Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-28
FIeHT wIrH COUNTERrgrrERs,
Desperate Resistance 20 Arrest
sharp Work of Detectives on
Train.

A report has been been submitted to
the Treasury Department regarding the
recent arrest of counterfeiters Duffel and
McRae near Clarksville, Tennessee,
showing in detail the difficulties en-
countered in securing the men, together
with the extreme dangers attending the
operations of the secret service. A gen.
tleman engaged in the contest preceding
the arrest of the counterfeiters narrates
the affair substantially as follows:
Operative Brown expected that James
d. Duffel and Newton McRae, the coun-
terfeiters, were on the a. m. train for
Clarksville. To avoid notice, he stepped
into the sleeping car. His assistant,
Evans, and Deputy United States Mar
shal Morrison went into the smoking car,
where they found an associate detective,
named James, accompanied by his aid,
Hardy. James subsequently conferred
with Brown, stating that he had Duffel
and McRae in company, also William L.
Traylor. They were all armed with pis-
tolls and shotguns, Traylor being along
in order to render any aid that might be
needed in case anything should happen
to the others. Ali had been drinking,
and threatened to kill James and his aid
If they tried to arrest their party or any
of its members.
The operatives finally effected an agree
ment that as soon as the train arrived at
a certain point near Guthrie, XIV, they
should all appear in the smoking car,
and on signal from Brown each officer
should cover his man. James and Hardy
were to arrest McRae, and the other
three-Brown, Evans and Morrison
were to arrest Duffel and Traylor. Be-
fore reaching the station the conductor
was informed of the arrangement. When
approaching the place agreed upon for
action Brown went into the smoking car.
McRae sat with one of the detectives.
Brown passed them, and when
near Duffel, gave the prear-
ranged signal and at once COW
cred Duffel with his pistol. Evans and
Morrison were quickly at his side rem
dering assistance, and James and Hardy
captured McRae. They all fought des.
perately. Duffel and Traylor jumped up
and tried to draw their revolvers Brown
dropped his pistol and grabbed Duffel,
wrenched his pistol from him and threw
him back and held him. Evans held
Traylor, while Morrison handcuffed them.
Brown, seeing that James and Hardy
were still struggling with McRae, tum-
bling over the car seats, ETC., ran to their
assistance, and was compelled to choke
McRae until he was nearly black in the
face before the handcnffs could be placed
on him.
The passengers were greatly fright
ened, and mistook the detectives for
train robbers. Cries of "The James
brothersF" were heard on all Sides After
the awbreakers were securely hand
cuffed they were disarmed and searched.
Some of them carried double braces of
pistols. McRae, being somewhat heated
after his scutfie, requested that the car
window be opened, which was done. A
few seconds later the prisoner made a
leap through it, but was caught by the
legs and pulled back by Morrison and
James. The train was moving at the
ra of twenty-five miles per hour The
party, although causing considerable
more trouble, were finally tried in Louis
vile and held in So, 600 bail each.