New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-09
GOLDMAKERS ARRESTED.
IMPORTANT CAPTURE OF TWO. ACCOM-
PLSHED SWINDLERS.
THEIR INTENDED VICTIM AIDS INSPECTOR
aYRNEs,s MEN-A DETECTIVE WHO WAS
"sHADowED' BY ONE OF TIE RoGrES
-uow THE CRIMINALS WERE
OVERpOwERED IN AN
UPTOWN HOTEL.

OVERpOWERED IN AN
UPTOWN HOTEL
Probably the history Of crime contained in the
diary of Inspector Byrnes could afford few stories
so interesting or remarkable as that which the
Inspector told to Tribune reporter last night
There are several classes or grades of the
,riminal known as the "buncO steerer.' or this
class perhaps the highest in the line of education.
cleverness, and audacity are the "Goldmakers
Dealing as they generally do with moderately rich
men, and playing as they always do for large
stakes. only men of deep sagacity and varied
talents could hope to make success of tho
calling.
On Saturday last two of the clcvercst men who
have ever defrauded their feilow-men by the
.mt>hOnOred goldmaking scheme were run 10
flcir holes and baggcd after long and hot
chase They were Charles Morrcll. thirty-siN years
old. alias SalueSe and Charles Harris. thrtycight
years old alias Cereghro They are both of foreign
birth. The men were well but not f1ashily
dressed, and quiet and reserved in their dcmeanor
Inspector Byrnes had previously heard of Morrcll.
and his long record of swindling III the Southern
states, in Mexico, and in the West has been known
% the police for some time.
THEIR ARRIVAL IN THIS CITY.
The two men arrived in Ncwlork two months
tgO, anu Hdu Hol DctH 1tIt tNO NtAS DCI'it INV
Inspector learned of their presence. With his
nsla foresight he detailed two of his detectives
McClusky and Crowley. 10 watch the man Morrell,
who seemed TO be the more important OF the two.
Merrell lived in handsome set of rooms at
NO. lI09 Park-ave., with German woman, who
lad lPen connected with a comic opera company in
ne West. About six weeks ago Morrcll was seen
by the detectives To meet tall, goOd-look1ng
nan in Broadway, who wore broad soft hat and
pore other marks of hcing a Wcstcrner
Morrell, after cordially grasping the hand Of
he other, had evidently succeeded in convincing
niin that they had previously met. The stranger
proved to he a wealthy miner from the West. who
had cone East on business. he and MOrrcll soon
became fast friends, and together frequented the
theatres and other places Of amusement Be
heving that Morrell and his confederate in the
background were only awaiting good Oppor
tunity TO play their swindling game. Inspector
Byrnes sent for the Westcrner. and after having
enlightened him TO the real character of his
nPwfOund friend laid a plan to checkmate the
:OgueS.
1t was agreed that the tall Westcrncr should
Introduce Detective Conway to Morrcll as a
young man from the West who had Just come
into fortune and was looking for the best way
Of investing it, and that the Westerner should at
the same time attempt 70 get into Morrcl's con-
tidcnce on the score that he, the WeStcrner, was
engaged in the same line of business The
stranger was only too glad 10 aid the police.
CHECK AND CoUNTNRcHEcK.
Tie plan worked well. Conway took a room
It the Barrett House and was introduced TO tho
iWindlcr. But there was one thing for whcl.
tie Inspector and his a: sis,ants were unprepared.
snd that was the extreme caution and circumspcc-
ton of the swindlers themselves. Unwilling even
to trust the Wes:crncr. Morrcll. bcfOn' re would
take the first steps toward en.ptying tie pockets
of tic supposed caOw youth, detailed his con-
Tolerate, Harris. 80 shadow" the detective and
70 become thoroughly acquainted with all his hab
its and his acq,lain'ancc>. This was to provide
against tie scheme which the Inspector was try
ing to carry ont.
For six long weeks this thrpcc0rncrcd game
vas carried on. Conway in his character of
Spendthrin trc iuentrd the theatres, went Ia in"
Faces. and pretended 10 MAKE large bets: visited
the Stock Exchange and g,vc fctliio,s orders to
brokers. and in variety Of WAYS sought to satisfy
The thieves that he WAS everything lie pretended
to he. The watchlulncss Of Harris was unremit-
tent: no step could he taken by the detective
which would in any WAY connect him in the
wind,ers mind with his real calling.
THE PLOT TMICKFNS.
~ "''N iI't HHiIi IdSI NdtuIu'lN 'lidb NOIItN
apparently became satisfied that his Western
!:cnd was what he SAID lac was. Previous Ia
this Morrcll. i'll talking OF business matters with
Tie detective, had hinted at b ing engaged in a
big moncymaking scheinc. To all these advances
he detective had clevcrly acccdcd SO that on
Saturday night when Morrr asked the detective
% come 10 his room and talk the biz scheme
10 readily consented The room was in an up
,own hotel Daring all this time Harris had
Jccn kept in the background Next door 10 the
'o"m occupied BY Morrcll Harris had engaged an
other.
After the swindicr has produced bis metals
crucibles and other paraphcrnaia for the alleged
manufacture Of gold and has tlIoronplly convinced
the durr tha; IL" operation Of making good coin
from base metal is prac, .cablc, hc make, some
~cnsc md leaves the room, carrying the materials
With him. Once Outsi1c. he slips the bsy into
he hands Of his confederate. who conceals it in
ais own room. Should the dupc turn ont TO b."
representative Of the law, or should he attempt
% turn the swindlcr over 10 the police the latter
ne unable to find the slightest evidence agains,
avn heyond the plain statement Of the intended
victim. 1t was by means Of these same precau-
tioEs that Morrel and his partner Harris had G.,
'i"ir'h'iS IN the past cluded the snares laid for
them by the police Of various cities
SETTING THE TRAP.
Bnt Inspector Byrncs was eonal N anv ,u.o of
this kind Near the room in the hall Detective
McCluskey. dressed us a hotel porter. WITS engaged
in cleaning tie gas globes. while the other die.
tcc,ive Crowley. was busy fixing n curtain at the
end Of the corridor
When the two men reached M0rrcll's room The
latter proceeded by means OF an elaborate collec
ton Of mOuds, crucibles, cheap metal (calIcd
"spelter"j, and various bottles said to contain
acids. TO convince the supposed Westerncr slat
he could make good $40 gold pieces. by q clever
ruse which it would take too long 10 describe in
detail, the swindIer succeeded in producing a
genuine $40 gold piece from the mould into
which only moment before the detective be-
lieved he had seen the base metal poured. -,
we'll was the deception performed that the dis.
gused detective, had he not been familiar with
the trick, would almost certainly have been con-
vinced Of the truth Of the mans assertions.
We'll, now, how much do you want TO invest
In this ?" asked Merreu. holding out the genuine
coin for inspection. Ill make you $4,000
worth for $4,000. But Of coursc ! must have