MAIL NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 3195, 17 May 1873, Page 3

MAIL NEWS.

ENORMOUS yORGEKIBS,

On Saturday,. the Ist inst., the most startling rumors were afloat in the City, that a series of forgeries of bills of exchange had been detected by the Bank of England. The greatest consternation prevailed among our financial magnates. Bill-books were anxiously ■overhauled, and signatures carefully scrutinised ; aud until the result of these investigations was announced, tho wildest exaggerations as to the extent of the losses were created. It was not until after the lapse of several days that the limit of the fraudulent operations of the gang was definitely ascertained, and the sum total of the plunder was returned at from LBO,OOO to LIOO.OOO. That, it may well be considered, was a splendid prize for the swindlers. It, however, fell far short of their ambitious aims. But for a mere casual oversight in the manipulation of some of the hills, they would in all probability have bagged something like half a million sterling, and placed themselves beyond the reach of their victims before the detection of the forgeries. Tho plot was discovered in this wise. Two of the series of forged bills, drawn on Messrs Rothschild, and endorsed as “accepted,” were presented for discount on the morning of February 27. By a singular inadvertence, tho endorsement was undated, and the Bank of England accordingly sent the bills to St. Switmn’s lano, with a request that tho date of acceptance might be added. This led to the discovery of the forgery, and the exposure of the whole plot. \V ithin a little ovi-r a month Warren had paid in to his account no less than L104,196in bills, all of which had been promptly discounted, aud the proceeds placed to his credit. The chief of the gang, known by the name of Warren, Horton, and several other aliases, an American, commenced bis operations as long ago as last May, by opening a deposit account of the ordinary character with the West-end branch of the Bank of England. To effect this he needed only an introduction by some customer. This he readily found in a respectable West-end tradesman. He represented to the manager of the branch that he bad come to Europe for the purpose of introducing Pulman’s American Sleeping Cars on the continent?.! rat]way lines, for uso during the forthcoming Vicuna Exhibition, and hinted that the monetary transactions would therefore be extensive. To throw the bank off its guard, he for a tiros proceeded quietly and methodically, drawing upon his balance ?nd renewing it, but always keeping a good deposit. After some months he advanced another step, and deposited some bills. They were genuine and good, and this stage in tho operations was continued a considerable time, until ho had acquired the reputation and standing of a respectable person engaged in legitimate commerce. Having acquired this footing, and laid asleep all suspicion, he proceeded to the presentation of the forged bills. At this time no seems to have been living chiefly at Birmingham, where, it will probably be found, the forgeries were carried out. But he had confederates in London, and through tho agency of one of them, a clerk named Edward Noyes, the bills were presented. They were discounted without hesitation, jtnd a considerable portion of the money so acquired was invested in United States Bonds. Eypn while tbt se forgeries were going on, be occasionally discounted spme genqine bills, fjp to the jnppient of the unexpected dinouemwi newly 1.100,000 had been tecurcd in this fashion. The spurious paper is said to be marvellously like the acceptances of the firms imi tated. Many of them are in the habit of using a peculiar kind of paper, with special watermarks, and an exclusive style of printing, all of which would have to be copied. Then each bill would have different signatures, and the names sometimes o'f half adozen acceptors on the back, all first-class names. These had to be imitated by a series of feats in patient labor and consummate skill. All this was done. Having evidently abundant capital at his command, he could buy on ’Change as mapy bills as he pleased, apd after mastering all the peculiarities of paper, printing, and signature, could get his money back by rediscounting the drafts. Among the acceptances successfully imitated are those of Messrs Rothschild, Messrs Baring Brothers, Messrs Brown, Shipley, and Co., Messrs J. H. Schroeder and Co., Messrs fuse and Sibeth, Messrs B. W. Blydenstein, Messrs J. and C. Imthurn, the Gerpaan Bank of London, the London and Westminster Bank, the Union Bank, and the Bank of Belgium and Holland. I be numbers of fb® United States bonds known to have been purchased with the proceeds of the forgeries were promptly published, and bankers, brokers, and others, were warned against dealing in them in any wa)% Owing to the use of aliases, the identity of the leading confederates is involved in confusion aud uncertainty. Whether Warren and Horton are two distinct persons, or the same individual under different names, was for some time by no means clear. The authorities, however, offered a reward of LSOO each for the capture of either of the three presumed delinquents—Warren, Macdouuell, and Bidwell, or Burton. Warren had two narrow escapes from capture, first at Euston square Station and a few days later at Cork. Later a telegram was received from New York by the city police authorities, stating that the man George Maodonuell, otherwise Swift, for whose apprehension a reward of LSOO was offered, was arrested in that city on the arrival of a vessel from Havre, in which he was known to have sailel. Thr e persons more or less implicated in the disposal of the plunder, were secured almost immediately after the discovery of the fraud. The first capture was that of Noyes, who had been acting as clerk or agent to Warren. He happened to be in the Continental Bank, where some of the proceeds had been lodged to the account of Horton, when a cashier from the Bank of England called to obtain information about the forgery. He was spotted, and at once arrested, and has s : nce been twice under examination. Subsequently, Jules Monnier, musical instrument maker, and Ellen Vernon, both foreigners, wore captured at Euston-square Station, in unlawful possession of a bag containing nearly L 3.000 in gold, which they were about to convey to Birmingham. The fwo latter have been released, as not impli cated in the fraud, and the woman, who turns out to be Noyes’s mistress, has bmn admitted as witness against the gang, the nature ef whose operations are being gradually elucidated. The failure, fraud, and flight of Mr Lizardi, an eminent city merchant, have given a great khock to the mercantile community. The smpension of his firm was quickly followed by pis arrest on the charge of fraud, It appfears tbq.t in the beginning of February, Mr Currie, of the'firm of Messrs Glyn, Mills, and Go., bankers, advanced Lizardi a sum of L 12.000 for three days, and received as security certain documents for the delivery of goods alleged to be worth L 29.000. Among these was a bill of lading for a carp oof wheat to bo delivered to Lizardi’s order. The advance was not repaid, the smash camo, and then it was discovered that the wheat had been disposed of towards the end of January. V ben brought iip the second time for‘examination, on the 21st of February, an application for bail was made by Lis counsel, and very reluctantly by the Lord Mayor; and then oqly on the assurance of Mr' Straight that a complete answer to the charge could be produced. Lizardi entered into his own recognisances for tho •am of 1-5,000, and two gentlemen became

sureties for his reappearance to the extent of 16,000 each. When the case was called up on Saturday, March 1, the delinquent was not forthcoming. Terrified by the consciousness of other guilty practices he absconds . The Lord Mayor was very angry, severely upbraided the counsel for misleading the Court, and at once estrca'cd the recognisances of the sureties. In a few hours the walls and hoardings of the metropolis were placarded with bills describing the fugitive, and offering a reward of L2OO for his capture. Messrs Glyn and Co., having since obtained proofs of d liberate forgery, have offered 1-250 for Lizardi’s arrest. The first meeting of creditors was held yesterday. Harvey, the confidential clerk to Messrs Baxter, Rose, and Norton, who was a prisoner on bail charged with embezzling L 15,000, the moneys of his employers, died at his residence at Twickenham somewhat suddenly. .