Music Presenting Clyde Brooke in the secrets of Scotland Yard. Music How do you do? Is there such a thing as the perfect crime? If so, it's no place in this program. We're concerned with the majority of crimes, the imperfect ones. And yet, every so often there comes a crime so very near to perfection that the criminals themselves must have believed at one stage of the game that they would really get away with it. And yet, invariably they were wrong. Such is our case today, a classic in the annals of the tricksters. You've heard the expression, safe as the Bank of England. For more than a century that expression has signified the stability of a great British institution. Stability, yes. But invulnerable, I wonder. The title of this program is The Bank of England Robbery. Music Standing on an island site in the heart of the city of London is the home of the old lady of Threadneedle Street. This is the affectionate name by which the Bank of England is known the world over. Her stone walls are guarded at night by a company of guardsmen, and her gold and good name are guarded by day by the vigil of the clerks and managers. This is as true today as it was equally true almost 100 years ago. The time is the year 1873. Strolling along a city street in the summer of that year are two men. One is an inspector from Scotland Yard. The other is the famous American detective Arthur Pinkerton, who was over in England at the time in connection with some investigations for one of his American clients. Oh, a beautiful day, Inspector Shore. Yes, Mr. Pinkerton. You've certainly brought the fine weather with you. I guess it's just a fallacy in America, but we always believe you have nothing but rain and fog in England. Well, I certainly wouldn't like to conceal anything from you, Mr. Pinkerton. And we do have our fair share of fog and rain, but all the same, I think... Hey, wait a minute. What is it? See those two fellows ahead of us? What do you mean, those two businessmen? Yeah, and unless I'm very much mistaken, they're in a pretty queer business. Oh, can't say I recognize them. Hey, look, they're crossing the road. Come on, we'll keep on this side, but try to draw a level. No, they're strangers to me. But not to me. Unless I'm very much mistaken, their names are George Bidwell and George MacDonald. Bidwell has been mixed up in crime all his life. MacDonald is a convicted forger. Both of them are well-educated and will stop at nothing. Hmm, I didn't know they were in England. Well, thanks for the information. Oh, by the way, Pinkerton, do they specialize in any particular type of crime? Yeah, robbing banks. The Detective Inspector Shaw arranged for them into the shadows. The next few months, Scotland Yard kept a close watch on their movements. As an additional precaution, Scotland Yard sent a circular letter to the London banks warning them of the presence of Bidwell and MacDonald in Europe. However, the majority of the banks had their own system of precaution, and the bank managers were not very impressed. Another of these circular letters from Scotland Yard. I don't know what they take us for. A bunch of fools, I suppose. A couple of American tricksters over here. I suppose they think they can get away with the sort of trickery they use in New York. Oh, they're going to surprise us if they try it over here. Oh, nice to see them, right? His wish was to be fulfilled. The months went by, and no more news was heard of Bidwell and MacDonald. They both went over to the continent, and Scotland Yard gave up their watch. Then, a few months later, Scotland Yard received an urgent message from the Bank of England. Thank goodness you're here, Inspector. Immediately my attention was drawn to this forgery. I said for you personally. I felt that if any man could help us, it would be you. Oh, very kind of you, Mr. May. Well, I suppose you'll give me all the facts of the case. But this morning, I heard a message from Colonel Fraser, who is the manager of our West End branch. Among the bills cleared by him yesterday were two notes to the value of £1,000 each, in the name of a very respectable financier, Mr. Blidenstein. You mean that these notes were signed by Mr. Blidenstein, and were in fact promissory notes to the value of £1,000 each? That is correct. Each note, such as these, provided they are genuine and signed by a reputable banker or financier, are accepted by the Bank of England as full security. In fact, just as if they were actual money. And in due course, these bills go through to Mr. Blidenstein, who pays them, and the transaction is completed. Yes, of course. Such bills are usually post-stated. In fact, that is the reason they're lodged with the bank. On the date stated, they would go to Mr. Blidenstein, who would pay up. And these bills were, I presume, credited to the account of one of your customers at the West End branch? Yes, the account of a Mr. Walling, a businessman of considerable interest. He's an American. Oh, an American. You say he has considerable interests. Has he had the account of the bank for a long time? Not a very long time. No, I've had a talk with Colonel Fraser, and I gather, in