Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-02-10

uVi.f y LIE COZ NTh!sftif CONGRATULATIONS I
BEOKEy UP-Oa.EAT CoSTR} cTI0N OF THE
CURRENCY ARTIST OF C0UNTEEfEETERS ~
CLEVELAND.
A few days AGO, Sheriff spanelrr received,
through the pest Office an Anonymous letter, pos
marked Watkins. S.hnyier- county, n y. inform
ing hm that by searching the premises occupied
by niau uamel e. Somers a-qnantity o. COM
terlftinq roplernents eoHl3 be obtained Alter due
ironiry. no body knew sueh a man m this city
A c,ever russ was then hit upon. 1t was ascer-
tanned at the post Office. that man answering 10
the name sent the Sheriff. called daily for letters
Fur the purpose Of ascertaining the residence Of
Soners, the mex time he called for letters. he was
told that the penny post man had taken letter to
No. 9 Parkman street, for him. supposing that was
where he resided. but found he was mistaken, and
brought back the letter. which was handed to Som
ers, who was then asked what was his street and
number. He replied. after little hesitation, No.
% Scoyille street. The sheriff now had the right
scent of his game. The next day, Friday, he made
areconnolsance of the premises, which he found to
be plain two story frame house, rear grocery,
and ascertained that the occupants consisted usual
ly, OF two men and one woman, who had resided
there about three months
That night he mustered his posse, CO. sisting Of
Deputies Whitney and Bosworth, and Deputy Mar
shall McKiusiry The four proceeded cautiously
to the vicinity Of the den-three standing "afar
off, the fourth, Whitney, walked up to the door
and raped. sprigbtly, handsome little woman
opened it. Whitney inquired whether gentle
man by the name of Somers resided there?
She replied, "Yes but he is not at home. What
do you desire with him.
Whitney-"I understand he has sleigh for sale,
which wish to purchase, as l am going out on a
sleighing party to -moTrow night. What time will
he probably be at homer
Moman-'I think he has no sleigh he wishes
to sell He will be home some time this evening.
Whitney-"wel, 1 must be mistaken in the
house Is there no other in this vicinity of the
name of Somers2 I am certain there is man Of
that name who wants to sell his cutter"
Woman--'T presume you are; but believe there
| Is family of the same name residing at No 6
Parkman street.
Whitney-"Thapk you. Good evening"
Whitney made his report to the Sheriff. The
party then went into the grocery to keep warm
| the night being bitter cold-keepng sentry by
turns. About eleven o'clock the sentry gave the
alarm. Two men were seen to enter the house
| Ncknstry quickly stepped up to the door after
| them and distinctly heard the woman say to the
menin the hall: 81 believe the Sheriff has been
after you tonight Mac. then knocked; no sd-
mittance; door was locked. A. that moment Rose
Grants rushed out of the back door to make his es-
cape and pitched into the open arms of ''big" Bos-
WORTH who was standing in the rear to receive just
such company Whitney pitched in at the SAM
| door, and opened the front one at which Mac was
butting with his boot heels
Whitney seized Somers on the stairs. and Mac
made an assault on the parlor door, which was
locked. During the melee the pretty little lady ran
into the parlor, and locked it. and piled into the
stove vast quantity of the currency" She opened
the stats Of the window shutters to see out, and
| Mac also saw what was going on inside Wher
| H., into fba ba Cd
the cinders of the consumed notes. "Ah this is the
sleigh you wanted to buy, is t?' said she, in 6
Lland insinuatiug manner while a beautiful smile
payed upon her face The gallant Mac. replied
! that ''theYha merely come tonight to negotiate
loan from her bank, in order to pay the expense.
Of the sleighing party. and hoped the discount
could be e5tained on the security which he Of
| fered."
Both men were handcufled and searched. Or
SomeTs was found large package Of bills, ready
| to send of addressed to a confederate at Norwalk
A hand trunk was found, and key TO unlock i
was delivered to Whitney by Rosecrants; 1t con
tanned Sc 900 of counterfeit bills, in various styles
of perfection. Some counterfeiter's Implement
were also found in the house. The press, it wa
ascerteiued, had been loaned few days before, L
some OF the gang residing out Of the city, and ex
pected back in few DAYS. A large number Of or
ders for discounts" were found in their trunks
parts of the country.
One man, residing down TIE Canal about on,
hundred and twenty miles wanted large dscoun
which he said he could pass like hot cakes, bu
that he was short Of current funds Just then; bn
| pledged his word as an honorable man, that b.
would remit promptly upon the receipt Of the bills
Another said he was going to start East, via Wheel
ing and Baltimore, and that he would require
| heavy lot Another was going down the river
and fourth up the lakes All spoke in the highes
terms of the excellent quality of the currency, anc
the case with which it passed current The house
% ScoviIle street appeared to be the wholesal
manufhctory, for extensive efforts at relieving tn
stringency Of the money market.
All the counterfeits found were on Eastern Banks
Some Of them were genuine notes of smaller de
nominations altered to larger ones. Somers i
identified as the man who took SO much pains t.
find bail for a Postmaster who was recently ar
rested for robbing the mail. The sharp little wo
man claims to be his wife q Rosecrants ala
| Nichols, was much scared-Somers alias Minor
kept as cool as ice-cream, and cautioned his com
paaions to say nothing. The gang is supposed t
have come from Corning. N. Y. Vigorous meas
ures have been taken to secure other members.