Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-04
CAPTURED AT LAST.
Two Counterfeiters Arrested With
Their Bogus Money and Dies.
QUARTER DOLLARS THROWNAWAY
A Sharp Italian Who Was Not Caught
Mapping Second Time.
OTHER ARRESTS TO BIB MADE TO-DAY

For some time past complaints have been
received from storekeepers and street car
lines on the Southside by the police that
large number of counterfeit quarters were
in circulation, and the merchants were un-
able to detect the parties at the time the
money was passed. 1t remained for an
italian fruit store keeper named Anglo
Bevlaqua at No. Carson street to give the
information that resulted in the arrest of
two of the supposed organized gang.
About o'clock yesterday morning two
men entered his store slightly intoxicated
and commemorate dicker with Bevlaqua for
some fruit. He wrapped the purchase in
package, and handed it to one of the men
named Samuel Michaels, who handed him
quartersin payment, As-soon as Bevlaqua
got the coin in his hands his suspicious
were at once aroused, having previously
been victimized by the counterfeiters. The
weight of the money was not as heavy as a
good coin, He took time to compare the
quarter with the one he had received before.
The two coins were of the same weight and
considerably off color, and IN every respect
we're identically the same make. The men
in the meantime suspected that Bevlaqua
knew the money was not genuine, and pre-
pared to make hasty retreat
THREW THE MONEY AWAY.
Bevlaqua followed the men, and at the
corner of Carson street and the bridge he
met Officer Scbock and told him to arrest
the two men. The latter had reached
the other side of the street near the
Lake Erie depot and started to run.
The policeman Immediately gave chase, and
soon overlook the men, who were drunk.
He took them to the patrol box and rang for
the wagon. While waiting for it Michaels
put his hand In his pocket, pulled out a
handful of money and threw it into the
street. This was picked by the italian and
given to the officer. By this time the wagon
arrived, and the two men were handcuffed
and placed in the wagon.
Cn the way to the station house Michaels
again threw something from the wagon. 1t
was stopped, and one of the officers went
back, and, after diligent search along the
street, found several more quarters OF the
same date and description. The prisoners
were taken to the Twenty-eighth ward sta
ton house, and, when searched by Sergeant
McShane, more of the money was found on
the person of the other man, who gave his
name as Allan Bales. Two pair of plaster
paris dies were found on him,
which the quarters fitted into nicely.
The men were placed in cells and United
He arrived at the station house about noon,
and learned from the prisoners where more
of the gang could be found.
THE BIRDS HAD FLOWN.
The arrest of the two men became known
on the outside, and the other people impli-
Gated in the manufacture of the money made
themselves scarce. When the officers ar
rived at the house, No. 2214 Larkins alley,
no one could be found. Inspector Nc
Kelvy has received information about the
people that got away and thinks he will
probably apprehend them before they get
out of the city. Both of the men arrested
are over 30 years old, and, from the bad
money they had, proved themselves to be
we'll advanced in the art. Michaels, when
questioned as to how he came in possession
of the counterfeit money, about $40 in all.
told the somewhat improbable story that
someone had placed it in his pocket. Bales
could not give satisfactory account Of
how he came to have the dies about his per-
son, either. On Saturday they will be
given a preliminary hearing in the United
States Court.
Z. Bales stated that his regular occupation
was window glass worker, but had not
been employed at that trade for two years.
He worked for Phillips & Co. for II years.
Michaels has been employed as .teamster,
hauling stone for the new Southside electric
road. Inspector McKelvy was of the
opinion that the men were connected with
the gang, of which William Cunningham,
who is now doing time, was the head. Both
men are we'll known on the Southside and
Inspector McKelvy says they belong to the
Grand Army.