The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-12-08
A Great Nest OF Countcrfciters Brok-
cn Tn.

WASHINGTON, December, 2.-The
story OF the arrest of Doyle, Brock
way and Smith, the notorious conn
terfeiters. is now all out. The story
is one of the. most extraordinary in
the history of crime, and the arrests
prove to have been the greatest
work ever accomplished ny the Sc
cret service.
sHADowIsG THE RoGUEs.
Last July the secret service came
upon the track of Brockway. From
that time till Doyle was arrested in
Chicago Brockway was shadowed
This led to the discovery Of Smith,
a Brooklyn engraver, Owens, a
plate printer, and Doyle. Their
movements were followed, their
haunts We're located, their habits
learned. A few days before Doyle
started for Chicago the secret service
became satisfied that Smith was an
engraver. He would come out of his
house, stretch his legs, walk around
the block for rest and exercise as en-
gravers do. His antecedents were
investigated, and it was learned that
he did crooked work. A few days
before Doyle left for Chicago, Brock
way and Doyle were seen together,
and a few hours before Doyle left
Chicago, Brockway was discovered
giving Doyle bundle. Some days
before that bundle was also given
Doyle by Brockway. Doyle was
not arrested in New York for the rea-
son that the Secret Service desired
further to pursue their clue against
the rest of the gang, and for the rea-
son, also, that it was expected that
contraband goods would be found
on Doyle. The story of his arrest,
and the capture of the bonds in Chi
cago, and the subsequent arrest in
New York of Brockway Smith and
Owens is know.
THE FIRST CLUE.
1t is said that the only evidence
which had been secured against
these men was that they used no
tary's seal. Owens bought one and
returned it the next day. On anoth-
er day Brockway took bundle from
| Smiths house and left it in an ON
nibus. The government secured it
and it contained the broken seal of
notary. This had been used in
transferring counterfeit bonds. The
governments agents were not looking
for bond counterfeiters, but for bank
note makers, and it is believed that
they did not see at the time the val
ue of the discovery of the seal after
/ the arrest. Smith confessed, as
serting that he had been recently
led from the paths of honesty by
Brockway, who had afterward held
him in slavery by threats of expo
sure. He admitted that he had
made the 500 plate, from which
the notes in Doyle's possession had
been printed, and that he had also
made a seven-thirty bond plate
This confession was made on condi-
ton that it should not be used
against himself The government
has as yet secured but little. 1t had /
the men in custody, but there was
no evidence against them except the |
material captured with Doyle and
this confession. If these remained |
concealed it was reasonable to ex-
peot that they would soon be resur-
rected and put to use by the confed-
crates of the prisoners
BRoCKwAY's GRIP on SMITH.
Brockway soon began to suspect |
that the government had but slim
evidence against him and therefore |
made overtures through his counsel. |
He asserted that he would be ac-
Quilted ifthe government should rely (
wholly upon Smiths confession. He |
declared it could easily be proved /
that this confession. was full of lies. |
Smith had been a counterfeiter un-
der the guise of respectability since /
he was IS years old, and had done |
the fine work by which many dar-
ing operators had won q reputation.
Brock way added that he could prove
that Smith murdered his wife. Smith
had told him about it at the time.
Mrs. Smith sometimes got intoxica-
ted, and while in this condition she
cut her husband with razor. Brock
way asserted that a bottle of whisky
charged with poison had been the
cause of her death, which was pre-
ceded by great agony. AT Brock
ways request, Smith was brought
before him, although the latter, who
stood in great dread of Brockway,
begged the special agent, Drum
mond, to spare him this ordeal.
At the interview Brockway taunted
Smith with the imcompleteness of
his confession, and forced him to
admit that he had been a counter
feiter from his eighteenth year, and
that his first work had been done
for Jerry Cowden, a noted counter
feiter of his day. He also led him
to admit that he had worked for
Helliner, another notorious opera
tor, and that he had made a plate of
the 5-2O bonds. This last admis-
sion was revelation to the govern
ment 1t had been believed that
these bonds were beyond the reach
of counterfeiters. but at this inter
view it became known that the old
80, the go, and G per cents, had
been inflated. It was plain that
for some 30 years this skillful work
man had been spending much of
his time in corrupting the currency
without awakening suspicion. 1t is
reported that he has heretofore been
considered so honest and trustwor-
thy that he was employed by the
banks of New York.
After this interview Brookway Of
tered to turn over to the government
all the plate and materials used by
him and Smith making the bogus
notes and bonds, upon the condi-
ton that he will be allowed to go
free under a suspension of sentence
on another case. Before any action