Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-01-17
Arrest of Oounterfeiters.

| AiAOoe VI OUuutoftclltfSs
/ The Pittsburgh Chronicle, of Dec, 29th
says One OF the most important arrests o
counterfelters which has been made In tbi
State was effected in Erie on Monday
through the efforts of Detectives Cooley
and Whitney of Erie. The arrest embraces
nve OF the gang, who were located in New
York, and the seizure of $4,000 in coun-
terfelt Treasury notes. For some months
past this gang has been doing thriving
business, and through their efforts the en-
| tire oil regions have been literally flooded
with counterfeit money. Detectives Cooley
and Whitney determined to discover the
whereabouts of the gang, and, if possible,
break 1t up by capturing the parties and
their stock of money. After considerable
trouble the officers ascertained that the gang
had their headquarters near Buffalo, and at
once placed themselves in connection with
It, In police parlance. One of the officers ad
dressed note by mail to the ''chief," pro-
OF the trash for the purpose of showing"
1T in the Oil Regions. After some nego-
tlations the terms of sale were settled and
the chief agreed to deliver the money bv
express at Erie. Either from fear of de-
lection or of the failure of the promised re-
mittances for the stuff" the chief
whose name is J. w. Sowles, concluded to
send the money by Thomas Hale, one of the
gang.
In due time, Hale, reached Erie, and
immediately upon his arrival he was taken in
custody by the detectives and lodged in iail
before he had time to destroy any of the
evidences Of his guilt or to communicate
with his friends The detectives then ad-
dressed letter to Sowles, purporting to be
written by Hale, informing him that he
Hale) had been suddenly taken ill, and
had been unable Ito deliver the money.
The letter also referred to the impossibility
OF secreting the money and urged upon
Sowles the necessity of immediate presence
in Erie 70 make the delivery of the money
IN person. This letter had the desired eff
feet, as Sowles started for Erie on the first
train after its receipt. The train on which
the chief had taken passage met with an
accident, and number of persons were in-
jured. He, however, escaped unhurt, and
arrived in Erie after several hours deten-
ton. OF course he was Immediately arrest
ed and conveyed to Jail to keep Hale com
paDY.
The letter ruse having proved so success.
fui the detectives determined to resort to it
again. They accordingly took advantage of
the accident to the train above referred to.
and proceeded at once to Buffalo Ontheir
three remaining members of the gang, pur-
porting to have been written by Sowles, in
which they were informed that the chief
had his leg broken by the accident to the
train, and that he was lying at a hotel un-
able to be moved. In addition to this in
formation, the letter demanded the imme-
diate presence OF the three, their prompt
reply to the summons being necessary to
prevent exposure. The following day the
detectives had the satisfaction Of meeting
their men at the hotel named, and in short
time afterward the counterfeiters were safe
ly lodged in the Jail at Buffalo,
The skill and energy displayed by Messrs. |
Cooley and Whitney in their operations re-
fleet, the highest credit upon them The
result of their operations was the arrest of |
Sowles and Hale, and three others, whose
names we did not ascertain, and the seizure
of S2S, 900 in counterfeit money Messrs. |
Cooley and Whitney arrived in this city |
from Erie last evening, with Sowles and |
Hale in charge. These prisoners were COM
mitted to the county jail, and will be tried
at the next term the United States Court
in this city. The other members of the
gang will be tried at Buffalo, New York.