The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-01-25
Arrest Of Counterfeiters.

The Pittsburgh Chronicle, or Dec,
29th, says: One of the most important
arrests Of counterfeiters which has been
made in this State was effected in Erie on
Monday, through the efforts of Detec-
tives Cooley and Whitney of Erie. The
arrest embraces five Of the gang, who
we're located in New York, and the seiz
ure of S2S, 700 in counserfcit Treasury
notes. For some months past this gang
has has been doing thriving business,
and through their efforts the entire oil re-
gions have been literally flooded with
counterfeit money Detectives Cooley
and Whitney determined to discover the
whereabouts of the gang, and, If posi-
BILE, break it up by capturing the parties
and their stock of money. After con-
siderable trouble the officers ascertained
that the gang had their headquarters
near Buffalo, and at once placed them
selves in connection with it, in police
parlance. One of the officers addressed a
note by mail to the "chief," proposing to
purchase a considerable quantity of the
trash for the purpose of 'shoving" it 10
the Oil, Regions. After some nego
tiations the terms of sale were settled and
the "chief" agreed to deliver the money
by express at Erie Either from fear Of
detection or of the failure of the promised
remittances for the "stuff," the "chief,'
whose name is j W. Sowles, concluded
to send the money by Thomas Hale, one
Of the gang.
10 due time, Hale, reached Erie, and
Immediately upon his arrival he was ia
en- in custody by the detectives aud lod
ged in jail before he had time to destroy
any of the evidences of his guilt or to
communicate with his friends. The de-
tectives then addressed a letter to Sowles,
purportiug to be written by Hale, inform
ing him that he (Hale) had suddenly
taken i'll, and had been unable to deliver
the money. The letter also referred to
the impossibility of secreting-the money
and urged upon Sowies the necessity of
immediate presence in Erie to make tie
delivery of the money in person. This
letter had the desired effect, as Sowles
started for Erie on the first train after It's
receipt The train on which the ''chiet'
had taken passage met with an accident,
and number of persons were injured
He, however, escaped unhurt, and arriv-
ed in Erie after serveral hours detention
Of course he was Immediately arrested
and conveyed to Jail to keep Hale com
pany.
The letter ruse having proved so sue
cessIul the detectives determed to resort
to it again They accordingly took ad
vantage of the accident to the train above
referred to, and proceeded at once to
Buffalo. On their arrival there they al
dressed letter to the three remaining
members OF the gang, purporting to have
been written by Sowles, in which they
were informed that the Chief had his
lcc broken By the accident to the train,
and that he was at a hotel unable to be
moved In addition to this information,
the letter demanded the immediate pre-
sence of the three, their prompt reply to
the summons being necessary to prevent
exposure. The following day the detec
tivcs had the satisfaction of meeting their
men at the hotel named, and in shor;
i, time afterward the counterfeiters were
safely lodged in the Jail at Buffalo.
The skill and energy displayed by
Messrs. Cooley and Whitney in their
operations reflect the highest credit up
on them The result of their operations
was the arrest of Sowles and Hale, and
three others, whose names We did not as
sertain, and the seizure of $28 900 in
counterfeit money. Messrs. Cooley and
Whitney arrived in this city from Erie
last evening, with Sowles aud Hale in
charge. These prisoners we're committed
to the county Jail, and will be tried al
the next term of the United States Court
in this city. The other members of the
gang will be tried at Buffalo, New York