National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-11-05
THE COUNTERFETTERS
THE CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE RAFT;
How the Gang was Worked Up--rh- Per-
sonuri Of the Coupterfciter.- -IIow tho
Detectives In-Inuuird Themselves.

has lately taken place In Eastern Tennessee
and Western North Carolina has commanded
considerable Of the public attention during
tho last few days, and many exaggerated
accounts have been sent 10 the Northern
newspapers. l now have II In my power
to give yon reliable statement Of the whole
matter, so far as tho movements OF tho
detectives have bccn developed. 1
II. G. Whitley, chief Of tho secret service
division oil the Treasury Department sew
eral months ago detailed detective to
work up tho cases. In pursuance Of this
authority he proceeded to the territory above
designated and at once went carefully TO
work. lie first discovered tho gang on thls
side Of tho Blue Ridge, In Mccklcnburg, Ca
barrcss, 1rcdcll. Rowan. Wilkes and Rocking
ham counties, 10 this State. lie went among
tbom aud bought counterfeit gold aud oliver
| coin, and going from county 10 county,
thus purchasing wherever he could the
bogus money, he found ont tho names and
| locations OF many members OF tho gang, and
also discovered tho sections OF tho country
| where they carried on their operations pass
| Ing counterfeit money. This gang was known
as the McFcc and r. Black gang. The
operations Of tho Black gang were In deal
Ing In and passing national bank notes,
namely, tens on the poughkcepsic aud TWEEN
York. Tho following arc the names Of the
members; Black. Bradshaw, W. A. Houkc,
John Moore, Washington Brawlcy, Isaac
Linger. WIN. PE:sn and David Arnhart.
The McFee 4 1conslsted OF q. u. Louder,
John A. Loudly Tobias Spears, Jos. Baker,
William r: Blackwcldcr, Edward and Daniel
SIpc, and Joseph Gray. The individual mem
bers dealt and co-opcrated with each other,
exchanging gold aud silver counterfeit coin
for the bank notes, and extending their ope-
rations to the State OF Texas. Those Of them
who made frequent visits to Texas with the
counterfeit bank notes and gold and oliver
coins, under disguise as liquor merchants,
Joseph Baker, Tobias Pierce, and Oscar J.
McFee. They ran away from Texas In 1871
all being indicted there for dealing In and
passing counterfeit money. All Of the above
have been arrested upon warrants Issued upon
the Information given BY the officer above
has escaped, being the only one who cluded
the vigilance of the officers. One OF them,
Houke, was arrested while serving rs fore
man Of the grand jury Of the Superior Court
Of Rowan county. Of which Salisbury Is the
county scat. The deputy marshal who made
the arrest was himself arrested by tho sheriff
Of the county for contempt OF court for nab
bling the foreman Of the grand jury. Upon
being brought before the judge tho officer
was turned loose, upon the condition TINT he
took Houke before United States commits
sioner In Salisbury, so that he could give
bail and return TO bis duties. This was done
by the deputy In order to avoid going To. jail
himself.
Almost all tho parties above named are
well-to.do farmers, merchants, aud hotel
keepers. They have naturally many friends,
supporters and synpathizers. A great num-
bcr If them have srcn exnmjued and COM
mittcd fnr trial Bstween sjOo and s,oO in
counterfeit void and silver coin have been
secnred' being fouod in tho posscssIon. or
concealed In tue houses of those implicated.
Also, considerable amounts Of counterfeit
currency of the United States was discov-
cred.
Upon tho other side Of the Blue Ridge the
officer pursued a similar course, by purchas.
Ing the money and Negotiating himself, un-
der several disruiscs. into the contidencs of
tho Fraternity. 'Thcre nrn several lranrs west
of Tho Blue RIDGE. They extend through
hshe. Watanra Mitchell. Yaucey, Graham,
Swayno and Cherokee counties, 10 North
Carolina. From Asho county, branch OF
Inc gang extended into virginia as far "a
Tazewel1 county. From Mitchell, another
branch extended es far us Crabb Orchard,
| Car terot connty, Fast Tcnnessoo. thus con /,
Meeting The gang in Fast Tennessee. all
| Through tho Counties of Johnson. Granger.
&c. as far as the Kentucky line, aud even
extending into Kentucky.
