New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-07
PRICE THREE CENTs!
A FORGERY PLOT LAID BARE
MUCH FRAUDULENT PAPER UTTERED
BY A CANS. 1i-
ONE OF THEM IS THE PRISONER 'THoxPsoNa
WHO HAS BEEN HELD BY CAPTAIN
ODRIEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS

o'BRrEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. b.
Assistant District Attorney Battle yesterday
told the story Of the mysterious prisoner wno
has been held at Police Headquarters for the
last few days. and who was said to be connecteo
with gang Of forgers. Mr.. Battle. in giving out
the story. referred to volume OF typewritten
matter which contained the history OF the a.
legged forgerles Detective Dougherty. OF the
Pinkerton Agency. which had worked up the
case at the order Of the American Bankers A.
sociatlon, supplied some missing links In Mr'
Battles narrative.
Several detectives from Police HeadQuarteeo
were present when Mr. Battle told the story.
He said that in June last three men entered Into
q combination to commit extensive robberies.
These men were Walter B. Peters. Willis H
Connor and W. F. Smith. Their plan was 70
swindle the banks by means OF forged casn-
iers checks. Peters a lithographer ~
trade, and it was his part to make the checks'
which purported to be drawn by one BANK on
another. The first forged check that they triso
to utter was one supposed to be drawn oy the
Lincoln National Bank Of Chicago ON the Lin
coin National Bank Of Nsw-York.
number Of other forged checks were also
made and sent by Peters to Connor and smith
at various towns in Indiana and other states
The two last named men passed themselves on -
who sent them the checks was their employer
They succeeded In getting rid of g number OF
these worthless checks on the proprietors OF dif-
ferent hotels at which they stopped. About
September 10 last Peters and Smith came 10
this city and stayed at the Hotel Marlborough.
registering as d. S. Matthews and c. c. Jones.
from Fort Wayne. Ind. They were well dressed
and quiet in their behavior and attracted htus
notice Peters bought lithogrspher's stone.
and taking II to his room In the hotel. started
to make more bank checks About this time
they became suspicious and left the Maribor"
ough for the Hotel Albert, at Eleventh-st ana
University Place They made forged check on
the Park National Bank OF Cleveland, payaDie
to +. A. Leslie to the amount OF Sl2o announcer
check that was made by the men was passed on
J. r. willard & Co.. brokers. at NO % BROAD
way They passed this check by speculating IN
stocks through these brokers' and when they
owed the brokers $50. they gave them the check
in question. receiving the difference In casn:
Mr. Battle said that at least eight of the forgeu
checks were passed in this State. and about
sixty were disposed OF In other parts OF the
country The amount of forged paper that the
men are known to have uttered Is nearly $iV'VVV'
Smith finally left the city. and while trying 70
pass a worthless check in Port Jervis was ar
rested and taken to the jail at Gosnen. N I;
hut by some means secured his Ireeuon.
is said that Smith is known as Ala a,ni.n. enu
that he has a bad record. Peters and CohhoE.
after the arrest of Smith. went to buffaio. ana
took lodgings at No. 36s Pearl-st.. wnere rs.sts
! was known as Savage. They PURCHASED orait
for 81 from the Third National Bank OF BunaIo
on the Third National Bank OF this CITY. Feter.
then bought another lthographers stone anu
| started In TO reproduce a facsimile OF the draft
| The bogus draft was a clever imitation. but the
exact tint Of the original A number OF these
drafts were made, and the two men tnen went y
Michigan where they begar passing them OH.
| They said there also that they were travelling
statesmen for A. l.. Fairbanks. an advertising
| agent of Buffalo. On october ID Peters re-
| turned to this city and took room at the Astor
| House Soon after he received 500 from Conn0r;
who was then at Mount Clement. Mich ana soO
from, Smith, who then at Battle creek.
Mich. About this time william Connor another
member OF the combination. was arrested az
Flint. Mich. while trying 10 pass one OF the
| forged checks -
| After William Connors arrest. Willis Connor
| came to New-YOrk again and was arrested he
| is the man who is now at Police Headquarters
and who is known by the name OF Thompson.
| He was arrested last Monday by Pinkerton
| detective in a furnished room at NO III w est
Twenty -ninth-st.
He was taken before the Grand Jury yesterday
! and gave a complete history Of the doings OF the
| gang 1t is said that he did this because Il
| WAS on the evidence Of William Ccnnor that
he was captured Thompscn's evidence was
! corroborated by the paying teller Of the West
ern National Bank. at No. 40 Broadway. and
graphed to the Chicago police to arrest Peters.
who is said to be in that city. Peters was
| caught a few hours after. He will be brought
| to this city.