Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-04

with
men in putting he stuff on the market, and they
can pass hsd bill or q counterfeit coin ten
times where men can pass them once. Coun-
tsreiting is OF such a nature that it can only be
carried on in secret, and as rule whole families
are mixed up in It. Col. Brooks, the old head
ofthe secret service, once told me that he found
that cOunterfeiters ran in families and that the
making Of the queer and passing it was done
by father and son, daughter and mother through
generation after generation
$50, Goo IN SKIRT.
The wives Of counterfeiters are most FREE
guently used as the passers of the money, and
here are few women who possess the requisite
lkIl to engrave a counterfeit bill. They are
very cunning, however, IN passing them, and
they are less suspected than the men. 1t was oD
this account thar Russo, the great Italian coun-
tsrieter now awaiting trial, tried to force his
wife to put his counterfeit silver certificates on
the market. He had 20, 400 of these certificates
which he made in Paris, and he had been in
prison a number of times before for counterfeit
ing his wife had helped him pass his counter
ieitmoney, and she was with him when they left
the country and started for London TO get mp the
stuff for q new raid upon the public
They left America in 1887, and gave their
friends to understand that they were going 10
California In fact, however, they sailed for
London, and there found the italian engraver
with whom they plotted TO make this money.
MIS-, Russo could talk French as well as she
could Italian and they made Paris their work
struck on $4,000 they started for America. Mrs.
Russo was afraid to carry the money, but Russo
sad he would murder her If she did not, SO she
mace gingham skirt fitted with pockets and
IN this she stuffed away the money and carried
II 10 London. She was badly frightened by
meeting SO many custom officers, and when she
gotto London she refused to go any further.
Inc engTayeT then advised Russo to kill her. but
hosso chlOrofOmed her one night when she was
asleep and robbed her of all her money
Mu every lie and the engraver then sailed
5or tle United States, leaving her a pauper in
LONDON. In some way or other Mrs. Russo got
enough money TO come to America. She looked
tpheF husband and threatened to expose him
uliess she was taken into the gang and given
s Ear oI the proceeds. In company with Russo
SSls tAen began TO put out the "queeT.' New
lvfk CITY was soon flooded with it, and they
I-.sed bills at thirteen stores in one dav. They
w shAeoWed, however, by the secret service
Ss.sSSi'es' were followed home and were ar
-sseu. number Of counterfeits were found
S Tgol mem and upon trial they plead guilty.
aasso was given twelve years and his wife four
I - sha an attempt is now being made for
In and poor health. The detec-
TS OF the treasury saw that this
y "a, 81 Sham, and they statethat Russo is one
SrS Su t slsrPest counterfeiters in the country,
p T,u ma ms wife Is not far behind him. Both
ttl'sO ahd ms wife are Italians and italians are
~ most cunning counterfeiters among the for
Tss nss Nno are engaged'in the Business in the
eirnsss states During the pastSyear 165 for
80 80 se' enty-six were Italians. In all there
TSis 80, eounterfeittsrs arrested and 206-or not
fv -.S 14l Oh these-were of American birth,
tVn - He re germans, eighteen were negroes,
N'e uleeks, ana one was Chinaman.
NELSON DRIee's WIFE.
one Of the most dangerous counterfeitters now
s S-lS' arrest is Nelson briggs and his wife who
--' Ueen implicated in his crimes. He has al
sss'asF put about quarter of million of dol
rss. lI i circulation and he has history which
bscE az ~. romance. He began his work as far
n "a ~ -, 20 when he had little variety store
note Tt-i t WI age and there put out bad hank
ma s- LII ne was forced to leave. In 1858 he
usta Ls .rt IN Chicago with $50 900 worth of
M o4nA notes on his person and was sent to
. ne penlentiary on q sentence for ten vesrs He
rot F or; after time and shortly after he
sS5 Ols ne began to counterfeit again
iesieittj,.s sent to prison for coun-
E s In Minnesota and Iowa.
A. sI ieueeed ms term by good behavior and
was c,r = ne got out begSu the old business and
-tursS So 81 IA Illinois. At the time he was cap
buried 4, ~. IN counterfeit money was found
taken s a. me woods near the place where he was
rssts5 e. gu u MS wife was with him. She was ar
two ie r. an aecompliee, and it appears that the
Cipcir1,.3, oEe with each other while in Jail at
were rrlsss.s Ihey got married as soon as they
10 her iSV;reuli and she was valuable assistant
TIE re1;,'-.s husband. She will probably go to
come aii 'iary with him after the trial has
TIE KING n, -
SoUNTERFEITERs AND HIS QUEEN.
ro,. '-e annals Of treasury crime there is no
,,s,,. -O,su eounterieiter than Pete Mccartney
,I,,.-. pFisss, his wife has been his chief as
to 6itissA ms last arrest was for raising 81 bills
nom lie took the $500 figures
eiese over tb he 60, stamp, and by FASTING
passed - ~. ne world like ffty-dollar bills He
dollar bs .-oer o. these, and he also raised two
letter an 49, 70 tWentes. He has been 3 counter
would mas rs NE, and he has had a career which
formed : dozen dime novels. He has re-
vas ens-- lumber Of times and his wife who
long Tine ~ with him in counterfeiting for q
hess IA I P,eSe with him to give up the bush
vent in .ppyguld not do so, however, and she
oten es, 80 aim Il was through her that he
N jan al 81 - rom prison. In 1856 when he was
scene Wit5r is1lagneld H., she appeared on the
AcQsr.psvi s-gso IN her pocket A week later
hs and M Sel Door was found open. and both
Posed tbsf ~ nHe mad disappeared. II was sup
MS aeCs,f-ss.. ssherih hae been bribed. After
On Opened = became photographer, and later
eay secr,. Nv cry stable at Nation, Ill. One
vean aud NO service agent came to hire a
soms ercnss al Al ney recognized him. BE made
Salh draps> Slo taking all the money from the
lsery sabia =. pped out of the back door OF his
ltAs guaDinS -'iu escaped. at another time he |
,,es Cabin h =, counterfeit workshop in an old
Afs. MeCsrt Sae little town Of Osgood, Ind, and
40 Other 80 was helping him There were 1
AMONG lts yns.Sin connected with the gang and /
nan cspitsI;iti oers were Fred. Biebusch, Ger
naned l ~; OF st. Louis, and an old man |
MS son. These two latter were /