The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-11-01

States Commissioner Kimball, yester-
dav. developed some startling facts
with the manufacture and
sale of counterfeit United States
Treasury notes. From time to time
large quantities Of counterfeit money
have been passed upon the unsus-
pecting, but in most of the eases
where detection followed, it was only
the passer aud not the maker that was
punished. Thus the stock has not
been decreased, as the presses
which made the money could
work it off much faster than
the most experienced officers of
the Government could capture it.
For year past the indications have
been that money of this kind was
made in the West, and Col. HI. 9.
Whitley, the Chief of the Secret
Service Division of the Treasury
Department, has selected his best
agents to ascertain who manu-
featured the stuff, as we'll as those
who put it In circulation, and the
efforts have been crowned with COM
plete success.
On the second of this month Mr..
Edward w. Pratt, of New York, one
of the most reliable Special Agents of
the Secret Service Division of the
Treasury Department, left Washing
ton for the West, with instructions to
work up the gangs of counterfeiters
in this State, and, If possible, bring
them to justice. He had some in
formation at starting, as to who the
parties were, and, therefore, was not
proceeding entirely in the dark, and
yet was laboring under the disadvan-
tage of being known by many of the
villains his duty required him to en-
trap. Upon his arrival at Cincinnati,
he selected as his assistant MIR. G. A.
Coloher, who is well known In con-
nection with the police force of that
CITY. The informant to the Depart
ment was Mr.. p, of Osgood, Ripley
County, the place of residence of
the eounterfeiters. twas necessary.
therefore, for Mr.. Pratt to see him,
and for fear that he might be known
he sent Mr. Colcher to OsgoOd to re-
connoitre the ground, and bring Mr..
| p. to Cincinnati, where the plan of
operations might be fully developed.
Mr.. Oolcher went to Osgood, arriving
| there on the evening of the 18th, and
soon after made the acquaintance of
p, and through him that of the Levy
brothers. At the proper time he
made his business known to Mr.. P,
and the two returned to Cincinnati.
After satisfying himself that he could
trust P, Mr.. Pratt directed him to re-
4 turn to Osgood, and he would follow,
which he did on the same train,
/ although Patterson did not know 1t,
| / I, ~ ~,e& 10
21st. Arriving at Osgood, Mr.. Pratt
stopped at Captain Ellis Hotel,
where he met Mr.. P, who introduced
him to Isaac and Lyle Levy, as Q
horse buyer named CLARK. Although
the Levys had perfect description
of Mr.. Pratt, the general dress of a
horse dealer was not penetrated by
them. The evening was spent dis
cussing horses, and the party sepa-
rated to meet again the next morning
| On the I'D, Mr.. Pratt held his
private talks with. the two brothers
separately, neither Of them knowing
anything Of the arrangements he was
making with the other. That evening
Lyle Levy called upon him at the
hotel, and sold him $50 in twenty five
cent postal currency notes, for which
Mr.. Pratt paid him $17 90. Levy
also offered him $600in tens--treasury
notes; but he declined purchasing
that for want of money, but said that
if Levy would send it to Cincinnati
by Mr.. p he would buy it there
| Levy assented, and passed the pack.
age of bills to p, who gave them tt
Mr.. Pratt within a half Of a minute
after receiving them.
In the meantime he had arranged
with Isaac Levy to accompany him tc
Cincinnati, where he would purchase
from him $4,000 of the money. He
gave his reason for not purchasing
there, that he did not like to deal in
the stuff In Indiana. Isaac swal-
lowed the bait, and on the morning
of the 23d went to Cincinnati In COM
pany with Mr.. Pratt and Mr.. z. The
whole party put up at the Walnut
Street Hotel, where Levy was soon
after arrested by the United States
Marshal, and In default of $4,000
. bail, was lodged in Jail, he waivisg
an examination.
/ On the same night Mr.. Pratt came
to this city and filed information
against Lyle Levy and Mrs. Missouri
. Rittenhouse, his sister. The war.
i rants were placed in the hands oil
Deputy United States Marshal Bige.
low and MIR. David Powell. of this
city, who made the arrests on Wednes
day last. Ca yesterday Lyle Levy
was examined before United States
Commissioner Kimball, and the
above facts were elected. He wa;
committed to Jail In default Of $4,000
bail. Mrs. Rittenhouse, alias Mrs
Joe. Miller, waived an examination
and gave bail in the sum of So, 900 tt
appear before the United State;
Court.
The family have for long time
been suspected of being engaged il
the counterfeit business, and In al
cases Mrs. Rittenhouse has been re,
garded as the principal operator. He
husband, q desperate fellow, fed tai
country some time ago, to avoid ar.
rest upon the charge of completely II
a robbery and the murder of the per
sons robbed. Only about six week;
! ago he was tried in Canada upon tn,
f. charge of highway robbery, and onE
< escaned by dint Of hard swearing. b1
r proving an alibi. He is supposed t
5 be the printer of the money. Il
. 1866, Rittenhouse was arrested il
F Canada upon the charge of having
counterfeit United States currency il
t his possession, and upon the PROPOSE
? ton being made to release him if b
] would surrender the plate to the De
ment at Washington, his wife for
q warded the $40 note plate to CoIone
] Wood, from Greensburg; but befor
? doing so, had made an electrotyp
: from the plate, from which the bill
Q recently sold have been printed.
: At the examination yesterday, Mrs
: Rittenhouse was accompanied by he
Q mother, who is quite an aged lady