The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-08
From the Memphis Avalanche, July 3l.l
Wholesale Passing Of Counterfeit
United states Notes.

Last night Detective Mat Shelby ar
rested r. B. MCGEE, citizen Of Tren-
ton, of this State, and a man well and
hitherto favorably known in this city,
upon the charge Of passing counterfeit
money. Taking him to the station
house he was searched and locked up.
Nothing eliminating was found on him.
with the exception Of several letters
from persons in different parts Of the
State, asking that good money be sent
for counterfeit money which he had
given them. Leaving his prisoner at
the station house, the detective proceed
ed TO the Overton Hotel, where McGee
had been stopping, and demanded his
baggage.
Being given to him he made a search,
and was rewarded by finding between
Sll0O and $1,000 of queer" hidden in
it. The bills ran from $40 to $50, and
were very fine. A small quantity Of
Tennessee money was found among it.
Taking the stuff down to the station
house, McGee recognized the queer"
as belonging to him, and said that II 1t
was not good he knew where he got 1t.
The detectives have been on his trail
for over three weeks, as it was known
that he was engaged in wholesale "shov-
inc" bad money. A few days since he
gave Messrs. White g. Schley, proprle'
tors of the Worsham House, $50 note
which thew subsequently, found to be Of
no account. Messrs. Schlagel, of Sec
ond and Jefferson, changed couple OF
bad fifties for him, as also did Mr.. Al
lev, of the Continental Restaurant. He
also passed fifty on Mr.. John Gun
ningham, and attempted to do likewise
on Mr.. Kingdom, of the st. Charles
Eating House, but that gentleman was
on his guard and refused the note. This
has all been done in the last three
weeks. From the fact that MCGEE was
well.known he was enabled to pass the
notes where a stranger would have
been instantly detected. The notes
are very fine impressions, and it Is
thought by many that they have been
n.inted from genuine plate that
has at some time been stolen from
the Treasury. About the only thing
that would excite suspicion is the quail
ity of the paper, which is a shade thin
ner Than that upon which the genuine
notes are printed. Before the war the
prisoner was prominent merchant ana
LAWYER in Trenton, with a good capital
and almost unlimited credit. 1t Is also
stated that he was at one time Presi-
dent of the Branch Bank OF the otale
AT that place. The war almost ruined
him financially, as at the opening OF
bostilities he was largely interested IN
NEGROES. In January last a young man
named Wilson purchased some tickets
from q railroad office in this city, giving
in payment a $50 bill. A day or two
a(terward the bill was found to be coun-
felt and the Young man was written 10
concerning it. An answer was received
from him stating that he had received
the money from a Memphis business
man who being called on by the rail
road men, said it had been paid him IN
the way Of business, and promptly made
it GOOD All day yesterday the prisoner
was engaged in trying to give oonds'
and although he is personally known
to many of our most prominent me .o
chants and capitalists, he was unable 10
find any one who would go on his bond
He will in all probability have an eA.
animation today before United States
Commissioner, who will fix the amount
Of hail required