Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-05
CONIACKERS.
Interesting Talk Of the City Coun'
terfeiters.
Quite a Gang Of the Gentry here-What
Captain Bennett Has to Sayof
the Nickel CoineFs.

The publication made by the REGISTER
yesterday, of the existence in the city, OF
band of nickel counterfeiters, excited gen.
eral interest. Now that it is ''given away
there were dozens of people who knew
something of that kind was going on and
had seen the counterfeiters. Accounts OF
the affair were tslepraphed to various
metropolitan papers which. in their head
lines, laid the blame on the wheeling po-
lice. 1t will be at once understood mere,
that they have nothing to do with such
cases, and,the official who made the revela-
ton was not blue coat. One Of the latter,
however, said yesterday:
"Oh, that gangs nothing. There's worse
than that in town. There's place, where
if you go and give in a s. bill, you'll get
s. in counterfeits."
The reporter wanted to know where it
was, but the blue coat only looked myster-
ious and shook his head in wise way.
Last evening reporter sauntered into
the Police headquarters and found Capt
Bennett in anything but an amiable frame
of mind. Upon the reporters asking him
what was the matter?' he replied: Eve
rything is wrong. Why! did you see the
headlines to the article in the Pittsburg
Dispatch? 1t stated that the police OF
Wheeling would not arrest the counter
feiters without reward was offered for
them, or words to that effect. Now what
do YOU think of that? People away from
this city would naturally suppose l would
not arrest any person for violating the law
without large reward was offered, or in 9th.
er words stood in with the law breakers and
was making the excuse that no money
was offered for their arrest"
HaDtain do Rnnw ANYTHING
about counterfeiters in this city,? asked
the reporter.
81 will tell You just what I did. About
six months ago l discovered that spurious
nickles we're being circulated in the city,
and at one saloon several had been taken
in. The saloonist informed me, and / told
him to continue taking them aud | would
redeem them and further for him to take
particular notice of the person or persons
passing them. Well, in a few days he
showed me the parties, {ot course it will be
they were I then followed the clue up
and found out, on at least Twas pretty GER
tain, that, l had discovered the house the
coin was manufactured in. | then took
several of these nickles to U. s. Commits
sioner Forbes and asked him about it. He
stated among other things that had better
go to Jas. Rodgers, another Commissioner.
| further stated to Forbes that | did not
care about the money in the case. All |
wanted was writ TO search the house and
arrest the parties for violating the United
States laws. AS had worked the case, /
naturally wanted the credit for catching
the vielators. went TO Commissioner
Rodgers, and he informed me that Post
master Sterling had the power to appoint
me a Deputy United States Marshal for
that especial case. | went to the POstmaS.
ter, and be, after long conversation, told
me to wait until District Attorney Golf ar
rived in the city, he being expected the
next week. Well, have waited and wait
ed in vain. Nobody has called on me
about it, and of course at this time
the parties have moved or left for parts uu-
known, as have paid no mere attention
to them. II an officer has to run to a
dozen different men and then wait a week
or two before he can get writ why there
is no earthly use in working up those kino
OF cases, for people that follow trade OF
that kind, seldom stay in one place any
great length Of time. The official who
gave you the information in Yesterdays
issue did not belong to the police force of
this city"
This TALES exactly with what the other
official told the reporter and makes up an
interesting case. Nobody blames the police
force, but as somebody is at iault, who is
ito