A BANK SWINDLER CAPTURED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8073, 14 October 1887, Page 6

A BANK SWINDLER CAPTURED.

The steamship Alameda, which arrived at San Francisco on September 3, brought a detective officer from GeeloDg, Victoria, named Thomas Devereai. armed with papers for the extradition of John Henry Staurenghi, woollen broker, of the firm of George Synnott and Company, Geelong. Staurenghi ia wanted at that place for forgery and overdrawing, the proceeds of which aggregated £15,000. He has been in San Francisco since the 9th July, having left Sydney, N.S.W., for America on the 16th Jane last, and lived quietly daring the time ia the house of a, respectable family in Pine-street. A request to arrest him (sent by telegraph through the British Consul, Dennis Donahue) from the Commissioner of Police at Melbourne was received by the San Francisco Chief of Police on July 18. Staurenghi was soon located and placed under surveillance. Meantime, a despatch notifying the Melbourne authorities that the man had been found and would be kept in view was sent. It was proposed to shadow Staurenghi, and not arrest him till the proper officer arrived from Geelong with the necessary papers; bat Captain Lees, of the local detective force, seeing a red flag flying from a window of the Pine-street house, and fearing that his man was about to move, took him into custody on August 19, and lodged him in one of the city prison cells. On Devereur's arrival with the papers the prisoner was taken before Judge Murphy, under a complaint sworn out by the officer. He was informed of his rights, and that he was entitled to any counsel he might select. The complaint was sworn out for purposes of extradition, and the papers brought by Devereux forwarded at once to Washington for the action of the State Department. Accompanying them were the affidavits from William Alexander Stokes, of the Union Bank of Melbourne, stating that he discounted a note for £230, paid to JohnHenry Staurenghi's business account, and that the note proved a forgery, and was not honoured when presented. This note was selected as being sufficient to insure the return of the delinquent. Staurenghi sailed from Sydney under the name of James Henry Harris. The prisoner appears to be about 37 years of age, well-educated, »nd a man of fine address when at himself. When arrested his pockets were tilled with pawn tickets, showing that he had been in itraitened circumstances. The police be-

lieved him poor ; bat after his arrest, it wa& stated he had been gambling and betting on bone races. Staurenghi himself asserted he lost the money in speculations, and did not bring any of it to San Francisco, bat had to borrow cash to pay his expenses to this city. The only visitor to his tank cell was a female, name unknown, who appeared to be a relative;