Every person who, with intent to defraud, forges, counterfeits, or falsely alters:

1st. Any certificate or other public security, issued or purporting to have been issued under the authority of this state, by virtue of any law thereof, by which certificate or other public security, the payment of any money absolutely or upon any contingency is promised, or the receipt of any money or property acknowledged; or

2nd. Any certificate of any share, right or interest in any public stock created by virtue of any law of this state, issued or purporting to have been issued by any public officer, or any other evidence of any debt or liability, of the people of this state, either absolute or contingent, issued or purporting to have been issued by any public officer; or,

3rd. Any endorsement or other instrument transferring or purporting to transfer the right or interest of any holder of any such certificate, public security, certificate of stock, evidence of debt or liability, or of any person entitled to such right or interest;

is guilty of forgery in the first degree.