New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-12
RUINED BY THE RACES.
LEWIS L. RossE. OF BROOKLYN, A con-
FESSED FORGER AND EMBEZZLER.

FESSED FORGER AMI bMpELHI>bf'
HE WAS PAYING TELLER OF THE BEDFORD BANK
AND HIS ACCOUNTS ARE so.25o sHoRT-HIs
WIFE NIECE OF EX-SENATOR
PALMER. OF ILLINOIS - WHAT
PRESIDENT BLACKBOARD SAYS
OF THE AFFAIR
Lewis l.. Rosse twenty-eight years old. men,
Der OF the Crescent and Irving cubs. and sew
eral bicycle organizations in Brooklyn. a man
Of great popularity among his social and busi-
ness associates, and the paying teller in the
Bedford Bank, at Bedford-ave. and Halsey-st.,
where he had the utmost confiderce Of the Off
cials and patrons, arrested yesterday ar
ternoon I'm the offices OF the American Surety
Company, in the Franklin Building. and locked
up In the Adams-st. police station, charged with
the larceny OF $4,000 This money was OBJ
taned by forging check with the name OF his
brother in-law, W. II. Palmer. the Detroit
Savings Bank The money was secured by him
to cover up defalcations from the Bedford
Bank for the last two years, in order that he
might play the races.
The blow has come to all his friends like
flash Of lightning out Of n clear sky. Mr.. Rosse
married last December Miss Annie Palmer, who
is said to be the niece of ex-senator John w.
Palmer OF Illinois Mr.. and Mrs. Rosse made
wedding tour on horseback through West
chester County. Both are expert riders. Since
that time he and his wife have been living at
the home Of her uncle, DR.. Edward T. Dobbs, at
No. 161 Safest. His friends have been com
pletely overcome by the news Of Mr. Roses
defalcation and arrest, and his wife has been
prostrated
Lewis f. Rosse obtained place in the Bed
ford Bank eight years ago as an office boy AL
that time he was living with his parents at NO
412 Halsey-st, where they are still living. Rosse
was unusually bright and accurate and quick
with figures He rapidly promoted as vacan-
cies occurred to assistant bookkeeper, DOCK
keeper check clerk. and finally, three and one
half years ago he was made paying teller. lie
gave universal satisfaction an. his salary was
raised each year until he was getting S2,"~.
GOOD WORDS FOR THE YOUNG MAN.
Eugene c. Blackford the president of the Bed
ford Bank when seen last night at his home
No. T25 ST. Mark's-ave., spoke in the highest
terms Of the record OF the young man. He SAID:
.'If there was one man in the bank in whom we
placed more confidence than in others. If can
so speak it was Rosse. There has never been
ANYTHING in his actions to arouse SUSPICION he
was never known to touch drop OF strohs
| linuor and never known to nave any pad hdpi'S
When I heard OF his approaching marriage Ias'
December | made the statement that ne "ou'u
make any girl the best of husbands. Ihe beu
ford Bank has more than two thousanp depos'-
tors. and | never knew any one person 10 De aS
popular as this young man"
on Saturday night. July 81. Mr. koSSe starteu
| nm his vacation of two weeks ON Monday
| August . the young man who was to take his
/ .ba handed him
and found it corre't. The following Thursday
| tho hank received throught the mail notice
| ~ the .rotes; of a draft for $1,000. drawn upon
| the Detroit Savings Bank, and signed W. H.
| Palmer On examination 1t was found that
| such a draft had gone through the bank The
| bank officials Immediately informed Mr. Rose $
| friend DR.. Dobbs, that they wished Rosse 10
| come back and explain matters. They ana not
| even then have any suspicion Of the truth, ana
| thought that the matter could be explained all
| right as a mistake But about this time W. II.
Palmer received a notice from his clerk IN De
| troit that a draft signed with his name and
| coming from the Bedford National Bank, of
| Brooklyn, had been sent to protest. Mr.. Palmer
is the brother Of Mrs. Rosse. He has llved IN
| Brooklyn for many years. but at present Is IN
| Detroit as the Western agent OF large Eastern
| firm. He happened to be in Brooklyn at the
| time the draft went to protest. re AT once au
|
of the bank and then the extent of his brother
| in-laws crime was revealed.
Mr.. Rosse was in Connecticut somewhere with
| his wife, but letters failed to bring him back
! at once. On Saturday DR.. DObbs, after receiving
assurances that II Mr.. Rosse returned the mat
| ter could be settled quietly, started out 10 md
him. After several days search he was found at
Mantle He came back to New-York on Tues
day morning with DR.. Dobbs
CONFESSED TO PRESIDENT BLACKBOARD.
On, bab bad priv int vieyc
with President Backford of the Bedford Bank,
in which he made a complete and pitiable con-
fession. He confessed that he had been de-
faulter for more than two years. covering by
false entries and by presenting false vouchers
when the bank examiners came around; that
the n 1ney had all been lost in playing the races.
! With the bookmakers he was known as Thomp-
son. In all he had stolen $3.50. Sixteen hun
dred dollars Of this covered up by false en-
| tries in the certificate of deposit account. and
$3.50 in coupon interest account. Only $1,000
had been taken out of his cash.
When he went away on mis- vacation he knew
his substitute would count this and discover the
loss. 1t was to reimburse this cash balance, and
keep his dishonesty from being discovered
! during his absence that Rosse forged the draft
| for $4,000. He teegraphed and wrote TO MS
| brother-in-law. in whose name he had forged the
draft. thinking that he would take 1t up and
cause no trouble. But Palmer was away when
| the draft came, there was no money TO meet IL,
| II went to protest and Rosse was at last in
spite Of himself forced to face exposure OF his
| crimes
The directors of the bank have had expert
accountants for two days on the books, and are
positive that no further ernbe5 Element has been
made than that to which Rosse confessed. In
any case, the Bedford Bank will not lose a cent
of money, as II will be fully reimbursed by the
American Surety Company. In which concern
Rosse was bonded for $1,000 Every effort was
made by the defaulter's fricrds to settle the
affair quietly but President Backford consid-
cred 1t his duty to inform the American Surety
Company as soon as he had heard Rosse's con-
| fess!on. They decided to prosecute the matter.
| and yesterday afternoon. when Rosse and his