The New York herald., 1873-10-21
Organized Bands in the Tennessee and
North Carolina Mountains.
FEDERAL AND STATE OFFICIALS DEALERS
The Secret Service Officers
Among the Outlaws.
SIxTy-FINE ARRESTS MADE YESTERDAY.
Lawyers, Physicians, Merchants and People
of Responsibility" Taken.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. c

Since the mountains Of East Tennessee and
Western North Carolina shook with the martial
tramp OF moving armies and their valleys re-
echoed the volleys OF musketry and the thunders
of artillery during the late war, no
such event has transpired as that which
SO startled these sections to-day. The most ex-
tended strategetlc and we-dlrected crusade ever
organized against large number OF the most
desperate gangs OF criminals in the Eastern dis
trict or Tennessee and the Western district Of
North Carolina, resulting in the arrest OF about
sixty outlaws, with quite a number yet to be heard
from, was brought to a signaly successful issue to-
day. These desperadoes belong in the main, to
THE CoUNTERFEIrING FRATERNITY,
who are banded together by fearful oaths, deadly
ties and mystic criminal Masonry known only to
themselves, have Tor months, perhaps years, over
run these sections spreading broadcast their
bogus issues of "queer money" to such
an extent as to vitiate the genuine circu-
lating mediam nearly one-third and in
some instances to well nigh bankrupt some
cY the smaller merchants and tradespeople. CON-
plants as to the wholesale operations OF these
gangs OF swindlers, accompanied by demands lor
some thorough plan of investigation with view to
extirpate the evi had poured into the Treasury
Department by the mailbag full and Secretary Rich
ardson had at length decided that some specific and
vigorous action looking to the suppression OF
Illegal greenbacK traffic should be adopted. After
one consultation by the authorities at Washington
1t was determined to place the entire matter in the
hands OF Colonel Whitley Chief of the United States
secretSeryice Corps by whom with the able assist
ance OF Attorney General Williams plans were
matured to entrap and capture the guilty
parties-a task involving great expense, the most
imminent personal risk, the keenest artidce and
ingenuity, besides privations from exposure and
fatigue. The Attorney General at once entered
into the subject with right good will, and he
directed the United States marshals of the respec-
tive districts In which the operations were car
red on to render all the aid in their po&er in the
way OF men and horses.
ARMS AND SUPPLIES
Of ammunition and such other material as the ext
gencies of the campaign might require, its va
rious phases became developed. To obtain the
evidence against the accused and suspected par
ties was the first and most important step to be
taken, and In this the greatest care and caution
had to be most judiciously exercised. From
among his corps Colonel Whitley promptly
selected number OF the most experienced
Dfiicers, who were placed under the immediate su-
pervison OF distinguished secret service agent
and despatched to the infested localities above
mentioned. This officer, calling to his aid all the
sagacity and experience of a lifetime, upon arriv-
Ing, laid his plans and proceeded in that circum-
epecI dnu quiet manner Tue Occ1SlOn required. he
appeared upon the scene in the character OF
AN UsoBTRusIvE, ELDERLY GENTLEMAN,
travelling his health. while his corps of assist
ants which was largely increased by experts OBJ
tanned throughout the country here, assumed the
most varied and unsophisticated local guises
imaginable, so as to efiectually ward OF
mountains as tobacco dealers, with their
covered wagons, mastis and stock Of the weed;
others roamed about as traders In that contraband
W n n IA haan uQi1
Others penetrated the remotest sections as stock
brokers; others put up at hotels as capitalists
others as tramps, farm hands. and lastly, some as
PRETENDED coUNTERFEITERs.
Appearing in such characters, under the various
Rrti1ces and devices to which each had to resort
and all playing well their parts, the different gangs
Of the counterleIers ana traders IN queer
operations laid bare and their confidence gained TO
IN unlimited degree. The secret service officers
became "hail fellows well metz with the counter
letters; they ate mountain fare with them, drank
Illicit whiskey with them, slept in their houses
and bought their bogus money. Then, as ruse,
they would absent themselves for a convenient
period, ostenslbiy to pass The '.queer" stuff or
upon merchants, traders and dealers as the
genuine article, but really 10 place IL in the hands
OF their superior officers and the United States
District Attorneys az Knoxville, Tenn, and Ash
vile, N g., to be used In the future as evidence.
1t was in the course OF these aborious investga-
lions that the officers became aware OF the orQapl-
cation Of the countereiters INTO distinct and sepa-
working harmoniousiy together, each gang num-
bering from
FIVE TO EIGHT MEMBERS,
all being reckless and determined men and all OF
them thoroughly armed. There IS, perhaps, no
other portion OF the country so peculiarly adapted
TO this traific as the remote mountain localities
selected by the counterleiters. Sparsely settled,
the inhabitants excessively ignorant, far from ali
illicit traiic OF all Kinds kinds abonnds aha t6e D
swndlers found 1t rather an agreeable and inter-
But they were always well armed and ready TO re-
sist In the event OF any attempt being made TO ar
sest res Them. Inc Officers also found that the gangs
!et secure enough In their positions to deIy |
the law with impunitv. and they ire
9nen.g que arasoo went mt, SO iar as TO boast OF
that they were connected in such a way that eacn |
band was iuly aware OF the movements OF the /
others, and their communications were such as 70
enable them 10 summon aid at a very snort nofice
Becoming more communicative as their trade in.
creased, the counterieters were enlrapped into
telling '''O
WHERE THE ILLICIT MONEY WAS MADE.
tt comes direct IRON Ohio, where il h MANN /
factured, to them. 1t consists in the denomina.
tons OF fity cents, fractional currency; $40 |
national bank notes and $50 United states legal
tender notes OF the series OF 1869. There are no |
means, statistics or figures, by which the amount
Of this spurious currency now in circulation can
with 1t Is TACT patent to every visitor TO this sec
ton. IL is transported INTO tennessee and North
modify. by wholesale dealers and iobbers.
with the same commercial regularity and pre-
cision, and supplied to their customers
to the demands Of trade LatterIy, since
the financial panic, which SO contracted the legiti
mate circulating medium the counterfeit cur
rency expanded correspondngly, and IN the rural
districts supplied Its place altogether and met all
the demands OF trade and commerce with the same
ease Uncle Sans own notes formerly did. In ad
ulton 10 the currency trade there is also extensive
dealing in
C0uNTERFErT MEXICAN SILVER DOLLARS.
But this class OF spurious specie was principally
put on upon travellers and emigrants going TO
iexas ana the lar West, where such money could
best be used without the suspicion which would |
attach to II here This money ~ was ascertaned
a nad s oeen manufactured in the state OF Kentucky,
line; but investigation developed the fact that |
the makers OF the spurious coin had ned in |
ine aiIecuon OF Texas leaving no definite clew be-
nlnu them " which they could be traced and fol- |
lowed up. In every case the transactions IN both |
riasses ol money we're found TO be enorfnoug and 1
lhe iachity with which the trade must have been |
carried on previous 10 the advent Of the or1ccrs
Is sad commentary upon the Intelligence and |