The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-29
THE WAY THE GANG WAS CAUGHT.
A Piece of Speedy Detective Work by
the Secret Service.
From the Ne,0 York Star.

the Secret Service.
From the Nelo York Star.
| BOSTON. Nov. 26-Perhaps the quickest
work in the record of crime hunters was
that of the secret service officers during the
past week in capturing the gang of counter
! feiters convicted last week in Auburn, n.
! Y, who have for some time been operating
| In the northwestern part of Pennsylvania
| and the southern tier counties OF New
| York. In the weeks good work Special
! Agent Patrick Lyons of this city has
| played prominent and very creditable
| part
The story of the capture has been told
| heretofore In fragmentary manner, but
the first accurate statement of the facts
was given to reporter by United States
/ District Attorney Hoyt last night.
On the day after election Special Agent
| Lyons was informed that a prominent
member of the gang of counterfeiters who
had been circulating bogus silver coin could
be caught by following a certain course of
| procedure. He at once put himself in COM
| munication with Chief Bellof Washington,
informing him of the information he had
| received, and placed himself under
that officers instructions. Mr.. Lyons
soon learned that H. B. Mellin,
who lived near Warren, Pa. was al
extensive dealer in the counterfeit money.
Large amounts of the coin have been cir
culated in that section, and so perfect was
the Imitation and to such an extent had it
been circulated that the people in that
vicinity were very suspicious and took
every precauton 10 guard against receiving
1t. Having this information, Agent Lyons
arranged with a man in Warren named
Edward Bennett to buy some OF the money
OF Mellin, and instructed him to mark it
for Identification One week ago last
Jtrh 70
the town where Mellin lived and
obtained the coin. He returned to
hotel and went to a room for the
purpose of marking the coin. Here most
singular accident occurred. Bennett went
into his room and left the door open.
Every one in that vicinity was of course
suspicious of bright coin, or any man in
whose possession it was found, and so, when
a boarder CHANGED to pass by Benefits
open door and saw him handling and mark
ing bright silver coin his suspicious were
aroused. The boarder gave the alarm"
and Bennetu's every movement was watched.
On the next evening ne was to go to James
town to meet Agent Lyons. But being sus-
pected as a counterfeiter, the constable
was at the depot ready to arrest him when
he started. Mr.. Bennett submitted to the
arrest in silence. 1t was indeed a trying
plight. He could not reveal his real pos
ton in the matter, for in that case the
whole plan of capture would be thwarted
However, he telegraphed to Agent Lyons
| that he had been arrested and was in jail at
| Warren On Monday Lyons and Agent
| BaggS of Utica came on, aud after sufficient
explanation to the United States commits
| sioner at Warren, Bennett was discharged,
and they were then ready to go on with
| the work.
Agents Lyons and Baggs with Mr.
| Bennett then started in search of Mellin.
| He lived near small town some dist lnce
out of Warren, and left for that place by
train. The three men were sitting near
each other in the car, talking in an uncon-
| cerned way just as the train pulled out of
| North Warren. At that station several
| passengers got on and among them large
| swarthy looking man whom Bennett at once
discovered to be Mellin. He at once turned
| his face from him and whispered to Agent
| Lyons: "There'S " ur mani" Mellin either
| saw the movement or for some reason
became suspicious, and going to the
door jumped from the train and Agent
Lyons after him. AS soon as Mellin could
recover his feet he started on the run,
| emptying his pockets of all his loose ''silver''
| by casting it 20 the four winds, with very
! little regard for either the wind or the ''sil-
YER" Agent Lyons gave chase and soon
overhauled him. Mellin is powerful man,
little less than desperate, and as soon as
he saw that escape was impossible, turned
and showed fight. Lyons was too quick for
him, however, ana he gave Mellin blow
in the neck that laid him at fun length on
his back
Put up your hands," demanded Officer
Lyons as soou as Mellin regained his feet,
and by this times Officer Baggs having
come up, Mellin was taken back t. the
station and searched. On his person six
teen spurious dollars that he had no5 got rid
| Of found nd in nc he
of burglars tools, together with a dark
| lantern, a revolver, skeleton keys, and
other implements Of the trade. Mellin was
then lodged in jail at that place. Seeing
that there was no chance of getting out of
the box, Mellin was induced to give in
| formation that led to the completion of the
| work
He said that he had obtained his money
| of Squire" Richardson of Casa iaga, who
had supplied the whole country round about
with the extra ''silver" After some time
he was induced to write a letter of intro
duction to Richardson stating that the
bearer, Mr.. Bennett, was a perfectly safe
man, and that be (Bennett wished to buy
some stick. The letters also stated that he
(Mellin) had known the bearer for some
time, and could guarantee him to be per-
fectly safe man.
Equipped with the letter of introduction,
the three "queer hunters" again set out for
Cassadaga, and arrived there Monday even
ing. Officer Lyons busted himself in pro-
curing an order for arrest, while Bennett
went with his letter to make the acquaint-
ance of the esquire" Hs was warmly re-
ceived by Richardson, who Informed him
that he was very sorry, bot that he could
not accommodate him with any money, for
he was Just out. More than this the
Squire" said that he bad been informed
that government officers were on the
| alert and it was advisable to carry on their
business with the utmost caution. How
ever, he promised to send the money as soon
| as possible, and then the two men sat and
chatted away the evening, the squire"
waiting for Bennett to go. and Bennett
waiting for Lyons to come. Later in the
evening Officer Lyons came in aud Richard
son was placed under arrest and brought 70
Buffalo. The premises we're searched and
many counterfeiting implements found.
SCIENTIFIC WATCH STEALING.
A III. n-I1r