IA known M The Blrchiirld gang. COMO. ed Of
merchants, farmers, and, in some Instances,
nnblic oilIcers' The folIowiny arc the names,
| + q. HYDE shcrifi Of Graham county: n. r..
| ID. Bireb1ejd. Julius Bradswaw. Henry Dit
more. Adam Gable. Jacob Rose. David q.
Gormly and Hiram Gunter. These parties
are ali arrcsted and have bcen taken 10 Asb..
vile. N. @.
The Meacbam and Yancey gang was com.
posed of some desperate CHI TRACTORS, among
them n preacher. who ia nj The same timo a
ouack doctor, tho head Of the gang. md a
| ho,esale dealer In the auocr, Ills name is
- blackburn. The other members are
| Charlie, Buchanan. Robert Buchanan. Henry
Builer. Jesse Green. David Frazier. Thomas
Scott, John WoodGn, a. L, Hyatt, John Hill.
II. u, Edney. Houston Nurida, David Hill
Nathan Boon, Wesley Garland, David Atkins,
John BurIeson. VIM. Bnrleson' Jno. BIrch6eld
Nathan Bercbaeld' Charles Hughes Gibbs
Garland, Spencer Belmard, Burk Sloan, Dick
Greer and WIN, IL, Ortop, IAN ex-KuKlux
chief Of Yancey county, This gang occu.
MED a naturally fortiaed position In the
mountains' Tbely stronvholl was On tho linz,
of Biz Rock creek and Little Rock creek.
which are divided by a mountain, aud run
together near Bakersyilie. All tho above par-
lies have been arrested with a few excep-
| tions. and have also been taken 10 Asbeylile.
Another gang. in Ashe and Watapga conn
ties, Is COMPOSED of Harrison Perkins. the
leader. lee Raker John Iipcoln' George
Wheeler and John Porier Mi wcnIthv man.
tcra ~"
The arrcs, of lbo,e ,ast nj Tho Blue R,drc
was made nv n forcc niaced nj Tho disnosaI If
another oiIlcer Of tj,e secret service Inv IN.
n NJ DouyIns Halted States Marshal far
North Capsiinn who d;i Mi in his mower IN
forward tho cn,crnrise The arrests madn
west nf tho R,ne RIJge ,vorn eGectsJ hv Tour
diffcro,t sona5s one ,o,nn 70 Swa,n. ma
Cherorn, ddnmm,,ndoa Su a.,n,y yar.ha,.
nnoiher goin,, 10 Crsbaw oi.p commandad
Inv 4 Ien,,,v ma,sboi. arn,hcr win ,vo 80
LA all II, ,nan snaaioI Ia,,,,,,,s aa,,n,oSn..
Inv Tho oihccr nj liz sec, NJ lerricc /, ,st snoIen
~ wen, ~ W,,ahoi, aua Yanoos no vpvM,""
where the beadanarters Of tho Tsng wc,c ~
he fonrd. ami ali anoibor sanea cnhh,n,en5aJ
nv a regnlar Scnntv want y" vat,waa and
ksbo "ep'''' "'"' w ""'""s" ""u
SATURDAY. n,gb, Tho 18Th NJ o,,o,or ,,o
snecial dsy,,ic, i, h.hyiIin woro ordor,d s ~
IN ready ~ Isaye naxt mnrnirS Thav 49, w
ali monnted and accoriInaiv a,,h snnad Ia,
for their destination TN SQUAD roIna 10
| Iherokcc haS 10 ,rav.i o,a hnnd,oa ang
tv's,yo mi,os ,hn ~ ~, G..han, nis,,,','
i've wIios Mi,chn,i s;.t,'Gr, n,il"s ana
hsbs ninstr'siS n,I1os NV "'"0o' "'" W
Orr info2mant was with ,ho ,o,,a co,,o
IN WiicbeII and arrIy"5 viii, ,i.n
BakersyIiIa Wnnday nIrb, ,ha on,h ~ ~
her ,vhara ,ha 49,, n uto @y'n VI I'LL
sov.ro snn,,'.,,p "a ,..' ,,, tei.i1 ,y
refngc M obou, a o,nior, ~ Uo"Suiu ,., 'a IN
hnuss al a hos,i,obia sarp me- ,T misniu tne