Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-09-16
TheQueer.
A Gang of COunterfeiters Arrested
in Decatur, Ala.
Prominent Parties Involved in the
Combination.


From the Nashville American.
DECATUR, ALA, Sept.9, 1S75.--
The United States Secret Service
Force are doing good work in
South and North Alabama and
Middle Tennessee. An organ
lied band Of counterfeiters, with
headquarters in St. Louis, extern
ding to South Alabama, has been
detected. James Edwards and
Andy Edwards, Of Lewisburg,
Tenn, brother and father Of
Henry j. Edwards, arrested at
St. Louis, short time ago for
counterfeiting, Henry M. NeiIl,
and James r. Neill, wealthy
farmers of Petersburg, Tenn,
W. w. Gordon, merchant, and
deputy Sheriff, Lynnville, Tenn,
S. r. Neal j. r. Graham, prom
inent citizens, Of Eutaw, Ala,
b. B. Bowers, Portland, Green
county, Ala, an extensive far
mer, G. w. Simpson, City Mar
shall and candidate for Sheriff,
Tuscaloosa, also Alex. Simpson,
hotel man, John Henly and
Tom Garner, gin-mill smashers,
Tuscaloosa, Ala, E. S. Dunn,
County Commissioner and far
mer Of some pretensions of Tus-
caloosa county, were arrested
and brought to this place to-day
to appear before United States
Commissioner Rice. Five dol
lars on the Canton Qllinois) Ma
tional Bank, fifty and twenty
legal tender and fifty cent cur
rency are the bills counterfeit
ed. st. Louis seems to be the
supplying point. Edwards,
Gordon, Bowers, Dunn and the
Neills are the wholesale dealers.
The end is not yet. Squads I'M
der direction Of the chief Off
Ger Of the Secret Service Divis-
ion are to be heard from. 1t is
a gigantic combination of coun-
terfeiters, and persons of wealth
and social prominence will be
involved.
DECATUR, ALA, September 10,
1S75.-Hon. Luke Pryor of Ath-
ems, Ala, and Cowden & Arm
strong, of Lewisburg, Tenn, are
here to defend the counterfeiters.
The trial is postponed until to-
morrow in consequence of the
nom arrival of U. S. Marshal Ba.
ker with the South Alabama
counterfeiters. Officer Prewitt,
of the United States detective
free, arrived this morning with
B. B. Bowers, an influential farm
er who resides twenty miles from
Eutaw, Ala. From the best evi.
dence obtained, Bowers is promi-
nently connected with this band
of counterfeiters. In few days
detailed statement will be sent
you. The extent of the combi-
nation has not been coniectured.
Deputy United States Marshal
Ponder reports the arrest Of H. c.
McCallum, Jefferson Henry, JET
ferson Hardin, and II. Willbright,
all of Fayette county, Ala for il
licit distilling. Each gave $lO,-
900 bond.
l learn that ". W. Gordon, of
Lynnville, has not been arrested.
The detectives looked through his
premises, but have failed to dis
cover any of the queer"
The arrest of the parties is Gre
ating a great deal of excitement
in the localities where they live.
DECATUR. ALA, Sept. ll.-Uni-
ted States Marshal Baker arrived
this afternoon with &c. Graham,
Gainesville, Sumpter county; R.
S. Neil, Alexander and George
Simpson and John Henley, of
Tuscaloosa, Ala, charged with
counterfeiting. B. B. Bowers, now
uDder arrest here for counterfeit
ing, was foreman of the last Grand
Jury of Green county. Steward
in the M. E Church, and Super
Iintendent OF Sabbath-school.-
When arrested Bowers had on his
person one hundred dollars in
counterfeit fifty cent fractional cur.
rency, and three hundred dollars
in counterfeit fives and twenties
legal tenders, Bowers, socially
and financially, is prominent, and
can give bond for twenty thou.
sand dollars. Dunn and Garner,
of Tuscaloosa county, in charge
of a Deputy Marshal, are en- route.
A delayed train is the cause of
their non-arrival.
Deputy United States Marshal
Wheat, from the Middle District
of Tennessee, arrived to day hav.
ing in custody W. W. Gordon, of