South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-10-31
Counterfeiters Captured.
Important Arrests IN North Carolina

One of the most extensive raids ever organized
against counterfeiters in this country has Just
been brought to 3 successful Issue In the arrest
Of about seventy persons in Eastern Tennessee
and Western North Carolina, which States have
for several months past been overruu with this
class of criminals. The aiten ton of the Treasu-
ry Department had been called to the presence
of these violators Of the law through numerous
letters received from the best citizens of the dis.
tricts above mentioned, aud Secretary Richard.
son determined that the csbsl should be broken
up. series of operations was decided upon,
and conducted under the immediate supervision
of Colonel Whitley, Chief of the United States
Secret Service with the active cooperation Of
the Attorney General, who issued instructions
to the United States Marshals OF the several dis
tricts to appoint as many special deputies to aid
in making the arrests as the exigences of the
case might require.
Upon beginning his operations Colonel Whit
ley learned that the counterfeiters were banded
together in organized gangs: that they lived in
remote localities, many of them in the mountain
districts. The labor Of reaching them was one
of time and patience, requiring the services of
to hardship. The very best men of the force
were accordingly selected for the duty, and one
after another made their way to the infested dis
trcts, some as tobacco traders, some as specula-
tors in land, others as dealers in illicit whiskey,
and Others as tramps going through the country,
in seedy garments, and seeking days employ
ment here and there where they could obtain it.
In these various capacities the secret service off.
GERS were entirely successful. They gained the
confidence of the counterfeit ters to an unlimited
extent; ate, drank and slept with them, and
bought their bogus money at satisfactory prices,
without arousing breath of suspicion as to
their real character. To accomplish the discov-
cry several months of valuable time were con-
sumed, as the gangs were scattered at distances
of from forty to one hundred and twenty miles
apart away from the railroad lines, and it was
no easy or desirable task to gain access to them,
make their acquaintance, go with them TO their
homes, and become so thoroughly familiar with
them as to he intrnsted with their most valua BILE
secrets. Nor were the criminals altogether Of
that class of the community who could plead
ignorance of the law which they were violating
with so much seeming impunity They num-
bered among them doctors, lawyers, magistrates,
postmasters deputy United States marshals,
school teachers, clerks Of courts, storekeepers
and other tradesmen. Some of them were men
of influence and wealth, Zone being the prosecu-
ting attorney for the people in the city of Knox
Vile, who had aided in vitiating the currency
| 10 such an extent as to ruin many Of the poorer
classes. As fast as the evidence was obtained
! against the accused it was lodged in the hands
of United States Attorney George Andrews of
the Eastern district of Tennessee, and United
States Attorney V. S. Lusk of the Western dis
trict of North Carolina, both Of whom gave their
earnest cooperation to the work, and rendered
efficient aid in making the labors oe the secret
service men complete success. AS the gangs
in both States were intimately connected it was
deemed best that the movement looking TO their
arrest should be made simultaneously 10 both
districts. The expedition at Knoxville was or.
ganized under Capt. Evans, United States Mar
shall, veteran Of the war, and comprised TWEEN.
ty-fve mounted men and seven on foot, all arm.
ed and provided with FIVE days rations. That
in the Western district Of North Carolina was
organized under Robert ~ Douglass, United
States Marshal aud comprised twenty -four noun
ted men, also armed and rationed. These squads
were subdvded so as 10 make the descent in
several places.
! Sunday, the 10th instant was the day fixed
for the movement, and on the evening Of that
day the mounted men quietly left Knoxville for
| Union and Granger counties, while the Others
took the cars for Carriers depot, on the line Of
the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Rail.
road. Both these squads were accompanied by
the secret service men, who acted rs guides over
the roads. and also in pointing out the resden.
ces Of the accused parties. Meantime the Mar
shal took measures to apprehend certain persons
I ia the city Of Knoxville who were implicated as
dealers 10 the nefarious stuff, bu; whose arrests
could not be effected until the expedition had
left for the country. Particulars Of The raid in
North Carolina have not yet fully come to hand,
owing 70 the more extended area Of country 10
be trayersed II is anticipated, however, that
the raid there will be as successful as in Eastern
/ Tennessee, and that the operations Of the secret
service men in both localities will result in the
( determination Of the worst gangs Of criminals
that ever infested these States. - Was6iagton Re-.
! publican, Oct 81.
| PATRONAGE THAT PAYS.