The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-12
ROBBED BANK OF ENGLAND.
STORY OF THE FAMOUS CRIME OF
THE BIDWELL BROTHERS.
shrewed scheme by Which the Lead
ing Financial Institution of the
World Was FIeeced of S5.OO0.000.

World Was FIeeeed OF S5.OO0.0OO.
From the Philadelphia Times
The announcemelt Of The death In Butte,
Mon, Of Austin E.dweI. who was one
Of the four men wso succeeded an defraud-
ing the Bank Of England Of $4,000 by
forgeries. brings 90 mind the story Of one
Of the most Esarvelous crimes OF the cen
fury. The newspaper press has contained
full accounts o. The felony. but these
stories are. almost without variation. re-
written from the book that was published
by George BidweI a brother of the man
who died the other day, and himself one
| Of the participants IN the criminal con
spiraey. Therefore, the inuaeacies Of the
story are not revealed, and, possibly, they
are worth the telling It would require
pages OF a volume such as that which
! George BidweE peddIed 10 fully narrate
the history OF the crime. but you can be
admitted 10 It's inner secrets in the brieler
form OF a coupe Of chats, based upon
knowledge CLEANED from the late Charles
| W. Brooke, who was counsel for one Of
the forgers. who reached this country as
y
ana TO Imprisonment You know the story
| in a general way; the story of how four
| Americans determined 10 defraud the Bank
o. England.
Let the narrator quote Brooke, the law
yer. as 70 part OF the story: The quar-
| tette Of forgers comprised Austin Biron
| Bidweh George B.dwen, George McDon-
/ aid and George Engels Austin B. Bid
! wei was a young man Of . years Of age.
OF marvelously captivating address. at
| tractive personal appearance, wonderfully
| comprehensive knowledge OF the general
| business affairs Of commercial communf-
ties, wei read. with extraordinary huency
OF speech. and. indeed. his coaversa-
| tional powers and his captivating manner
made him absolutely irresistible.
! George Bowel. 30 or 30 years Of age,
/ keen, bright, co,d-eyed, 1.-THE and active
/ in form, quick Of speech. terse in his SEN
fences, was a Representative OF the typi-
/ cal American merchant
! George McDona.d Is years Of age. with
| a profusion OF wavy brown hair. beard
Of the same hue silky and curly. white.
| ghstening teeth. perhaps a little of the
| 'Carker' type-you know Dickens crea-
/ zion OF that name-rOund brown express
/ siVe eyes, six feet Of stature, was hand
some and graceful as any hero Of romance.
! He was a man OF moods and their alter
/ atoms were so surprising as 70 be almost
| irdescribable- Al one time he displayed
the ennui and Indifferent repose of Sir
! Charles Coldstream,' and again all the
dash and fire of Jack Rover
"Engels, about 50 years or therea bouts.
was typical Saxon, with light b.ue eyes
and light hair. cold, unimpassioned. phleg-
/ matte, with peculiar timidity which is
/ iEseparable from the lifelong criminal: a
sudden gust of wind and he turned with
| apprehension, as if 1t were the touch upon
his shoulder of some dreaded detective
seeking him for some unknown crime.
These gentlemen posing so far as the
! two Bidwells We're concerned. as repre-
sentative merchants of much means. IN
| terested in the shipment OF wondrous car
| goes of cotton and of various other pro-
auctions of American soil, with their bank
| capital TO which they added through an
occasional Indulgence in parenthetic for
| geries, purchased drafts. opened accounts
and sold exchange in all of the banking
houses of the continent until, by the de-
| post. for example, OF large Suns with
the bankers Of Rotterdam or at Hamburg
| and the constant transfer of such deposits
| f ON bank 10 bank from Holland to Bel
| GUM. from Belgium TO Paris. they seemed
10 be dealing with unlimited capital and
acquired a reputation for enormous
wealth. Indeed. to extend their opera
tons. George Bidwen even took trim 10
| South America making a short trip 10
Rio Janeiro and then rejoined his eonfed-
crates in New York and in London En-
gels, in the early part of the game
| through something that occurred in Paris
scented a danger in the scheme and for
sock his confederates. The others con-
| tinued in their enterprise. Upon the re-
turn of George Bidwell 10 the continent
everything was apparently completed for
the launching of their scheme, which in
| its results comprohended millions George
! Mcdonald, who possessed beyond descrip.
ton skill in the imitation or handwriting
| In some quiet and secluded chamber away
| from associa ton, generally with those in.
! terested with him in the scheme, did what
| in the technical suggestion of the craft. is
| called the writing that is. he prepared
the forged drafts, the signatures of the
| drawers and indorsers and the explana.
tory correspondence necessary to them
| while Austin Biron BldweH dined and
wined the continental barons who were
the bankers and dignitaries who were
their friends, and with the aid Of George
| Bidwell, who had at odd times appeared
| upon the scene created the confidential
| relations and status essential TO the sue.
cess of their contemplated operations.
For a long time the transactions be-
tween the various banking houses would
/ or course, De Dy genuine draft, George
| Bidwell usually purchaing such drafts
either in Berlin. in Lyons. in Paris of .he
| Rothschilds in Brussels, Vienna and other
/ cities. These drafts were drawn uDou
! various places, the more various the bet
ter suited to the purpose of the confed-
| crates, aud, incidentally, some were pur-
chased upon the Barings. and other bank.
ers OF London. The business of Austin
Bidwell, for which he was peculiraly
adapted, was not only to attain the con.