Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-27
DOODLE In BAGFULS.
Leonardo Magniatto Goes to New
York After Young Bride, but
BRINGS BACK SPURIOUS DOLLARS.
Two Of His Countrymen Held for Trial for
Passing the Coin.
SEARCHING GOTHAM TO FIND THE MINT

Love and Doodle is often bad combina-
tion, but when the former fails to material
ize and the latter is spurious, there is bound
to be trouble.
Leonardo Magniatto went to New York
few weeks ago to meet and marry his sweet
heart from Italy. He failed to meet the
GIRL but brought back two satchels full of
clever limitations of the almighty dollar.
AS result Is Italians are pining behind
iron bars, where faint echoes reach them of
the merry jingle of sleigh bells and the e1-
ecrations of pedestrians as they push and
struggle and slip through snow drifts.
The story was unfolded at the hearing be-
fore United States Commissioner McCand-
less of Mazio Mazzaltino and ALA Rabisco,
the men arrested while trying to pass coun-
terfeit silver dollars at the Black Bear
Hotel, Market alley, on Thursday evening.
The men were brought into court hand
cuffed. Rabisco looks like a simple fellow,
but Mazzaltino has a shrewd appearance,
and was calm and selfpossessed. The lat
ter's wife was also in court, an interested
spectator. She bears traces of beauty. but
looked worried and haggard. Assistant
Quoted the case for the Government. The
prisoners were not represented by counsel.
COULDN'T FOOL THE BARTENDER.
John Eichleay, proprietor of the Black
Bear Hotel, was the first witness examined.
1.-The prisoners, with their wives, came to
my house last evening"" he said. MAJ
zaltino called for drinks for himself and
Rabisco, and threw down a silver dollar.
The bartender told him the money was no
good, and Mazzaltino replied: is that so?
Well, I've got another This was also
counterfeit and was refused, whereupon
Mazzaltino pulled out some small change
and paid for the drinks. 1 asked Mazzal-
tino where he got the money, and he said
from bank. His wife interposed, and said
the money had been given her husband by
Leonardo Magniatto, one of their boarders
The woman wanted to get the spurious dol
lars, but refused to give them up, and sent
for the police"
Richard Williams. bartender for Mr..
Eichleay, corroborated the latter's testl-
mony.
Detective P. E. Fitzgerald told the story
of making the arrest. Mazzaltino wanted
to resist, but the detective persuaded him
| IuaI IL WOulu Ue pledSduIer, II uOt hcdlIuIeIs
| to go along quietly. Rabisco and the two
women were also taken to the Central station
and locked up. Mazzaltino said he got the
money from Magniatto.
Albert Grazzianni, who acted as inter-
prefer, related a conversation he had with
Mazzaltino at Central station. The latter
said he had gotten the counterfeits from
Magniatto in change for $40 bill. Mag
niatto had recently returned from New York
with several hundred dollars.
A sATCHELFUL OF DoLLARs.
United States Detective McSweeney was
the last witness. He said he went to No.
523 River avenue, East End, and arrested
all the men in the house. He found $130 in
good bills in Magniatto's possession. In
room occupied by Magniatto and several
other persons, there being fy; beds in the
department, he found a satchel containing
nearly $500 il base coin. The counterfeits
are very clever, and are dated 1888, 1889 and
1896. The detective learned that three.
weeks ago Magniatto borrowed $3.50 from
Mazzaltino to go to New York, where he was
to meet young woman. A few days ago
he returned without the girl, but with two
heavy satchels. One of these he gave to
young man who took it out of town, and for
whom search is now being made.
The men were committed for court in de-
1ault OF Sl ,uUU Dali eacn on cnarge oI pass
ing counterfeit coin. Mrs. Mazzaltino was
held as witness.
Detective McSweeney stated Yesterday
that Magniatto and Michaele di Maria
would have hearing to-day, and the Gov
ernment would be guided by the result in its
action toward the ten or dozen prisoners.
1t is probable that charge of conspiracy
will be made against the whole party.
BREAKING UP THE GANG.
Mr.. McSweeney says the counterfeit, while
probably the best ever made, is the work of
Italians, who are very expert in the use of
plaster of paris molds. A number of Ital-
ian counterfeiters have been arrested from
time to time in New York, but nearly all
escaped with short sentences and are now
at large. The detective expects that the ar
rests of Wednesday sill result in breaking
up the gang, as the officials are making
vigorous search in New York for headquar-
ters of the coiners.
Detective Shore, who has had considerable
experience with criminals of all national
tiles, saws it is very difficult to convict Ital-
Ians. as their fellow-countrymen are averse
to testifying against them, having lively
dread OF the stiletto.
In speaking about the effect of spurious
money Mr.. Shore related an incident of the
Pendleton campaign. Pendleton, who was
running for President on the Greenback
ticket, had distributed throughout the coun-
1