point of fact, he's only had Mr. Walling's account for about a year. But that, of course, is explained by Mr. Walling being an American. He's over here in connection with the construction of the new Pullman train. He's having a number of these trains built in Birmingham for use in England and on the continent. Oh, how did you know this? He told Colonel Fraser. I see. I should not want you to think that Colonel Fraser relied on Mr. Walling's word concerning his stability. During the past year, a considerable amount of business has gone through his account. I need hardly add that there's been no grounds for suspicion in connection with Mr. Walling's account. We've had bills against some of the most reputable bankers and financiers in Europe, including Rothschild. And in every case, the bills were genuine, because they'd been met. This one against Mr. Blidenstein? Yes, this is a forgery. That is correct. And the awful thing is that we might not have known it for some time if it hadn't been for the mistake. Oh, what mistake? Well, I told you, these bills were made out to be payable on a certain date. Yes? Well, on this particular bill, there was no date. It was noticed by one of the clerks, and Colonel Fraser sent it round to Mr. Blidenstein to have the correct date added. It was then we learnt it was a forgery. When did Mr. Walling hand this bill into the bank? He didn't actually hand it in. I understand that he's been away in Birmingham for the last few months, and he had been in the habit of sending bills by registered posts. Sending bills? Oh, in fact, you mean that he's made a habit of this sending bills? Yes. And what's the state of his account? There's about 5,000 pounds in it. A very considerable amount of money has passed through the account in the past few months, and most of it has been withdrawn through checks made payable to a Mr. Hawton, who has an account at the Continental Bank in London. And what money has been paid into Mr. Warren's account to make these checks? Not much money. Most of it is represented by bills which will fall due during the next few months. Oh, and in the meantime, the Bank of England has credited Mr. Warren. About how much money do these bills represent? Well, I've only glanced at the figures, but I should estimate it must be something in the neighborhood of 100,000 pounds. A hundred thousand pounds. Mr. Warren didn't do things by halves. Immediately, Scotland Yard acted. Obviously, the account at the Continental Bank in the name of Hawton was the means whereby the criminals were extracting the money. On the very day while Mr. May and the inspector were visiting the Continental Bank, a young man came in to cash one of Mr. Warren's checks. Good morning. Good morning, sir. I've come to cash this check. Oh, thank you. If you just wait one moment, will you, sir? Yes, that's the account. All right, Mr. May. Just one moment, please. Yes? Anything the matter? I'm a police officer. If you'd accompany me to the manager's office, I'd like a word with you. The young man, whose name was Noyes, turned out to be the clerk to Mr. Hawton. He denied all knowledge of the plot and said that he'd only been in Mr. Hawton's employment for a matter of months. We've checked up at the lodging house where he's staying, and I gather that he talks quite freely of his post to Mr. Hawton. When did he meet Hawton? Evidently, he put an advertisement in the newspaper saying that he was seeking a situation and could put up some money as a guarantee of his being trustworthy. He gave Hawton 150 pounds to keep in trust. Needless to say, Hawton has disappeared. All the same, I don't quite trust Mr. Noyes. I think he knows more than he's saying. Further inquiries reveal that Noyes had come from America and that he'd arrived only six months ago. Pinkerton, the American detective, was now back in New York and acting on behalf of the bank. He helped Scotland Yard with information they urgently needed. Pinkerton advised London that a relative of Noyes had received that same month a draft for a thousand pounds. For a junior clerk, Mr. Noyes was very well paid. It's no use, you know. You'd better tell us the truth. Where did you get this thousand pounds? What thousand pounds? Did Hawton give it to you? I don't know what you're talking about. Where is Hawton? I warned you before, you'd do well to tell all you know. The The That the gang had chosen well. They knew that Noyes would keep his mouth shut. Already, however, the gigantic proportions of the crime had aroused the indignation of the country. It transpired that every one of the bills held by the Bank of England were forged. All the genuine bills that had been passed through the account of Mr. Wallen during the previous year had been used by the gang both to create confidence in Mr. Wallen's stability and to act as a basis for the forgeries they were planning to carry out. The Bank of England, to use an American expression of a different generation, had been taken for a ride. Needless to say, Hawton, Wallen, and every trace of the money had completely disappeared. The hunt was on. The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The