SINGULAR FRAUD ON THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 32, 6 February 1878, Page 4

SINGULAR FRAUD ON THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

On Saturday, 30ih November, at the Bow-street Police Court, Charles Hilbert, a gentlemanly-looking man, waa charged on an extradition warrant, before Sir James iDghara, with forgery to a large extent on the French Government. It appeared tbat on the 10th June, 1876, the prisoner negotiated four bonds on the Tie%or Publique de France with Messrs Cardier, bankers, 108 Rue Richelieu, Paris. He received for the bondß on one occasion 60,000fr., and on another 14,083fr, 55c. He received the last payment on the 16th September, 1876. Paul Auguste Antoine Nestor Cteeiat, clerk in the Ministere de Finance, Paris said he originally wrote the four bonds negotiated by the prisoner. Since then all the figures had been altered. Each bond had originally been of the value of 1030fr., and now they were marked two for 20,600fr., and two for 18,540fr'. M. Alfred Gobert, principal clerk in the Bank of France, and expert in handwriting to the French courts, said he had carefully examined the bonds produced, and had found that the alteration had been made by chemicals. They were bo cleverly done that the alterations were not discernible to (he naked eye, but by applying other chemicals witn-ess discovered the frauds. Photographs had been taken of the bonds after witness had applied his chemicals, and theee photographs Bhowed both the original figures and the figures that had been made by the forger who had altered them. These photographs were produced in court. The case was adjourned.