The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-01

chester They opened an account Will
the bank Of England. and then pur-
chased through agents in various parts
Of Europe ninety-day bills or accept
anceS, legitimate paper, winch Gney de-
posted to their credit in LONDON AFTER
they had established confidence in their
enterprise they began to deposit forged
bills of acceptanceS, on which they
drew 81. SOC, 600 inside of sixty days
Then the fraud was detected. By
an oversight Macdonald failed to MI IN
the date on one of the forged biils. inns
bill was sent by the bank to the mouse
in London on which il was drawn for
correction, and the forgery came 70
light The fOrgers got wind OF II, ana
separated at once to start by dlfIerehI
routes TO America. where they were TO
meet on a certain date. Edwin Noyes
Hill was arrested in London Dy Scot
land Yard men, George BidWen was ar
rested in Scotland, w A PInkertOn
caught Austin Bidwen in Cuba, and my
men got George Macdonald here IN
New York A large part OF the money
was recovered in New York
After trial all these men were SEN
fenced 10 life terms in prison, but all
were subsequently set free, George
BidWen was pardOned after serving
sixteen years, Austin BidweH after
serving eighteen years, and George
Macdonald and Edwin Hill after haV-
ing served twenty years each
These men had millions in their
here in New York, living in poverty
and broken down in health. Macdonald
is living from hand to mouth IN san
Francisco. George and Austin B1dWeil
died in Butte, Mont, in 1893, so poor
that a subscription had 10 be taken up
to put them decently under ground
Then there was George Engles, the
most noted free-hand fOrger we have
ever had in America Dutch George
he was called. His home was here IN
New York. His operations continued,
with various intermiSsionS, from 1852
until 1885. In the beginning he was
mixed up in the bank of England for
gerieS with the BfdWellS. He did the
pen work until he became alarmed at
the reckleSsneSS of the others, when he
drew out his interest and left the band
EngleS had for associates from time to
time such men as Spence Pettis, Char
ley Becker. George Wade Wilkes and
others who became noted In their day
as professional fOrgers. His method of
operating was principally by drafts and
by forging Endorsements to checks and
drafts stolen from the mails. He was a
most expert man with the pen He
never traced a signature. With five
minutes practice he could turn out an
exact copy OF any signature put before
him. 1t is no exaggeration to say that
EnSleS got over a million dollars by
forgery; but il never did him any good.
He was a high liver and a desperate
gambler, and he never got the OppOr-
tunity to enjoy the comforts that
wealth properly expended bestows. He
died in poverty in this city. He was
or German descent, and as ShreWd and
as cautious as they grow, never allow
ing himself to be brought in contact
With the person who presented his
forged paper and always working
through a 'gO-between' or middleman;
yet his life was filed with terrOrs, and
there was no peace for him on earth.
Spence Pettis and George Wade
Wilkes were pupils of Dutch George
After branching out for themselves
they got together and planned a scheme
TO forge and float railroad and county
bonds Concerned with them as back
ers We're Andrew L. Roberts and Val
entine Gleason That was in 1872 They
succeeded in getting so great a guam
tlty or the forged bonds into the hands
of financial institutions that when the
forgeries were discovered the losses put
three banks out of business and forced
one trust company into liquidation
+ The fOrgerS divided more than 81 OOO-
goo; yet Wilkes died a pauper-was
found dead in the streets of New York
with his skull fractured-and Pettis
died = lunatic in the 2fassa chusetts
state prison. Roberts was despOiled Of
his share of the fraud. and died a poor
man. Gleason is stu living, and he is
the exception that proves the rule. He
still has money
Forger With a Sense of Humor.
Mr.. Pinkerton consulted his memo
randum book again, closed IL, then
leaned back in his chair and chuckled.
There were no redeeming traits
worth mentioning in the others" he
said, but We come now to man who
missed his vocation when he took to
forgery William H Lyman is the man
1 mean He should have been a sue
cessful comedian. His sense of the hu-
mOrOuS was abnOrmally large He Ope-
rated from 1875 until 1885. He was an
unusually fine DenmIn, but his work
was done principally by the use of
tracing paper and chemicals, although
at times he turned out 'free-hand'
forgery His method was to purchase
! from country banks through confed-
crates one draft for a large amount
and another for a small sum. The draft
for the small sum he would raise to the
same figure as that of the draft for the
large amount, and collect it through
an exchange bank at a distance. Then
he would nave the genuine draft for the
large amount cashed at the bank which
originally issued il, explaining that he
had not had occasion to use it
But as 70 his sense of humOr?'' the
reporter asked.
oh, said Mr.. Pinkerton, ''he devel-
oPed tnat IN prison It was while he
was serving a sentence in Auburn Re
! cause Of his ability as a penman he got
2 position as a clerk in the Office of
the warden This gave him access to
the prison books. and he utilized his
opportunity and his talents to reduce
the terms of cOnVictS who had long
( time sentences to serve. He changed the
DOCKS so adroitly that q number of con
Victs were released years before their
time had expired.
Lyman could write the Lords
prayer legibly in a space no larger
than a dime. Like other forgars. he
occasionally came into possession OF
large sums Of money, but he ran
/ through it all and ended his career in
the Auburn prison.
Probably The greatest forger of them
al, Charley Becker, whose alias is The
Dutehman,' is now serving out a seven
years sentence in the California state
prison In the SOS he operated will
George EngleS- Afterward he was as
ISOLATED with Roberts, Wilkes. Gleason
Macdonald, the Bidwells. Little Joe
chapman, Joe Riley-in fact, he formed
combinations from time 70 time with
! all the best fOrgers in the country. He
was extensively sought after by the
/ others on account of his remarLa BILE
talent The popularity of his wOrE,
/ was that his forgeries were done with
/ a hne cameiS hair brush instead OF
| with pen He was concerned in the
( Dig bond fOrgeries in 1872 in New YorI,
/ and has operated in all parts of En-
rope 1t is safe TO say of him that he
has had his share OF the proceeds OF