The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-06
Wholesale COumterfeitinG-AX Number
OF Persons I'm sicated--Arrests.S eiz-

Urcs, DC.
New YORK, November 1.-THE detectives
have captured \ rang Of counterieiterS,
regularly organized for the purpose OF
manufacturing and selling counterfeit to-
bacco stamps, securities, and money. 1t Is
said many parties Of good standing and re-
putation in this city, Virginia, and North
captured large quantity Of counterfeit
stamps, plates, presses, machinery, paper,
| and other material used in the business.
On the 10th OF Octobcra somewhat noto-
rious character named Wright was arrested
charged with having attempted to sell il
| large quantity of siXty-pound tobacco
stamps. He was quietly taken before Com
missioner Osborne, and held in $4,000 bail
to await the action of the grand jury, the
fact of his arrest being carefully concealed
lest the publication should warn his con-
tcdcratcS.
These stamps are of the finest execution.
and even Government officials who have
examined them are unable to detect their
worthlessness. The bed-piece, roll, and
plate. with SIX transfers, were secured. III
vestigations were continued, and resulted
| in the discovery, rs is alleged; that Hart
Pierce. Of No. 81 Nassau street, was q mem
| Der Of the gang. Pierce is an accomplished
engraver, 4 native of this city, aged thirty
| eight years. 1t being evident that more im-
| pOrtant individuals were behind Pierce; Il
watch WAS set at his door, which led
| 70 the discovery that Colonel Robert
| Clark, VINO, during the war, commanded
! the Fourteenth New York volunteers,
and whose military reputation was good,
| was a constant visitor of Pierce Clark
occupied Il suit o. rooms at No. 81
| east Seventh street. On October 80 Whitley
| made descent on Pierce's quarters, ar
| rested Pierce, and seized all the dies and
machinery used in countertciting among
which was a costly press for transferring.
! After the seizure OF the premises Clark
came in and was arrested, and upon al eX-
animation Of his apartments, abundant evil
| dence of his guilt was found. One valise
contained 4 plate for siXty-pound tobacco
| stamps, dies for making Onespennt stamps,
4 large quantity of 2lC.pound stamps, toge-
| ther with about 200 worth OF clean, gen.
| uinc stamps.
Further inquiries discovered the fact that
these stamps were printed at place on
Staten Island, at Princess Bay. A sufficient
| force was sent there, who surrounded the
place, Il little hut on the beach. John
| Ripon, an EngliShman. steel and copper
plate printer; William 5. kempton, OF
Maine; and Ripon's wife, were arrested.
A search Of the premises, however, dis
covered 4 large amount of papers such rs
is used by the Government in the manuiac-
turc of revenue stamps a large quantity OF
inks, oils, and other materials used in coun-
tcrteiting; dies for making three-cent silver
pieces; steel dies for stamping coins, &C.,
| were found, but no plates or finished work.
Finally, Eipon divulged the fact that
| plates, &c, were buried in the garden, and
4 box was dug upwhich contained the plate
on which had been transferred the one-ccnt
| revenue stamps, the bed-piece and transfer
ring die, q large number of stamps, thou
sands of printed sheets, and other articles.
The prisoners and material were brought to
the city, and the alleged forgers taken to
the United States Marshafs office, where
they were held in custody.
1t was now ascertained that an epgrayer
named Reuben Carpenter, having an office
at IL Bloomfield street, Boston, had been
employed to engrave United States five
twenty bonds for this gang. Whitley dis
patched two men TO Boston on Monday
evening. On arrival they called to their
assistance Wood and Heath, Boston detec-
tives. On Tuesday morning the four en-
tered Carpenters establishment and ar
rested him while engraving a pass on the
Wilmington and Baltimore railroad. Imme-
diatelv after his arrest he surrendered to
the officers 81 900 tiVe-twenty bond plate,
which he had been employed to engrave by
q man in this city who was in the last stage
Of consumption.
1t is believed several hundred thousand
dollars of these stamps have been put in
circulation, and it is alleged that numerous
other prominent persons in this city are un-
der surveillance whose arrest sufficient evil
deuce has not yet been obtained TO warrant.