New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-14

A Startling Conspiracy by Expert Conn.
terfeiters-Arrest Of q Wealthy Citi-
zen.
lFrsm the New York Times Of Friday.l
A wealthy person named William Brock
way, alias William Spencer, alias Long
q charge Of having been prominently en-
gagged in one Of the most extensive cOun-
terfciting conspiracies known in this cOun-
try. The accused was taken into custOd Y
by Deputy Marshal Robinson, the warrant
Tor his arrest being issued by United States
Commissioner Osborn, on complaint OF
William r. Wood, formerly chief Of the
Secret Service Division OF the Treasury
De Dartment.
He il charged with having assisted in
making the celebrated counterfeit 7-30 bond
plate. by means of which bonds were printed
and placed in circulation to the extent of
nearly $lOO, 600, without exciting the sus-
picion of the Government as to their gen.
uineness. According to the statement Of
Federal officials, the accused commenced
his operations in company with several
cOunterfeiters six or seven years ago, OF Mt
the time that the National Government first
printed bonds of the seven-thirty issue. 1t
Is said that he lab0red for years, with the
assistance Of his associates, for the purpose
of engraving plate from which to print
bonds in exact imitation of those issued at
Washington. The bona fide bonds were
executed in such manner that it was
deemed utterly impossible for any one to
counterfeit them 80 as to evade detection.
The utmost nicely was displayed by the
Government cngrlvers in making the va
rious parts of the plate from which the
genuine bonds were printed, and scientific
means were utilized to make it perfect.
A system Of photography was used for
the purpose of drawing some of the lines
on the face Of the bonds. These lines were
so faint that they were not perceptible ex-
cept with the aid Of q powerful nlagnifying
glass. Despite all these obstacles, Brock
way, as alleged, undertook to initiate them,
and succeeded SO far that, after years of
patient toll, he was enabled to gain large
fortune by dealing in the counterfeit bonds.
It is said that the accused, who is an expert
engrayer, prepared the vignette for the
fraudulent plate, and that one Ulrich, o
very skiliful German, now serving long
term Of imprisonment at the State prison in
Missouri, executed the other portions of the
plste. The engraving was done in this city.
and the ringleaders Of the plot were aided
by . select corps of assistants sworn to
secrcsy. Charles Adams, who is now con-
fined in Jail in Maine, on charee of bur
glary, was one Of the cOunterfeiters, and
was the man who placed the bonds id public
circulation.
Il was through him that the daring con-
spirat0rs were betrayed, his expose being
made after very large amount of the
bonds had been purchased by bankers and
others in ignorance Of their true character.
About e28 900 in good money was expended
at the sub-trcasury in this city in redeeming
bad bonds, which were mostly sold by we'll
known bankers, including the firms Of Jay
Cooke T. Co., and Vermilye & Co. The lat
ter, 1t 10 proper to mention, were not aware
fhok khov Vzrava DO,rrv<a rfnifs nt tho tirno nor
were they discovered to be bad by the gov
eminent officials until after they had
reached Washington. Even.after they had
been detected. it was found impossible to
trace them to any particular source, and the
Investigation was finally abandoned. Sub
sequenfly Charles Adams fell into the
clutches of Chief Wood, the head Of the Sc
the latter that the conspiracy was revealed
to the government. Chief Wood has the
reputation of being the most skillful de-
tective in this country, and of having sent
more culprits to prison than any other living
man.
BY means of the custom known as. '.pump-
ing" among detectives, he gained a slight
clue as to the origin Of the counterfeit seven
thirty bonds, which he followed up by seiz-
ing Brockway, whom he found soiourning
at the St. James Hotel in fashionable style.
He removed Brockway to Taylor's Hotel, at
Jersey City, and in q very short time he
came into possession of information in re-
gard to the troublesome plate. BrOckway
agreed to deliver up the plate at the house
Of ex-Judge Stuart, who acted as his coun-
sci. Chief Wood visited the house of the
latter gentleman. and, sure enough, he
found the plate, together with a counter
the face of the genuine bonds. 1t trans
pired that the plate and the die were left at
ex-Judge Stuart's house for the purpose of
falling into official hands. Chief Wood sub
sequently sent the two trophies of his de-
tective skill to Washington, but the
die was afterward distracted from the
Treasury Department.
A search was made for the thief, but with
out success, and the officials came to the
CONCLUSION that one of the attaches of the
Department had been bribed to steal it.
The plate, which was considerably battered
at the time Of its capture, was brought to
this city few weeks ago, and was intro
duced as evidence IN the suit commenced by
the United States ct the District Court, be-
fore Judge Blatchford, against Jay Cooke 4
Co., for the recovery Of several thousand
ton of some Of the bonds by the govern
ment.
BrOckway was sent to the Ludlow street
Jail last evening, in default of $4,000 bail.
This arrest was caused by District Attorney
Davis and Mr.. A. H. Purdy, to when Chief
Wood made strong representations concern
ing Brockway's fraudulent operations. The
cause Of the long delay in securing the pris-
Onsr il attributed to the fact that the gov.
ernment desired to ascertain whether the
bonds could be proven to be bad in court,
betpre they took measures to arrest any Of
the alleged offenders.
New Orleans by gaslight and moonlight