The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-15
EQUINE SAGACITY.
HOW a Gang OF Counterreiters was Broker
W by the Authorities with the Aid Of m
Old White ilnrse.
philadelphia Prrs,.I

i
W by the Authorities with the Aid Of m
Old White Horse.
! philadelphia Prcss.l
:, Inc method employed by Detective
houser and Coroner's Physician Huide.
Roper TO identify Albert Dielcrle with the
murder OF Frederick Stahl. by means OF
the formers horse, Is not novel one in the
detective annals OF tins city. One OF the
largest and best-organized gangs Of coun-
telIeiters ever brought to justice in PhiIa-
oeiphia was detected by almost similar
means. The story, as related by veteran
detective yesterday, is as follows:
I'm 1862 and 1868, when the national or
greenback currency was Just coming into
circulation, and there were hundreds OF
State-bank issues in circulation, Philade-
phia was the headquarters OF all the lead
ing counterfeiters and showers OF the
queer in the country. They were as
well organized rs the best detective force.
and included scores OF intelligent and
wealthy men. Their plan was to get
out big issue Of bad money all on
one bank, say 100000, and on a day
previously fixed IL would be showed all
over Pennsylvania, New Jersey. and
the adjacent States. The fraudulent stuff
wouldn't be detected for a day or two-the
telegraph wasn't used as much then as it is
now-and the bills could be passed in the
rural districts for weeks, or until the
weekly or monthly Counterfeit Detectors'
came out. But for the horse story. In
the winter Of 1863 Deputy United States
harshals John Jenkins and John +. Star
key discovered that an unfrequented tay-
ern away out South street. near where the
bridge is now, was a rendezvous for coun-
terfeiters-in fact that it was the centre
where the bills for circulation in all
this section OF country was distribu-
ted. They also discovered that 4 man
named James Hewitt alias Old Jim
Hughes, who had long been suspect
ed Of being a dealer in the "queer,"
was in the habit Of visiting it occasionally
with horse and wagon, and that imme-
diately following his visits the city and the
State were flooded with bogus money.
They resolved to arrest him on one OF
these occasions, and on the night Of Feb
ruary II, 1863, after patient vigil OF two
or three weeks, were rewarded by seeing
him drive out South street toward the tav-
ern. After short struggle he was arrest
ed and driven IN his wagon to the Union
Street station-hOuse. then presided over
by Lieutenant Goldle.
OLD JIM LOCKED UP.
"a search Of Old Jim and the wagon
resulted only in the discovery Of few
bugs as The printed numbers for rails
ing the denominations OF notes were called,
and, as the man wouldn't tell where. he
lived, the officers were bafiled for the time
being. Old Jim was locked up on the
charge Of having passed counterfeit money
In New Jersey, and, it having been disco
vered that he was in the habit OF sta
bling his horse at the White-Ilouse tay-
ern. near Second and Race streets, the
detectives drove up to that od-time
hostelry. The stabiemen there recog-
nized the horse. They had fed him
dozen times but all they knew about
him was that he always came down Second
street before being baited in the morning,
and went up the street after getting his
feed at night. The horse was hungry, and
the hostler wanted to feed him, but with
the remark that hungry horse, like Il
hungry man, knows the way home, the
officers turned him up Second street and
gave him his head. The night was pitch
dark. or would have been but for heavy
snow that was falling, but the old horse
he was white as the snow-wcnt straight
ahead until he came to the wide lots which
then extended above Master street.
Crossing one OF these he did not stop until
he reached a fence back OF the old Taylor
Hose House, over which he pOked his
head and neighed. \ woman in one OF
the adjoining houses, on being aroused and
asked to whom the horse and wagon be-
lOnged, said it was Mr. HeWitt's, Old Jim'S
alias, and that he lived two or three doors
below. Hewitt's was then visited, and IN
the woman who answered to the name OF
Mrs. Hewitt the officers discovered a no.
torious woman who bad formerly lived at
Fourth and Shipper streets. A search OF
the house revealed lot Of paper such as is
used for printing bank-notes on, but no.
thing else.
WATCHING TIE HORSE.
"The officers were satisfied that they
were on the right clue, and thanked the
old white horse for his sagacity, but were
nonplussed for the time being, and as the
Jersey authorities didn't want Old jim he
was released. 1t was resolved, however.
to keep a watch on the house, Old jim and
his wife, and the horse-especially the lat
ter. Ben Franklin was then chief OF po-
lice, and he and another detective were
enlisted in the case. After two or three
weeks watching it was found OUT
that the Hugheses or Hewitts and the
horse were in the habit every few
nights of taking a trip up TO 4
house on north Sixth street, near the
KenSington basin, in what was then almost
the country. 1t was noticed that they
stayed all night, and that on the occasion
OF their visits lights were burned all night
in the third story. while people could he
seen behind the binds, passing to and fro, |
as if engaged in some occupation. Every
thing being in shape. the house was raided !
one night, and Old Jim and his wife and a |
woman calling herself Mrs. Branch ar
absent, as she said, in New York, |
but came in little later and was
taken into custody. \ search OF the |
house revealed reams OF bank-note paper, |
A printing-press, different colored inks, 4 |
number OF fine!y-executed plates. drying
machine. and all the other paraphernaia OF |
he counterfciter's trade, while in the third |
story were found thousands OF printed |
drying on dozen or so OF
clothes horses. The net result OF the raid /
vas all this stuff, the four prisoners, and
he old. white horse, and red fox which
Snarkey caught III tne yaru, ana which
furnished sport for fOX-chase
m north Broad street, gotten up by the
orce.
THE PRISONERS CONVICTED.
Gas the notes and the plates were all on
State banks the prisoners were tried in the
Quarter Sessions. The men, James Hughes
md Edward Branch, were old offenders,
nd in March, 1868, got long terms in the
Eastern penltentiary. The women, SUI
anna Hughes and Mary Branch, were ac-
quilted on the ground that they were the
wives of the defendants. The conviction
4 the men led TO the arrest and breaking
ID Of q gang consisting q Zeke Cady,