The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-19
A SKIRMISH WITH THE GANG
Secret Service Men Surround the House
of Dealers in Spurious Money.
An Old Counterfeiter Captured, and Another,
After an Exchange of Shots, Escapes-A
Large Amount of the Queer Seized.

Some weeks ago in this State the cOun-
terfeit ten-dollar greenback attracted the
attention of the secret-service officers.
Several arrests were made and convictions
obtained, but no clew could be found where
by the source of the fraudulent notes could
be traced. The counterfeit. while not in any
way remarkable for the superiority of its
manufacture, was sufficiently deceptive to
lead the officers to fear serious results in
small towns and She matter was made the
subject of most vigorous investigation.
Among the convicted was Martin Howell.
He was identified with the Shelby county
gang. engaged in circulating the
money, and yesterday he was taken by
Deputy United States Marshal Mounts to
the northern prison, where he will serve a
tve-years' sentence.
1t was thought, however, that in all of
their arrests and convictions the officials
had not succeeded in locating the leaders of
the gang, and the search was continued.
Yesterday word was received here of the
partial realization of this end in Dayton.
where it was attended with some violence
that may result seriously to the parties
concerned. The information received was
to the effect that Maj. Thomas b. Carter,
chief of the United States Secret
Service for Indiana; Capt. L. A.
ticers had made descent upon
the United States Hotel, near Day ton, with
the object of raiding what was supposed to
be the rendezvous of the counterfeiters.
Two carpet-sacks of spurious ten-dOllar
greenbacks were found in the building,
which is owned by Nelson briggs, eighty
two years of age and noted counterfeiter.
In the attack officer S. A. Downella, of
Virginia was shot on the right side of the
head, the ball following the skull to the
back Of the neck, but it is not serious
wound.
About fifteen years ago briggs and
GuyOn were members Of gang in Illinois
briggs was arrested and served eleven
ing with him counterfeit plates and
$4,000 in bogus greenbacks. This money
never made its appearance till last Febru-
airy. Chief Bell, of the secret service, went
to Dayton in March, and made Driggs's &C
quaintancee,, pretending to be an attorney
Conn. Conn., A short time ago Bell
preached the subject of counterfeit
money to briggs, who offered to get SAC. 200
Denelio to assist him. briggs went to Gin.
with only $4,000 saying Guyon
would come last night with the
balance. Guyon came. and briggs
delivered SSl,UUO, all Oh the bogus money,
| to Bell, receiving IN return what purpOrted
| to be $1,000 in good money, but which was
| really only 5000. briggs was then placed
under arrest and guarded in his room.
Yesterday morning an attempt was
made to capture Guyon, who was
Driggs's premises. Bell, who had been
| reinforced by five more secret-service of
| ficers, posted his men, three of them at the
edge ola wooded lot adjoining the house
| with instructions to close III on a
signal. Guyon. it proved, was hid in
closed in, he passed unobserved between
| them. But he had not gone far when they
saw him and opened fire on him. Guyon
| lodged behind tree and returned the fire
| GnyOn then took to his heels and was soon
lost to sight One of the officers claims to
! have wounded GuyOn during the pistol
! battle.
'Driggs,v said gentleman in this city
last night, began his career as a counter
| feiter back In the fOrtes. | remember when
l was a lad nine years of age, living al
| Cadiz, q. am now more than sixty, but
| / remember briggs as a prosperous farmer
and country merchant near Freeport. He
| drove the finest horses in the
freely. But there came time when he had
] to leave the county. 1t was discovered
that he had a chief interest in the opera
tiGns of gang that was circu
latng conn eonnterfelt note notes on ,e the ole
jury indicted him and briggs was arrested
but immediately after giving bond in a
large amount he went into Illinois. Since
| that time he has been in the penitentiary
| several times for cOunterfeiting.
Richard Sellers, an expressman, was be-
fore Commissioner Van Buren, yesterday tt
| answer a charge of passing one of the cOun
| terfeit bills. The case was dismissed, al
Sellers furnished substantial evidence Of