Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-03-11
GREAT HiUL OF COUNTERFEITERS IN
INDIANA.
The R;.sicader arrested in Chica.o.-A
Bogus Mint Broken NJ. and Seizure Of
Counterfeiting Tools.

From the Chicago Evening Journal, March IL
For some time past, an unusual amount
of bogus coin and counterfeit paper has
been manufactured in northern Indiana
and Illinois, and the whole country has
been flooded with this spurious currency.
Indiana was for long time the center of
operations. The recent developments in
that state, in Noble county, by the Reg
ulators, brought to light the fact that there
was an extensive organization of counter
feitcrs and dealers in bogus money in the
vicinity of Lafayette. The police of that
place Immediately sat about to discover
and arrest those engaged in the manufac-
turc, more especially a man by the name
of Shears. who was supposed to be at the
head of the gang. The latter, however. rot
wind of it, and left town for this state
His effects, which he had packed up and
left at the depot, to be forwarded to this
city, were seized and searched, but moth
ing was found calculated to confirm the
suspicious against him. 81
Two weeks ago, Deputy u. S. Marshal
Scely, of Goshen. Ind, an officer of I'M
usual efficiency, together with an adroit
sheriff, visited Lafayette and arranged a
plan, whereby to discover the members of
the gang, and break up this mysterious
mint. whose spurious emissions nearly ri
vailed our genuine currency.
The leader of the gang was one David
McNitt, blacksmith by trade. He had
been for several months on very intimate
Lat. Il
with him, ostcnsibly for the purpose of
aiding him in preparing models for sew
ing machine, which Shears pretended to
have invented, and for which he had an,
piled for patent. After Shears ,epar-
turc for this city. McNitt opened regular
business in Lafayette, in the sale of borus
money. Shears. in the meantime, had
come to this city, and established his mint
here. On Friday morning last, McNitt ar
rived in Lafayette from Chicago, with a
large supply Of coin, and his establish
ment was immediately filled with custo-
mers, mostly from abroad This favor
able moment was hit upon for descent up
on the whole concern. ea lgfsa oM 'N'
A detective, whom Marshal Seely had
otOtShS Will httu, w az Stut W Uc4NlLL,
and succeeded without difficulty in buying
fifty dollars in bogus American halves and
quarters, paying twenty dollars for them.
MeNitt was then decoyed into the post
office, arrested and ironed. Within an
hour thirteen Others were arrested, with
the bogus money in their possession, and
taken to jail - ie'i'o = s.'t'ss 'si''a 'se'
At the time Shears left for Chicago,
word was sent to Capt. Yates, by Marshal
Seely that he was here. He. Immediately
set to work, with officer Smith, to spot
him and his mandatory. They worked
for some time unsuccessfully; in the mean
time the bogus coin was slowly being dis
seminated through the city. Soma Of il
was passed in stores, but the most of it in
oinnibuscs, Shears handing the driver a
bogus half and receiving forty five cents
ofgood money. On Friday his place was
\ spotted, and on Saturday morning Mar
shall Sccly arrived in this city, Saturday
evening officer Smith went to his, place
no 526 State street. and found him eat,
4 ing supper with his wife and two chill,
dren. one about seven years Of age and tht
other an infant Shears and his wife look
cd at each other, steadily, as much as, t
a rI.f TtfrfEt1 .U4ltt "4-Ettf 81 - - 49,