Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-10-23

4 HEAVY TOBACCO STAMP FRAuos~-A for'
mer Official of Nor folk Implicated.-Al oil
our people are familiar with one Thomas IT,
Roche, who figured ONE what prominent
ly on the Norfolk police during the military
occupation of Norfolk, and few of them
were overwh elm,d with regret when,
quitting the city for the eity's good he
trans ferred the sphere of his operations to
Richmond, where his reputation, if he ever
possessed any, soon became as bad Git could
not be worse) as he enjoyed here. lie was
for a time connected with the military poi
lice, and coine money, and when the civil
police rendered his services in that line
| unnecessary he obtained government
position, carried more money, attempted to
| outrage young girl, and only escaped the
penitentiary by heavy bailery, and now he
| turns up again on a charge of selling coun'
! terfeit tobacco stamps in Richmond, and
swinding the government to which he has
| always been "trooly loils" The I'D ispatch
| thus relates the story:
! The revenue officers of this istrict have
| for some time past been aware of the III
| ereasing circulation ofcounterfeit tobacco
I stamps of various denominations, and for
several weeks q skilful New York detsctive,
named Beach, has been employed in nos
ing out the parties engaged in the fraudu,
| ing to be in the trade, soon made the ac-
quaintance of MIR. Frederick Bannasch,
| who, it Is alleged, after some cautious par
ley, intimated his willingness to sell him
| lot of damaged" stamps at little less
than the market price. Mr.. Beach pre-
F., tended to think the price too high, and
that Bannasch was selling too high above
cost. and by this means finally secured an
| introduction to Captain Thomas w. Roche,
who was reported to be the manager oft e
business.
] Having satisfied himself of the compli-
| city of Roche and Bann asch in the circua-
ton ofthe coun terfets, Beach laid his Its
| tie plan for their arrest. On Tuesday
| evening he went to the house of Bapnasch,
| No. 1926 Broad street, and bought of Roash
and Bannasch, whom he met there accord
ing to appointment, 81 sixtyspound stamps,
paying therefor ST. 900 in currency. e
| price of the same number OF genuine sixty
| pound stamps would have been about
5000. Beach having pocketed the stamps
| anu IsoCue Iue lHoueyD tuo ioi hh0i WI Wv
on the sidewalk, and was Immediately ar
| rested, as preconcerted, By Colonel Egbert,
, chief of police, and Detective O'Dw5er,
| who were in waiting Tuning their pres
| tended prisoner over to policeman, the
officers rushe into the house, and found
Roche and Bannssci in room up stairs.
! They were at once arrested, and the money
Isl, 000) paid by the detective for the
stamps was taken from the person Of
Roche. Both denied their guilt, but were
taken to police headquarters where they
were closely contiaed uni yesterday morn
ing.
They were then brolght before Unite
!. States Commissioner Cahoon, by whom
the case was continued until the 22d in
slant. john Fl. Stone was also brought be.
fore the G .inmissioner GU the charge Of
completely in the affair. They were bail ID
for their appearance on the day named, the
amounts fixed being as follows: Roche Sl0,-
600; Rannascb, $4,000; and Stone, SIS, oO0.
The accused still stoutly affirm their limos
cence, but the revenue officers claim to
have the most conclusive evidenc Of guilt.
Bannaseh was formerlr a clerk in the reve-
nue service, Roche detective, anl Stone
an inspector ofwhisky.