The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-11
BANK OF ENGLAND FORGERY.
A Thousand Counterfeit Notes As
tonish the officials.
London Daily Mail.

London Daily Mail.
The authorities of the Bank of England
are engaged in endeavoring to unravel one
of the most daring and successful forgerieS
of their notes that has been perpetrated
during the past quarter of century
The forgerieS are confined TO 40 notes,
and some 10000 is so far has at present
been ascertained, involved.
The seriousness of the forgery is aggra-
waited because the notes are printed on pa
per which cannot, even by experts, be diff
ferentiated from the genuine Bank of Eng
land paper, and the notes can only be pro-
nounced forgeries when individually
checked at the bank by bank officials able
to refer to the banks confidential books as
regards the secret cypher marks of the
notes.
How. then, did the discovery come to be
made? 1t was made as the result of pure
About five weeks ago two $40 Bank OF
England notes passed through the hands of
one of the cashiers of the chief branch of
the bank. The cashier. though never for a
moment doubling the genu1neneSS OF the
notes. happened to formally check their
validity by referring to certain books. He
was astounded to find that the secret cypher
marks were wanting on both, and though
the letterpress. printing and signature of
the head cashier We're perfect, and more
extraordinary still, the very paper itself
was of the same texture and quality as
genuine notes in circulation, yet he had no
other course left but TO pronounce the two
notes forgerieS.
The governor of the bank and Messrs.
Freshfield. it's solicitors, were at once COM
municated with. Prompt steps were taken.
The treasury and Scotland Yard were COM
municated with. and since then the private
staff of detectives of the bank, the detec-
tives of the city police and those of Scot
land Yard have been untiring in their ef-
forts to find the source of the forgeries
No fewer than forty detectives are at
present conducting Investigations. Some
are in Liverpool and the other big cities
throughout England. Others in Paris
and Vienna and various continental GEN.
tiers.
This much has been ascertained:
The bearing dates in January Of
this year. are perfect specimens and defy
identification except by a Bank of England
expert, with his private books of reference.
They have been printed in Vienna
The gang of forgers is large one.
In January the notes were suddenly put
in circulation by being exchanged all in one
day at twenty-five bureau de change in
Paris, simultaneously, a circumstance indi-
eating that there are at least twenty-five
About one thousand notes are in circula-
ton. and of this number a gosd many have
already been presented at the Bank Of
The further intention of the gang is it
Is surmised. TO pass more of these forged
in England
So far the detectives have been bafHed
to ascertain more facts about this clever
gang and their great coup.
What has startled the Bank of England
more than anything else is the reproduction
of their own paper with the proper water
far-reaching effects.
This case will recall former Bank of Eng
land forgeries, especially the great frauds
OF the brothers Bidwell and George McDon-
nell in 1873
These were three American forgers who.
while visiting England. got delayed in the
traffic outside the Mansion House for a few
minutes "Look," said Mcdonnell, there's
the Bank of England. the safest place in
q million" The remark was treated iocn-
larly, the traffic moved and the three passed
Castle, and while standing in the state
room one of the Bidw ellis said he could NOT
get McDonnells remark about the Bank
or England out of his head. The three Went
out on TO the terrace OF the castle and
there and then discussed plan of cam
paign.
adopted, Austin Bidwell stationed himself
outside the bank to watch the customers
de selected three TO try. and found two
tailor In Savile row, and him Austin Bid
well proceeded to cultivate assiduously He
ordered clothes on big scale, and after
some weeks mentioned that he was going
shooting in Ireland. but before going
wanted 10 invest his spare cash somewhere
"a matter of el,oOo, Would the tailor in
vest it? No. the tailor would not. but the
tailor suggested as an alternative as Bid
well had hoped. that the money should be
banked. and before the sun set that dav
the tailor had introduced Bidwel or Mr.
Warren, as he called himself. 10 the West
ern branch of the Bank of England.
rem" and gave the new depositor every in
formation in his power respecting the meth
cd OF transacting bank business. Bidvell
left G20O0 there fer several months. and es-
tablished credit. Good bills were paid into
Warren's' account. and then forged bills
followed in quick succession, some ninety
odd forged bills 10 the amount OF cleo 0a
being actually discounted by the bank.
while the hard cash SO Obtained went
among the confederates.
But in the hour of their elation the nlo.
ters overlooked the fact that on two bills
there Were no dates. The bank unsuspect-
ingly sent to the supposed acceptors To
have the omission rectiiied, and so the for
geries were Instantly detected. The three
men were eventually sentenced TO penal
servitude for life. but have since been liber-
ated. and one has lately been arrested in
America on the charge OF forgery.