the interests Of justice, "There ar
some things about which We cannot talk,
he said.
The prisoner, it is probable, will go bo
fore the grand jury today and tell what 4
necessary for tho indictment Of the allege'
forgera with whom he was connected.
is said that he has been promised immu
nifty and that he would not say wore
until an assurance to that effect was giyel
to him.
The great secrecy was deemed necessary
because any mention OF the prisoner
name OF the details of the case might pr'
vent the arrest Of the most importar
criminals in the case.
The Pinkerton agency, 1t was reporte
in the district attorneys office, worked Il
the case and have had it In hand Il
weeks. Tho story was that several bi
banks here, who suffered severely at th
hands Of clever forgers, called In the Pinl
ertons, and that they finally placed thel
hands on the man now in custody.
The Pinkerton men said the matter wa
In the hands Of the central Office, and th
central Office said it was in the hands {
the district attorneys Office. Mr.. Davi
cheerfully admitted that such was th
case, but refused to throw light upon th
case.