New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-14
HELD AS FORCER WHO
SWNDLED MANY BANKS
Myon A. Livingston Apparently
Victim of Unusual Care Used
in Gangs Operations.
TWO WITNESSES IN T0MBS
Alleged Accomplices Said To Be
Ready to Testify-Penman
Who Signed Checks That
Melted $4,000 Sought.

NHIlGu DOO, WV SNN6 AN'
NIvron A. Livingston, who had little
,fice at No. 116 Nassau street. where
ne advertised as a real estate operator
and importer. but who is SAID to be the
head of gang Of forgers whose opera
lions during the last two years nave
enriched them more than SJo,Vp, anu
whose skill reused the fears OF surety
companies who guaranteed banks
against loss through forgeries. was ar
rested Yesterday by Detective Russo
Of District Attorney Whitman's Office
He was arraigned before Judge OSu!-
Ivan in General Sessions, pleaded not
r,,ilty to an indictment charging hinl
with forgery in the third degree and
was remanded TO the Tombs in default
Of $4,000 bail.
The indictment now standing against
Livingston is said 10 be in the nature
Of a makeshift TO hold him while more
FERROUS charges are taken before the
grand jury. George Il. Medalie' the
Assistant District Attorney who was
digging into the case against Living
ston. learned that Livingston was turn
ing all his quick assets into CASH ana
tearing that he was about to fee TOOK
The least complicated case before the
grand jury.
: Two members Of Livingston : alleged
gang are in the Tombs charged win
| forgery. Both Of them have made
statements to Mr. Medolie ma prom
I ised So testify against him ."cn he IS
drought 10 trial. II is sar" tHat LiV-
fineton himself wrote none Ot the Sig
natures whose Workmanship was So
skilful that banks certified and casheo
checks bearing them without question
According to his accomplices Living
.ton employed a penman to forge the
signatures on the checks. The mysteri-
Gus penman never appeared in any "i
ihe transactions Mr.. Medalie, how
kver. is confident that information
which he has will lead TO The penman'
arrest.
Cana Terrorized Banks.
1; was the operations OF Livingston :
gang. it is alleged, which caused such
widespread CONSERVATION among banks
and surety companies all over the coun-
try in August, 1911. At that time the
gang was Just breaking into the bust
ness and was far more cautious than
il since became. In spite Of its mod
grafton. however. the fact that Sl3.oOo
worth Of forged checks was certified
and cashetf within six months caused
the surety companies which insured
banks against loss through forgeries 60
send out a warning to their customers.
In August, 1911, things had come 20
such a pass that not only did the
United States Fidelity and Guarantee
Company. Of Baltimore. send out spe-
cial warning 10 $1,000 banks, but the
National Surety Company, which was
also losing on it's policies, stated that
It had stopped writing new policies.
The precautions taken by the gang
were minute The transaction which
resulted in the indictment against Liv-
ingston is an instance. II is alleged
that be intended to forge the name Of
The frm Of auctioneers of Wilmerdin3.
Morris &. Mitchell TO q check drawn on
the Bank of the Manhattan Company,
with which the aUctioneers did bust
ness. To make the scheme perfect not
only should the signature Of the firm be
forged but il should be forged on one
Of the FIRMS own checks.
On November o a customer called on
Livingston regarding some lots in The
Bronx. Livingston, it is alleged, saw a
rhance 10 make use Of a man whose
honesty would not be questioned, and
who probably would not be traced 10
him in any event. He told his Gus
toner, II IL alleged. that he was associ-
tied with the firm Of Wilmerding. Nor
rls &, Mitchell, and that It was abso-
,utely necessary TO have some "order
slips" printed at once. There was a
little printer" he said, in the Borough
Park section OF Brooklyn who would
10 II. even though 1t was Saturday.
The innocent customer. it is alleged
took the copy made by Livingston to
che little printer and came back with
fifty order slips printed as follows;
"Please deliver TO -" the firm name,
Wilmerding. Morris G. Mitchell being
printed at the bttom.
one Of these slips, according to his
alleged accomplish. Livingston sent ia
the Bank OF the Manhattan Company
by boy, having previously filed out
the blank as follows: "One large check
book"
The Bank Of the Manhattan Company
however. had shortly before certified a
check whose signature turned out to be
forged: moreover, it was known there
that Wilmerding, Morris & Mitchell
printed their own order slips. A pack
age shaped like a check book, but
which contained only cardboard, was
given 10 the boy. The boy was fol-
lowed. He met the innocent customer