The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-16
KING OF E|'':.0|RG[Rs,
He D D | ] ! I Herring.
Wrecked Banks Cashier
Postmaster of Pennan-
ship, Says Expert.
Woman Gives Up $500
Of the Stensland
Bank Loot

BY Publishers, Press. ss ii: a
- HICAGO, Sept. a |. Henry w.
A Herring, kingsof forgers; the only
- forger whss has had the au-
Sdacity to forge his oWn forged notes,
making compound gerry; student Of
inks and papers, ana the actions and
uses Of various chemicals used in the
manipulation Of forged notes; a past
master in the art Of building forgeries
for thousands around the genuine sigma
ture of an unsuspec citing note signer.'0,
This is how handwriting expert W.
A. Drake characterized Henry w. Her
ing, the imprisoned cashier and secre-
tary of the looted Milwaukee Avenue
bank today when he made a final and
comprehensive report to Acting Re-
ceiver Shea, upon notch and papers that
have been submitted to him for exam
nation.
~"The Bidwell brothers, who forged
Bank of England notes, have always
been considered the shrewdest forgers
the world has ever known, but Herring
has proved himself a forger ahead of
all forgers by forging his own forgeries,
making the first compound forgery ever
detected, to my knowledge said Mr..
Drake. s,s. ~
Forgeries Reforged.
!. Forged notes which Herring had
I made and used and which had matured
4 were taken up and reforged, giving the
tpaper new life. The dates when the
8 notes were alleged 70 have been mad,
were altered and thegdates Of maturit,
were ehangedt to correspond Notation
8 on The back of the notes purporting t
ll51Ishow payment Of interest were also re
aforged. ~ NE.
:. 1 )Ss 7 found that Herring must have
s profound knowledge OF the chemica
composition Of $inkss,1' continued NJ,
:. Drake. Vs. .t''He has taken notes wit
> genuine signature and altered the1
: from joint to single notes u cleyerl
= that the detection was unusually diff
cult. In forging the. notes. three kind
: :. Of ink were used, blue, purple and rel
= to further battle detection, and diver
| ouop1ClOu. I
Il ''I was struck BY the free use L
q purple ink, and secured a sample fro
: the bank and had it analysed. It WI
= found to be an ideal forger g ink.
Is responds sensitively to reagents, sue
- as chlorine and acelic acids. Viii
Is having all the advantages of an exec
a lent writing fluid, it could easily !
I'll erased by the use Of proper chemica:
er Herring had evidently discovered t.
vs. right reagents.
Tn His Fatal Blunder. <.s-~
Al elm every crime, however, somethi
t. is left undone which brings detectit
90 The forger was clever, but he did =
he pay enough attention to the paper. 7
- application Of chemical eradication CT
:. the sizing of the paper and disturbs t
~; texture. The. forger was in too gre
,or hurry and he wrote upon the fore
notes before the paper was dried fr
the eradication of the genuine writil
"When the pen was touched to 1
mt yet damp paper little fibers, invisi
~ to the forger. absorbed the ink, 8
All altho the forged letters look smo
,ao and clear, yet under the glass the Ii
w. of the writing show blurred, reveal
.I the forger waited until the paper dr.
'o' witnessed by thousand eyes. T
n \ D., u H>1.-