UNPUNISHED CRIMES.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1756, 19 August 1874, Page 3

UNPUNISHED CRIMES.

A good narrative might be written of unpunished crimes in Melbourne, and particularly in relation to caligraphic enterprise. Men who know a good deal of mercantile metropolitan mysteries declare that theres is a quantity of paper under discount with the Jews that is never permitted to come to maturity, for the simple reason that it bears forged endorsement. Such paper is loaded with heavy charge^ for-discount, and those who take it know well enough that the drawers will pay anything demanded of them rather than that the bills shall be presented. I have heard some queer tales under this head, but the story I am about to toll is one of a still more imputtepi character if possible. There is a % W& in Little Collins street, let me say / "X. V, Z,," on«s of the firm, say X-, having a private account of some £700 in the bank, that he seldom Operated upon. In the office pf the firm was a clerk and a smart lad,.who seemed to have a great attachment to each other, and it was deemed singular that for no avowed cause same time. Their departure, however caused no suspicion as regards money matters, and their places wero speedily i filled. Some time after they had left Mr. X was asked by a friend in the street one day for a loan 7 of £100. The two walked together to-the bank, and Mr. X., addressing the ledger-keeper, asked how his private account stood. A memo, was „ handed to him marked •• Dr. £2 10s.' . Mr,,X. stood .aghast. "What's this» ' ' lie exclaimed j "' Why I\have something like "JBfQO heire." Expirations owued, and-a* many as seventeen cheques were produced bearing Mr. X.'s signature, upon which the whole £700 hat} been Withdrawn from the bank. Examination | of these cheques only added to Mr. X/s embarrassment. The signature to 'a. hair's breadth was his own signature, and kc declared to the bank officials, " Yes. the

signature is the fac simile of my signature, it is exact; burl never wrote it."' What was to be done. The bank clearly was not to blame, for no one in the world could have detected the fraud, it was so cleverly done. It was found upon enquiry that all the cheques had been presented by a young lad, and it was soon ascertained that this . was the boy who had lately left the service of the firm. He was sought out, and under threat made a confession. The clerk previously referred to bad drawn the cheques, the boy had represented them and obtained payment, and this is how the signature was obtained. An old acceptance of Mr. X.'s was obtained, some blue lead was rubbed upon the back of that part containing the signature, it was then laid upon the*cheque and carefully traced over with a fine point, and the impression thus made was afterwards gone over with ink. The pair divided the plunder, and the lad upon a promise not to prosecute him disgorged about £200, his elder accomplice upon the same promise gave up a quantity of jewellery, and altogether about £400 or £500 was thus recovered. The jewellery was lately disposed of by raffie at,a house in Swanson-street, and nothing more came out of the business. _ I wonder what experts in handwriting will say to this, for it totally upsets the notion that ajnan's signature may be sworn to in a court of law. Jn this case no action, it was admitted, could possibly lie against the. bank, for the man forged upon was only able to say, that while he did rot write the cheques the signature was so like his own that he could not tell one from the other.—Melbourne Correspondent Ballartt Star.