The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-04-10
The Dies, Moulds, Metal and Coun-
terfeit Money All Offered in
Testimony.

The two men, George Steph nson and
George Hillery, an account OF whose arrest
near Boonville, appeared in yesterday 8
BAzoO, were brought TO this city Yesterday,
by their captors, sheriff John +. Rogers
and Deputy Sheriff l.. L. Williams, Of
Cooper county, for hearing before United
States Commissioner A. e. Scott, yesterday
evening. The dies, moulds. metal and $50
in counterfeit money, found in the posses
sion of the prisoners, were also brought
along TO be offered as evidence of their
guilt.
The hearing was commenced at o'clock
yesterday evening, Maj. VIM. Warner. Of
kansas CITY, appearing for the government.
Mai. D. NJ. Stedman, OF the United States
secret service department, was also present.
The prisoners did not desire counsel and
we're provided with none.
George Hillery, the party actually
guilty of manufacturing and passing coun-
tsrfeit dollar and half dollar coins, is a young
man of about 80 years, and boarded with
Stephenson. who resides six miles SOUTH
west of Boonville, and is man at least
50 wears of age. He is also an ignorant
man, and should not really be held respon-
sible for the crime he was induced to be-
come party to by Hillery. who, though a
wood-chOpper by profession, is evidently
q sleek rascal. To his credit, be it said,
however, that in the hearing yesterday
he made q manly effort to exonor,te his
aged dupe.
The following are the facts in the case.
briefly stated:
A month or so ago Hillery, while osten-
sibly looking for a job, turned up at the
humble cabin of old man Stephenson, a
tenant on the Elliott farm, six miles from
Boonville. HiIlery sought for and was
granted a temporary abode with the Ste
phensons, but made no effort to get work.
After q two weeks stay he made PROPOSE
ton to engage in the manufacture oil cOun-
terfeit money, the coming of which he
claimed to thoroughly understand. The
old man at 6rst Indignantly rejected The
proposition and intimated TO Hillery that
he had better hunt other quarters, nut the
young man, by his sophistry and cajolery,
finally succeeded in securing the quasi
consent OF the old man TO
permit the base coin 10 be
made on his place, and having business
in Boonville, he was induced to purchase
for HilIery a dozen pewter spoons, know
ing they we're to be used in the coinage of
spurious coins. Hillery having already made
his dies and moulds of plaster Of Paris. Re-
turning with The spoons, the old man turned
them over TO his boarder snd would have
nothing to do with the melting Of them or
moulding the counterfeit money, but re-
tired for the night. 1t is quite probable,
though, that old Mrs. Stephenson sat mp
that night and assisted HilIery in his nefa-
rious enterprise.
The following morning Stephenson was
shown the result of the nights work and
insisted tina. the money should be secreted
along With the dies, moulds, etc, away
from the house. As Hillery offered no
opposition to this decree of the old man.
the whole outfit. including all but q few Of
the coins retained by Hillery, was given
q son of Stephenson to be secreted. The
next day Hillery went to Boonville and
there passed three of the one dollar pieces.
purcha sinR articles of small value and
getting good money n the way of change.
After his departuO it Was discovered that
tie money was . base counterfeit and he
was followed by the sheriff and his deputy,
who frst.got hold Of Stephenson's con, who
had been entrusted with the responsibility
of hiding the coney outfit The boy was
badly frightened and not only told all he
knew about the matter. but Conducted the
officers to the hiding place.
With the evidences Of guilt in their pos
eession, the officers then arrested Stephen
son and Hillery. The last named confessed
his guilt 1t once, saying be wanted to raise
money enough BY passing the counterfeit
money to leave poor old Missouri. and re-
turn to the state Of his nativity: Ohio: Poor
old Missouri, however, will claim q
lew years Of Of his services before he takes
his departure, and his host old man Ste
phenson, will wish thst Hillery had never
been born, % each was ordered 70 b com
mitted to iail 1t Je6erson City, in default
Of $l,OO0 bail. Deputy 4aIshsl Gus.
Lohnsn will convey the prisoner to JEFF
erson City to-day.
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