A mammoth swindle — Livingston thrown into the Shade — a Million and a Quarter gone up.
The swindles of this war are carried on onas grand a scale as the war itself — both exceed anything yet accomplished in their respective lines.
Capt. Decie, an Englishman, residing near the
Montgomery.
White Sulphur Springs has "recognized" the
Confederacy — done it for the handsome figure of $1,200,000--and sloped.
His operations were sales of bogus bills of sterling exchange.
The Lynchburg
Virginian gives the following account of this great swindle:
‘
"The bills were disposed of to various merchants and brokers of
Richmond and other towns, and on being forwarded for collection the startling fact was brought to light that they were spurious.
They, however, hear the endorsement of the
Cashier of the Bank of the Valley at
Christiansburg, which indemnifies the holders from loss, but will rum the Bank.
The Cashier had such assurances as to make him perfectly confident of his safety in the transactions, but it turns out that they were diffusive.
Among those who vouched for his responsibility, we hear the names of gentlemen in high station connected with the
Government.
’
"Decie, we believe claims to be an officer in the
Royal Navy, and, we understand, had some connection with our Government.
He has been residing for a year or two in
Montgomery, where he owns a plantation, and has recently had elected a splendid residence.
A great deal of his time, however, was spent in
Richmond, where he lived in princely style, paying as much as one hundred and forty dollars a day at the hotels, besides taking his meals at the restaurants.
His extravagance seemed to have no bounds.
We hear the names of
Wadsworth,
Palmer & Co.,
Samuel Harrison, and —
Foster, a broker, of
Richmond, as among the victimized.
Parties in
Wilmington also suffered.
Decie is supposed to have gone to
England.
He left fifteen or twenty negroes, farm furniture, etc., which have been stretched for the benefit of the sufferers.
Other acts will no doubt be developed of this mammoth swindle. "
