Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-11-30

DISCOVERY or THE CouNrERFEIrERs.

/ From the Newark IN. J.) courierl
At Washington some weeks since, IL VIII
be remembered, the discovery was made
that the Seventy thirty and Five-twenty
Government bonds had been counterlelted,
and large numbers of them put in circula-
ton, Since that time, Mr.. William Z. Wood,
Chief of the Secret Service Division OF the
Treasury Department, together with his
subordinates throughout the country, has
been diligently engaged in efforts to trace
this gigantic fraud to its perpetrators. The |
attention of the Chief, previous to the dis
covcry of these fraudulent bonds, had been |
especially called to counterfeit issues OF
800 compound interest notes and $50 legal
tenders, and in pursuing his Investigations
as to the source from whence these DANCE |
rous countcrfeits came, he has been enabled
not only to secure the parties who did that
work, but penetrate the mystery which sur
rounded the great bond fraud, and arrest
two of the principals in that gigantic enter
prise.
He learned, after weeks of the most aGroit
and persistent effort, in which he was great
ly aided by L. S. Detective Nettleship of
this city, that the 800 compound interest
notes, and the $50 legal tenders, were en-
graved and printed at, and put into circu
lation from, the little village of Paulsboro',
in Gloucester county in this State, one Will
! liam Spencer alias William i. Brockaway,
being the principal operator, with some six
or seven confederates. His information III
regard to this nefarious business was so
complete, that he could have at once arrest
! ed all the parties, and ensured their con
| viction. But by comparing the work upon
those counterfeits with that upon the fraud
! ulent bonds he became satisfied that the
same accomplished artist who so success
fully counterlcited the notes had also en-
graved the plates upon which the Seven
thirties and Five.twentles were made. In
this opinion he was sustained by experts in
the art of engraving to whose inspection
the bogus notes and bonds were submitted.
Acting upon this theory, which eventually
proved to be the correct one, the detectives
made no arrests at the time, but quietly and
patiently proceeded, with this clue to guide
them, in the more important work OF secu-
ring evidence upon which TO convict the
offenders Of the greater crime, and II posi-
bic restore to losers by these fraudulent is
sues, the large amount which it was natu-
rally supposed the principals in the trans
action had realized from their operations.
On the 18th of the present month Mr.
Wood, having gained sufficient information
Commissioner Whitehead, in this city, that
William Spencer, alias William T. Brocka-
way, and Hannah, his reputed wife, were
the principals in this extensive fraud, and
that they had been assisted by five other
persons. The woman whose maiden name
was Hannah Seymour, had been the wife OF
one Charles Weatherby, alias "Speck,' who
was sent to State Prison some years ago fol
crime, when she became the partner OF
!, Spencer, with whom she has since lived
Warrants were issued for their arrest, anC
they were taken in custody at st. James
Hotel in New York, on Friday evening last
and brought to Taylor's Hotel in Jerse.
}, City, where they were kept under strong
s guard, the officers not being yet ready t'
1 give them an examination. When takel
f into custody they were about preparing tt
e leave the country, for tour in Europe.
On Tuesday morning Spencer and hi
G wife were brought to this city, and takel
. before United S. Commissioner Whitehead
where they were admitted to bail for exam
/ ination next week, in the sum of $4,000
f which amount Mrs. Spencer had secreted il
f her under. clothing in genuine bonds, anc
/ which she promptly produced and paceC
D in possession of the Commissioner. Spen
. Ger is said to be the owner Of q magnifcen
= residence in Philadelphia, and to be worti
c some 100000. lie is a tall, good lookin!
c man, quite intelligent and gentlemanly, ant
t his wife is a lady-like and rather attractive
n in appearance. Both were tastefGlly ant
n fashionably dressed, and were accompanies
i by their infant child, which was in charg'
:, of colored nurse. Spencer is said to b
1 one Of the best engineers in the country
4 and is known to have been engaged il
+ fraudulent transactions of this character 70
: several years.
c In pursuing their investigations, the dc
t tcctivcs learned that the spurious issues o
n the notes and bonds were made from a leat
+ impression of the genuine plates at Wash
I ington, taken by a confederate, and that tn
4 different parts of the transfer work was don
0 by confederates engaged by Spencer a
n Paulboro'.
G These confedcrates have all become veal
/ thy, and are now living in the enjoyment o
their i'll gotten gains in different parts o
@ the country but before this statement j
f read by the public, it is probable they vii
be under arrest, and some other links in TIL
chain of evidence against them also secured
= The establishment at Paulsboro' was il
| operation as long ago as July, 1865, and til,
t compound interest and legal tender notes
r together with .he bonds issued, must have
, netted to the operators over one million o
! dollars
n