Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-11-12

Startling Disclosures Discovery Of a No
tos7ous Gang Of Couatef7elters-H Haag
Prominent Citizens aptcqted-AlTests
and Seizures The End Not Yet.
New York, Nov. 5.-Col. Whitley, Of
the secret service division, and assistants,
have for over a month been engaged in fer
reting out one Of the most notorious gangs
Of counterfeiters in the country, and just
brought their labors to successful close.
It was first ascertained that dangerous
sixty pound tobacco stamp was being offer
ed to enterprising tobacco merchants at
about one 9th the Government price-$3
for stamp sold by the Government at Sl9
and $50. The inducements were so great
that many firms heretofore bearing unblem-
ished regulations in this city, Virginia,
North Carolina and other States embarked
in the enterprise and purchased large lots
from the New York manufacturers.
The first arrest was made October 18th,
in the person of Volney Wright, who, it is
alleged had endeavored TO see an immense
quantity of these sixty pound stamps to
men named Copeland and Walker. He was
quietly held to bail in the sum of $4,000 to
await the action of the Grand jury. The
bed place, rolls and plate, with six transfers,
were secured by the detective. The next
arrest was one Hart Pierce, an accomplish
| ed engraver, of 80 Nassau street, on Oeto-
| Der 80, with whom were seized all the dies
and machinery used in counterfeitng,
among which was a press for transferring,
costing one thousand dollars. Colonel Rob
ert Clark, who, during the war commanded
the Fourteenth New York Volunteers, was
next secured, and his rooms, at 3l7 East
| Seventeenth street. searched. In almost
every beaureau drawer, stand drawers, box
es, trunks and valises, evidences Of gilt
we're found. One yalise contained the plute
of the pound stamp, dies for marking, one
penny stamps, hundreds of sheets contain
| ing two hundred and ten pound stamps, to-
gether with about $4,000 worth of clean,
genuine stamps. The property was all
| seized.
II was next ascertained that the mill
where these stamps were ground out was
about fifteen miles from this city, at Prince s
Bay, Staten Island. Seven men were sent
to the spot and after tramp OF half mile
| through the woods, discovered the building,
in which were arrested, John Pipon, steel
and copper plate printer, a native of Eng
land, thirty-eight years of age, his partner,
William S. Kempton, a native of Maine,
forty years of age, and retired sea Cap
tain. Pipon's wife, three children and a
| colored girl were on the premises.
In one room was found large amount Of
paper, such as is used by the Government
in the manufacture of revenue stamps, a
large supply Of inks, oils and jugs, filled
with gum that the latter used for adhesive
purposes, also die for making three-cent
silver pieces, steel dies for stamping coins
containing all the letters of the alphabet,
dies ior all arithmetical figures, but no plates
or printed work.
In another room was a perforating press
for punching the holes between the stamps
on the printed sheets,
In the garden, about eighteen inches be-
low the surface, was found on information
given by Ripon, a box which contained the
plate on which had been transferred the
one. cent revenue stamp 2l0 times, the bed
piece and transferring die, large number
| of stamps, thousands of printed sheets ready
for use, and other articles. The prisoner
and materials were brought to this city, and
the former taken to the United States Mar
SHALL Office where they we're held in Gus
tody.
1t was now ascertained that an engraver
named Reuben Carpenter, having an office
at No 4 Bloomfield street, Boston. had
been employed to engrave the United States
Five twenty bonds.
Officers were sent to Boston, and with
the assistance Of detectives, there arrested
Carpenter in the act of engraving pass on
the Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad.
He surrendered TO the officers a one thou
sand Five twenty bond, which he had been
employed to engrave by man in the city
who was in the last stages Of consumption.
It is alleged that numerous other prominent
persons Of this city are under suspicion and
surveillance, and it is believed several hund-
red thousand dollars of these bogus stamp;
| have been nut in circulation.