New-York tribune., 1908-03-17
FORGED CREDIT LETTER
An ARREST IN P4RIS.
Bankers Lose Heartily Through Pho
toeraphic Reproduction.

Details connected with the forgery of letters
of credit on foreign banks amounting TO S240,-
600. of how the forgers realized S6O25 and of the
subsequent arrest of ore of them. stenographer
formerly employed by c b Richard & Co
bankers. OF No 31-:3 Broadway. on whom the
credit letters had been forged were given out
by the detective bureau last night. The prisoner
Gustavo Bozzo, of No. 211 West 25th street is
in Paris prison. and it is thought he will not
fight extradtion. the police say he has already
confessed and has implicated two companions.
The detectives say the two companions of Bozzo
were well known forgers. and that they were
released from Sing Sing only few months be-
fore they began their operations in Europe
The first story of the forgery by means of
Photographic plates given out at Police
Headquarters on February 2S At that time
the firm Of c. B. Richard & Co. said its losses
would not exceed $1,000. The police had not
obtained full details at that time.
The forgery was detected when the men ac-
cepted an advance f So5 This amount was
advanced on letter of credit made out for
$1,000. and the bankers in Hamburg became
suspicious and cabled this country. Then
the forgery was discovered.
Bozzo was employed by the bankers IN Novem-
her 1901 The police records now show that in
1902 he arrested for forgery. but re-
leased suspended sentence. Nothing was
known Of his record when lie was employed by
the bankers.
on November :. 1877. man who gave his
name Robert Lambers appeared at the offices
oi &. T. Richard < Co, and asked for letter
of credit for 500 to be drawn on banks in Lon
don, Paris Marseilles, Lyons and Genoa. He
deposited the money and got the draft. The fol-
lowing day he appeared at the banking house
and said he had decided to abandon his trip. The
firm returned the money TO him. IN the mean
time photograph of the draft had been made,
the police say.
Nothing was thought of this transaction until
the banking firm received word from European
banks with which they did business asking
about certain advice sheets, The numbers of the
sheets started with 569S and investiga ton
Showed that these sheets had never left the office
in Broadway. The amounts which the forgers
had made the sheets out for usually
$1,000.
Then the police were called in II was learne4
that when 4 letter of credit was issued that ad-
vice sheets were sent to the firms representa-
tives in Europe The sheet mentioned the
amount of money and the name of the person
to collect it. These sheets were numbered seri-
ally and all of the sheets were found intact IN
the New York office which supposed by
the European bankers to be authentic. Bozzo
came under suspicion. as he had left the employ
u the bankers after the first hint OF fors-
ary.
The police believe that the Mr.. Lamberg"
who got the original draft was Louis Bense,
released from Sing Sing on Novemt er / after
having served term for forging the of
John NJ. Alvarez, of Pendas & Alvarez, cigar
dealers. of No 200 Pearl street. to d check for
$500 the Mercantile Trust Company. His
partner, they believe is Frank Folindo. also
former convict, who served a long term
forgery charge. Both in Europe.