The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-01

clear to Briggs that all the bonds referred ta had been forged by Rich, and they in- mediHtely began to take Up the obliga- tions which thiH spurious collateral or paper had secured. They took up S55. GOO af the Union Savings Bank and Trust company and the s10,000 deposited at the Janesvills bank, which covers the amount of the bonds taken west by Mrs. Rich, referred to as being wrapped up in towel.
 Ut is evident that for some time past Rich must have figured on forging bonds, as he had to get either the plates from which the Wood county bonds were print ed or have them by some process duph- cated. in which case others must be crim- inally implicated.
 "There is a peculiar similarity between Rich's transactions and those of the Cleveland broker L. w. Prior, who un- loaded such an avalanche of forged se- eurities and then committed suicide.
 'aThe first ntimation Briggs received of Rich's dupicity came in a peculiar man ner. MT. Briggs went to President Hinsch of the Fifth National last Monday to se- cure a loan Of s200o stating he had as security Wood county bonds. MT. Hinsch replied that he did not care for those bonds. but would accommodate MT. Briggs on his personal note for what ever amount he wanted How close are you to Rch?" asked Mir. Hinseh. "Only in this one deal" answered MT. Briggs. When Briggs returned to his office he got 10 thinking over Hinseh's question and went back to see the banker. The latter finally showed him one of Richs Wood county bonds, and when Briggs eye fell on the .L' in one of the sigma lures he recognized at once that it had been forged by Rich. It developed that MT. Hinsch had made two or three loans on genuine Wood county bonds, and when one of Richs bogus bonds came into his possession he recognized at once that the names had all been forged. Mir. Briggs almost collapsed when the banker told him all this, for in all his dealings with Rich he had never seen any of the bonds. He immediately started an in- vestigation. and with Mir. Woolley's re- turn from Cleveland on Tuesday no doubt remained that all the Wood county bonds put up by Rich were bogus.
 Briggs Settled In Full.
 Tn financing the Beloit deal the Queen City bank of this city had loaned them s5O 900, a representative of the bank go- ing to Milwaukee and handing over the money in return for that amount of the forged bonds brought on by Mrs. Rich. It was necessary to secure $l0,000 more and that amount was secured from the Zanesville bank on s10O00 of the forged bonds A draft on Rich for this $10000 accompanied by the bonds came to the Fifth National bank here and was taken up by MT. Briggs. The $55O00 bonds held by the Queen City bank were taken up by MT. Briggs and placed as security with the Union Trust. Mir. Briggs also cleared up this latter loan when he learned the bonds were forged. As far as can be lao ,a1 hor inc af prnd bonds in some Cincinnati bank and S50O0 in a Covington bank. These were placed by Rich personally, and the banks will have to look to the fugitive broker. MT. Briggs personal notes were loans amounting to s65, GOO which were further secured by the worthless bonds. All this $65.OOo MT. Briggs settled in the past two or three days taking up his notes and the forged bonds and leaving the banks scot free.
 When Rich was at P. S. Briggs & Co. s office on Tuesday, at the termination of a stormy scene, Rich made written statement exonerating MT. Briggs. The document is as follows:
 I. A. l.. Rich of Cincinnati. do here by certify that I am the owner of $65. 900 Wood County, Ohio, 5 per cent bonds
 Date of bonds and maturity of same is detailed and also names of banks at which these 4b9,UVO or DOnuS are pidceu HI BE- curity for loans, but MT. Briggs did not desire to have the names of banks pub lished.
 's T am the sole owner of said bonds and that same are a legal and valid obli- gation of said Wood County, Ohio, as per Kramer & Kramer's opinion attached hereto, and that said P S. Briggs & Co have no interest or claim whatever in said bonds and that they have bor- rowed on said bonds for me, acting simply as brokers in the transaction
 Gave Wife Money.
 Tuesday night MT. Briggs got in com munication with Mir. Will Hayes in Cleve- land Hayes is a cousin of Mrs Rich. He came down Wednesday and brought Mrs. Rich to Mir Briggs office. In a long con sultation Mrs. Rich admitted that she knew the bonds were forged. She said that her husband on Tuesday afternoon sent her $500 in cash and two checks of sf50O each She didn't know what to do with the money, so she went to friend of her husband. pr. c. II. Rosenthal, dentist in the Weave building, for advice He told her not to let those hounds get the money, but to give it to him. He would take care of it. She gave him the two checks and he deposited the 5000 in the Market National bank to his credit as trustee. Mrs Rich agreed to surrender the money, and after the conference We'd nesday she and MT. Briggs went to Ro- senthars office. He peremptorily refused to give up the money, saying that he was acting on the advice of his attor- ney Mrs. Rich got down on her knees and pleaded with him, but it was use less.
 Rich did business as ths A. L. Rich company, a corporation of which he IS the n IT for~f, "a