Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-04-09
Arrest Of an Alleged Counter
feiter.

Mr.. Robert Montgomery, alias Chas. john
son was committed to committed to Jail by Esq.
Dunn, of Karns City last Thursday on charge
of counterfeiting, preferred by Mr. Page.
Robert is farmer, is the owner OF q acres IN
Cherry township. He is known to have three
accomplices in the business, and had his arrest
been conducted with more deliberation they
might have been secured. The karns City
correspondent of the Petrolia Record gives the
following account of the arrest and clrcum-
stances leading business: GA stranger appeared
on our streets Tuesday evening and applied at
Vests drug store for nitric acid and cynanlde
of potassium. As these chemicals are very
poisonous the fellow was required to give his
name and the purpose for which he wanted the
articles He said his name was Charley john
son, and that he was farmer living near
Karns. He further stated that he wanted the
the chemicals to make medicine for the cure
of ringbone and SPAWN, and that he expected
to realize about ten dollars from the mixture.
Thereupon the druggist gave him the required
articles as the explanation seemed plausible
enough. The following day he was seen IN
company with a citizen of this place and both
made frequent visits to the hotels where they
imbibed sowemhat freely. At Pages hotel he
passed counterfeit counterfeit silver dollar,
receiving for it the drinks and change. He
afterwards succeeded in passing bogus fifty
cent piece at the European Hotel, but the pro-
prietor soon discovered its worthlessness, and
in q very brief time the news spread that
counterfeiter was in town. OF course consider
able excitement followed and haste was made
to secure his arrest Mr.. Page swore out
warrant for his arrest, which was put into the
the hands of w. III. Pickard to be served. He
went to the depot and not finding him there
proceeded to the pump station below ana
there found his man. While being led to the
Squire's Office he tried to get rid of his ring
bone and SPAWN remedy by throwing 1t ylo-
lently on the ground with the hope of breaking
the bottle and so destroying one evidence OF
his guilt Fortunately the bottle was not bro
ken but was secured intact by the officer
He was taken before Squire Dunn and then
searched In his inside vest pocket seventy
three dollars were found in an old stocking,
which had been securely sewed to that gar
ment. Fifty EIGHT dollars of this amount
were in dollar pieces while the balance was in
fifty cent pieces--all counterfeit. The "queer"
was given to ex-Sheriff Hoffman to be deposit
in the vaults of the Argyle SaviDgs Bank until
needed in court and the bottle containing the
mixture to Doc West to be held by him until
called for by the prosecution. The prisoner
was committed to Jail. J. w. Pennell was
deputlzed to take him to Butler, which he did
on Thursday. The opinion of many is that he
is only one of gang which is operating In
this section, and had little more caution been
used the whole party might have been bagged.
However, no one is blamed particularly for the
haste manifested since it was zeal in good
cause, but little discretion might have re-
suited in breaking up the whole business"