A Clever Arrest.

Evening Star, Issue 7174, 30 March 1887, Page 3

A Clever Arrest.

A scene of excitement was witnessed at about noon on March 21 outside the National Bank of Australia, Port Melbourne, where the detective of police succeeded in cleverly arresting three notorious forgers in the very act of committing a serious fraud. For some weeks the Port police authorities had secret information from day to day of an intended raid upon the suburban banks by an extensive system of forgeries, and to counteract this a plan was skilfully laid to entrap the offenders at the right time and place. Two officers and Detectives Cawsey, O’Donnell, Conway and West were successful in their efforts almost beyond anticipation, with the satisfactory result that the banks have been saved from being plundered of more than LI,OOO. It was known that some time during the day an attempt to pass forged cheques would be made at Poit Melbourne, The actual bank to be selected for the first attack was not known for certainty, but it was shrewdly surmised that the National was to be operated on. In the banking-room, shortly before noon, three detectives, by permission of the manager, concealed themselves, and patiently awaited their quarry. They had not long to wait. Fram the place of concealment they soon saw a notorious criminal named Walker enter the bank, with a cool jaunty air. He presented to the ledger clerk a cheque for LI4O, purporting to be signed by Thomas Hester, a well-to-do marine store dealer, who had kept an account at the bank for years. The clerk, acting on instructions, marked, in red ink, the cheque, which the bearer handed to the teller. The latter, in an off-hand manner that disarmed all suspicion, asked Walker how he would have the money. The forger replied “All in gold.” Whilst the sovereigns were being counted, Detectives O’Donnell, West, and Conway quietly and cautiously approached from behind, and, as Walker was in the act of taking the coin, his hands were seized and handcuffed behind his back, and the astonished prisoner was hustled into the strong room, where he was guarded and searched. Outside the bank a Carlton waggonette had driven up, in which were seated George Davis alias Philips and Frank Spencer alias Godwin, both notorious criminals. These men, for weekspast, have been in company with James Walker, and their movements have been carefully watched. The detectives having Walker secured in the bank, next turned their attention to the occupants of the waggonette outside, who were unaware of the capture of their companion. A rush was made, and some resistance shown, but in a few minutes the two men in the vehicle were in safe custody. Then an immense crowd gathered in front of the building, the rumor having spread that the bank was being stuck up. A piece of paper had been fastened over the number of the waggonette to conceal it from identification. On the prisoners the detectives found concealed several forged cheques, amounting in all to L 1,015. These forgeries were skilfully executed. So cleverly done were they that the bank authorities to whom they had been shown and the persons whose signatures were forged were in several instances deceived. The prisoners, who fondly boasted to each other that they were “ going to give the banks a touch,” are now safely under lock and key.