The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-11-13
CAROLINA CoUNFERFEITERs.
A Comedy of Errors by Q. s. OmciaIE-
How a Nice Old Gentleman has mad,
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How a Rice Old Gentleman has made
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Unfortunately, for the public good,
there has been uncalled for delay and
the grossest mismanagement in effect
ing the arrests of the counterfeiters in
n. Carolina. The original and carefully
matured plan determined upon in gen
eral consultation by the Secret Service
corps at Knoxville-that of making a
general and concerted descent on Mon
day-has been departed from, and the
prospect now is that quite a number of
the counterfeiters will escape The
United States marshal here did not act
with the promptness, secrecy, and de-
termination the occasion required,
though urged to do so by the secret
service men in this section, and hence
the delay and uncertainty about the
arrests. Added to this the deputy mar
shals sent to make the arrests were Sc
leeted from the very worst material,
some of them being careless, cowardly,
ana of moral status that evokes tue
contempt of all honest men. No action
was taken here until Tuesday, and then
only a partial movement was made.
Two squads of deputy marshals, ac-
companied by secret service men, were
dispatched to the counties of Cabarrus
and Rowan, where arrests were made to
the number of nine, three of whom
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The most singular of these is the ar
rest of William A. Houck, a wealthy
man at Salisbury, where he was at the
time foreman of the grand jury at the
state circuit court. When it was dis
covered by the state authorities that a
United States marshal had laid violent
hands on so important civil functiona-
ry as the foreman of the grand jury,
warrant was forthwith issued for the ar
rest of the deputy marshal for contempt
of court. The latter, with more than
ordinary zeal and determination, re-
tanned his prisoner, notwithstanding,
and when brought into court exhibited
as his justification for arresting the
iuryman Uncle Sans warrant. Upon
this the marshal was released upon his
own recognizance, and the juryman, be-
ing sadly required to make an indict-
ment, was brought before a United
States commissioner and bailed in the
sum of 5000. Flynn S. Bradshaw
was arrested at his residence, five miles
from China Grove depot, In Rowan
county, having on his person two half
dollars and two gold dollar counterfeit
coins. David Arnhart. a farmer of re-
spectability, was captured about four
teen miles from Salisbury, but while
en- route to that city, gave the marshal
the slip, too, and was lost. J. A.
Loudrey, and O. F. Loudrey, both to-
bacco speculators and farmers in Rowan
county, were arrested at their homes,
the former in field, the latter at his
house. While the former was being
conducted to his house he requested the
innocent officer to allow him to return
to the field for his basket. The humane
marshal granted his permission but
Loudrey, failing to appreciate his
kindne, s, vanished and is gone. On
the person and the trunk of the re-
manning Loudrey the officers found
$3.50 in counterfeit gold coins of the
denominations of one, two and half and
five dollars, and box full of cancelled
tobacco stamps. He was taken safely
to Salisbury, where he was bailed in
the sum of $4,000. W. R. Blackwell
er, a farmer living six miles from Con-
cord station, on the North Carolina
railroad, in Calbarrus county, was
quietly arrested at his residence while
dining with his family. He had $5
legal tender counterfeit when arrested.
He was also bailed in 5000. Edward
and David Lipe, both farmers in Cal
barrus county, were arrested at their
homes, where a quantity of base coin
and "qaeer" currency was found. Both
were bailed in $4,000.
Joseph Baker, a notorious dealer in
the bogus currency and base coin his
whole lifetime, was arrested IN Rowan
county and taken to Salisbury to a no
tel for the night, from which he skill
fully escaped through a back way.
Squads sent to Rockingham, Wilkes
and Watague counties have not yet re-
turned, and the success of their mission
remains uncertain. am told there has
been an intense greed among the people
in this section to obtain coin. They
made any and every sacrifice to get hold
Of it, and then hide it and hoard it
with the jealousy of misers. No atten-
ton whatever is paid to the character
of the coin, aud it is now believed that
immense quantities of the spurious
specie is hid in all sorts Of secret places
by the people throughout the entire
section of Western Moth Carolina.
Among the arrested parties brought
in was william R. Black, of Madison,
Rockingham county, and the leader of
the gang known as Blaek's. He is
about eighty-fve years of age, and
owns most of the town in which he
lives, his estimated wealth being about
$3.50, 900. Black is reported to have had
dealings in the "queer" his entire life
time, and it is supposed it was by this
means he accumulated his present
wealth. It is related of him that he
never failed to take back and redeem in
genuine currency any counterfeits which
might be brought back to him. One
person who found himself in possession
of a $50 counterfeit bill-he did not
know by what means-went to Black
and said, Mr. Black, this $50 bill you
gave me a few weeks since, find is
counterfeit" Black, putting on his
spectacles, replied, Excuse me; my
eyesight is bad but here is the money
for it, !" at the same time planking down
Eve genuine tens. These the individual
/ pocketed eonseientiously, though he
had not received a counterfeit from
Black, knowing that that person would
easily dispose of It in his "queer