FORGED "FIVERS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11950, 26 April 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

FORGED "FIVERS."

■FIVE MEN ARRESTED AND . . CHARGED. . , x,:'

INTERESTING STORY OF THE CAP- , • TURK- -- 4 " ' Thu Mansion House Justice Room, London, was overcrowded on March 10 by well-dress-edpeople, attracted by the appearance in the dock of five men charged with being concerned in the manufacture and circulation of clever imitations of £5 Bank of England notes, which had been passed as genuine, some of them being accepted even by bankers. * Accused were Friedman Levy (38), brass finisher; Thomas Brown, 30, licensed victualler ; Thomas Gibbons, 45. plasterer ; Morris Freeman (alias Windham), 40. pub-lic-house manager ; and Henry Devonport, 33, fish curer. They were charged with being concerned together in forging and uttering £5 Bank of England notes with intent to defraud. Brown and Devonport were further charged with having in their possession 209 forged Bank of England notes, well knowing them to have been forged. \

Mr. Frc-shfield. for the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, said prisoners Mere only arrested two days before, . and therefore he was hardly in a position to say very much about the matter yet; but he proposed to prove prisoners' arrest, to produce the forged notes found on some of the prisoners, and then to call an official from the Bank of England to testify that they were forgeries. The Bank of England had been troubled for some time with these forged notes, and importance was attributed to (he apprehension of these men.

Detective-Inspector Davidson said on February 7 last, in consequence of a communication from ex-Inspector W. Outram, he made certain inquiries, and on February 11 he was introduced by Outram to a man named Stephen Fry, who made- a communication to him, in consequence of which witness gave him certain instructions. From that lime he had had a number of interviews with him, and in company with other officers he had kept observation on the whole of prisoners. He had seen them meeting together at certain dates and times from February 12 to March 8. In the early hours of March 4 he had an interview with Fry. In consequence of what he said, at ten o'clock on Tuesday, March 4, he kept observation outside tne Royal Hotel, Burdett Road, E. There witness saw *» Freeman, known to him as Windham. Fry joined him, and later Brown. They conversed together for some time on the footway. Freeman left Fry and Brown, and got on a tramcar going west. Later the same day witness again saw Fry. In consequence of what he said ho and other officers watched outside the Bodega, Bedford-street, Strand, on that evening. The whole of the prisoners (with the exception of Levy) and other men came there. Witness kept observation upon them for some considerable time. The four prisoners and Fry went to Daly's Theatre, Witness afterwards saw Fry, and was put into communication with a Mr. Sammes. An office had been taken at the Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus, and two rooms at the Cannon-street Hotel by the police. Devonport had gone to the offices in Imperial Buildings with Fry. On March 8, shortly after two, Mr. Sammes was in one of the rooms at Cannon-street Hotel, and a number of detective officers were in the next loom. Fry came in shortly afterwards, and Devouport followed a quarter of an hour later. A conversation ensued between Devonport, Frv, and Sammes, which could be heard in the next room, and notes of which were taken. Witness heard Devonport say, " 1 cannot get my man to come into the city with the notes', but if you will come to the house in the East End, and bring your money with you, the notes will be handed over to you, and you can examine litem there." Devonport left, and arranged to return about half-part four, Fry accompanying him. Shortly before four Fry returned to Sammes at Cannon-street Hotel, and produced 9 forged £5 notes. They were left in Sammes' possession. Fry came back with Devonport. Meanwhile, the police had arranged with Sammes what to do as to the purchase of the notes. Sammes suggested to Devonport in the hearing of the police to go with him and Fry, whe£e they liked, to complete the transaction. It was arranged that the notes should be handed to Sammes in the cab. and that he (Sammes) could take them into a lavatory on the platform at the railway station in Coborn Road, and if satisfied with them return and pay the money for them. Devonport left. At a quarter to seven the same evening witness and six other officers proceeded to a railway arch in Coborn Road, and remained there. Later some of the prisoners arrived, and Brown and Devonport were arrested in a cab. Two parcels were taken from the cab. The parcels contained 200 forged £5 notes— 100 in each parcel. Witness and others then went to a house in College-street, close by, where they saw Freeman (alias Windham). Witness sa'id he was his prisoner on a charge of uttering forged £5 notes. He replied he knew nothing about any notes. Gibbons was in the fame room, and witness at once recognised him as a person who was present with the three other prisoners at. the meeting at the Bodega. He took him into custody as well. He. made no reply to the charge. Later on witness and others went to the Unicorn public-house, Commercial-street, and arrested Levy. Levy said. "You need not tell me the charge. If you are police officers that is enough." He: was told what he would be charged with. Levy replied he had not- changed any notes unless ills bank had given him some"; he drew some money out of his bank that week, but he had no notes Prisoners were taken to Cloak Lane Police Station, where they were charged. Fry and Sammes were then present. Devonport said to Frv. " You will see my wife and children have'their dinner to-morrow, wont you, Fry?'' Fry said. "You had a lot of consideration for my children when you got me to cash your notes." A Bank of Engraving note was found on Levy. ° Mr. Walden Maepherson, inspector of banknotes at the Bunk of England, said he had examined the notes (209) produced, and they were" forgeries. At this stage prisoners were remanded.