Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-04-08

FAMOUS LONDON FoReERs.
They Operated For Years and Secured
Many Millions.

They Operated For Years and Secured
Many Millions.
Schmidt, the man recently arrested
in London for a series Of clever for
geries upon the Bank Of England, Is
Germa n American, and has a police
record Of great length in this country
AS a matter Of fact, the yellow pa
pers" of the East have doomed him
considerably as the greatest forsei
in the history Of the world" and al
that sort Of thing.
But though Schmidt Is admittedly g
marvelously clever scamp. he Is not tc
be compared to some Of his great
criminal predecessors. Jim the Pen
man. would have declined to soil his
fingers with small notes like those that
Schmidt forged. and Fauntleroy and
"Old Patch" would lave deemed him
bungler.
James Saward, better known as Jim
the Penman," was a curious instance
of warped mind. He came Of good
family, distinguished himself at OK
ford, and finally became barrister
Those who knew him best said his
knowledge of law and his forensic abil-
ity would have carried him to the
woolsack. But Saward was a criminal
by instinct, and naturally sought the
lowest associates. He became a re-
ceiver of stolen goods-not a vulgar
melter down Of stolen watches. Sa-
ward bought nothing but paper. If
burglar stole a check book from safe
or a pickpocket found checks In
purse, they would find a ready mar
ket with "Jim the Penman." Then the
blank checks would be filled up, and
"Jim the Penman" would take an Of
flee, and advertise for clerk. The
first work the innocent clerk was set to
do was to cash the forged checks at
the banks. Confederates followed the
clerk to the bank, and II there was the
slightest difficulty hurried back to give
the arch forger warning.
For twenty years Saward carried on
his fraudulent business. His uncon-
scious accomplices were arrested, but
the police were never able to lay hands
on the master mind at the back OF all
the crimes. 1t is estimated that Sa-
ward made many thousands a year
all of which he spent in gambling and
debauchery. His final detection came
about in this way: One Of his con-
federates was working on his own ac-
count at Yarmouth, and made a lit
tie slip in connection with some bank
fraud. He did not think the bank or
fcials suspected him, but wrote to Sa-
ward asking him how to get out OF the
difficulty. Unhappily for them BOTH
the bank did suspect something, and
the confederate was arrested. In MS
pocket was found an elaborate letter
of advice from Saward dealing with
the law on the subject, and telling his
friend what to do.
On the strength Of this the police
suddenly arrested Saward, and found
forged checks upon him. One or two
of his accomplices turned Queens
evidence and at the age Of fifty-eight
the great "Jim the Penman" was, for
the first time, convicted. He was sem
fenced to transportation for life. AS
one of his biographers observes, AT
all events. he had a long run for his
money"
"Old Patch" as one Charles Price
was called, started his criminal career
as bank note forger, and might have
served as an admirable illustration to
a book on self Help" He made his
own paper, engraved his own plates;
manufactured his own ink, and printed
his own notes-all with his own unaid-
ed hands. In addition, he used to dis
pose Of his home made notes himself
and to do so with due caution he had
three establishments. In one he was
the respectable married Mr.. Price, IN
another abode he lived with mistress
as Mr.. Powell, and from his third
lodging, which constantly changed, ne
did his actual business. He was per-
feet artist as regards disguise, and one
of his favorite roles was to pretend to
be a feeble old man, with green patch
over one eye-hence his popular name
of "Old Patch" In this disguise ne
passed six forged ESQ notes on a gro
cer and then humorouslv. In his ca
pacity as the respectable Mr.. Price, in
duced his victim to bring an action
against the Bank Of England to recov-
er the value of the notes.
Another little fraud Of Prices show
ed that he possessed a keen sense OF
fun. In disguise he called on Lon
don merchant and made some busi-
ness proposals. Afterward In his pro-
per person he called on the merchant
and warned him that the man who
had called previously was a dangerous
swindler. Next time the supposed
swindler called the merchant threat
ened to give him into custody. The
swindler pretended to be dreadfully
frightened, and offered to pay the mer-
chant $500 if he were allowed to go.
The merchant jumped at the offer. and
the rascal produced a $1,000 note, and
asked for change. Instead Of instantly
raising his price to e1,000, as practi-
cal business man should have done,
the merchant, with incredible faulty,
changed the note. Next day he found
it to be a forged one.
However, most Of "Old Patch's'
business was done with lottery offices
He pretended to be an Indian nabob,
and hired boy in livery to wait on him.
The boy was sent to all the lottery