The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-08-12
Great Haul Os COnnterfeiterS-AG Gang
Broken up.

consequences.
Great Haul Os COnnterfeiterS-AG Gang
Broken up.
The existence of gang of counterfeters,
who extended their operations over parts of
Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, having been long
suspected, Officer Reaney, of Cincinnati, put
himself to work to trace out its ramifcations
and arrest its leaders. Disguised in suit Of
wel!-worn home-spun, he made tour Of half a
dozen counties of Indiana on foot, talking and
chatting with men he met, but with his eyes all
the while wide open to the main chance. In
his peregrinations he got such information as
justified him in making certain important ar
rests in Rush and Henry Counties We copy
from the Cincinnati Commercial:
The first man arrested was DR.. J. Il. Patter.
son, of Carthage, i'll Rush County. who has Ell
joyed an extensive practice in his profession,
and is a man OF some property. He is aged
about As years, is malicious and vindictive, and
has been accustomed to go armed. After his
detection, he confessed that he had been en-
gagged in the nefarious business for which he
was arrested about two years, but it is believed
that his crimnaty had a much earlier date
entrap other parties pursuing The same avoca.
ton, and finding it lucrative he continued it on
his own account. The young men employed by
Mr. Reany decoyed him into a snare by EN-
ploying two men, to whom Patterson sold $50
worth of $40 bills on the North Western Bank
of Virginia, after which he was suddenly ar.
rested, taken to private apartment in u tavern
in Carthage, ironed and imprisoned. Mr. Reany
then asked him for the balance of SlO0, which
he had agreed to sell, and by the prisoners d.
recton it found with other packages
amounting to $3.50 under the corner Of his stand
in his office. Three bottles marked qlnine, full
of counterfeit bills, were found in an attic above
the office, besides rolls OF old newspapers con-
tanning one hundred and twenty bogus half dol
lars. A cellar was likewise discovered under
his bed room, the only access to which was thro'
a small trap door in the floor, which was cover
ed by carpet. Dir. Reany describes it as a dark
hole, very comfortably furnished, with table,
chairs, &C., in complete order for business
Counterfeit bills and bogus coin were also abun.
dant in various recesses OF this hiding place
The most important discovery made here, how
ever, was package of letters from different
members of the gang, revealing their where
abouts and operations, by the use of "proies-
sionel" phrases, perfectly understood by all
skiliful policemen, as well as by counierieiting
knaves.
Other exposures disgraceful to Patterson were
| made. He had separated from his wife, who,
with her child, refused association with him, and
lie was accustomed to receive horCes of aban-
doned women in his office, where he ate and
lodged. Over hundred indecent Gaguerreo-
types of himself and his female friends were
found scattered about his office. lie now lies
in the Nashville Jail, being unable to procure
5000 bail.
Dir. Rogers, Of Knightstown, who has large
| family anu is respectfully connected, was next
taken into custody. He represented himself as
"sporting man." He also had sold *lO bills
on the North Western Bank of Virginia and
when searched, one $40 bill on the Hatters
Bank of Connecticut was found on his person.
Perry Bennett, desperate of St. Omar,
whom the officers had always feared to arrest,
and who is fugitive from Justice in Illinois,
was next arrested. Twenty dollars in new coun-
! terteit notes ON the Reading Bank Of Pennsyl-
vania were found upon him. He WAS also lodg-
ed in Rushville prison.
| DIR. Frazer, another respectable citizen, was
also arrested and committed in default of 81,
600 bail. He attempted to conceal lot OF
/ spurious half dollars behind log. lie confess
es his connection with the gang, but pleads that
| he was seduced into it by Patterson. Valuable
correspondence, exposing further operations of
| the gang were found upon him.
|
| DR.. Allen Robinson, aged sixty wears, was
arrested near Muncietown. He had previously
escaped conviction under a similar charge, by
turning States evidence. large quantity OF
all sorts of bogus coin and counterfeit bills
were found on his premises Among the bills
were tens on the North Western Bank Of Vir-
| ginia, some new, and some appearing to have
! been in circulation tens on the State Bank oil
Indiana; tens on the Bank of Corning, \. T.;
IL. ID \. - u L.,
Ohio State Stock Bank fses on the Mercantile
Bank of Hartford, Conn. ones ON the Exchange
Bank of Hartford, Connecticut; tens on the
Farmers Bank of Indiana; fifties on the North
Carolina Bank, besides others too numerous to
mention. Besides these, bogus bali dollars
counterfeit dimes, and spurious gold dollars
were found about his premises, amounting in
the aggregate to ST43.s0.
Cruc.bles tor melting metal, and gaivaniC
battery were also found, bnt 10 dies. lie also
had quantity of the new cent coins, which be
had procured for composing his own bogus
money. DR.. Robinson was also committed in
default of $1,000 bail.
Mr. Reany was assisted by Messrs. Hay and
! Plowman, of the Indianapolis police, and ex.
Marshall Broadvell, of Dayton, all Of whom
co operated in the development of facts which
make it certain that an extensive and well or
ganized association Of men throughout Indiana,
Ohio and Kentucky, many Of whom occupy
good social positions, are Systematically engaged
in flooding the West with counterfeit bank bills
and bogus coin. Upon their making their first
arrest, several citizens of Rush and Henry
counties devised excuses for sudden departure
from home, and have not been heard from since.
One physician informed his wife that he was 90.
| ing to ''mill," but as he has not returned, 1t is
supposed he is awaiting the grist. Another
suspected party left his luggage at the Gait
House, in Indianapolis, and forgot to return for
it.