Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-06-04
REVEREND COUNTERFEITERS.


of ''Rev." jeremiah Holmes and "Rev."
George w. Vancil for Making and Utter
ing Spurious Coin.
DUQUoIN, Ill, May 29.-The arrests
in this city of the notorious Rev"
Jeremiah Holmes and his equally
smooth accomplice, Rev" George w.
Vancil. brings to light the variegated
his story of Rev" Vancil.
Rev. George w. VanciI was born and
raised in this Perry county forty-five
years ago. He has two brothers and
two sisters living here. He received d
common school education and was
raised u Methodist.
He began to preach among the
United Brethren about fifteen years
ago. He next became preacher in the
NJ. E. church, south.
Being accommodated for lying, he
joined the Free Will Baptists. and
preached that doctrine for one year.
For some cause he left them last winter
and joined the Missionary Baptists,
submitting to re-baptism in the creek,
the ice at the time being about six
inches thick.
He passed himself off for one of the
most pious and godly men in all this
region. While he was in the Methodist
Episcopal church south preaching at
Stone Fort, in Saline county, he met
the notorious jeremiah Holmes. who,
in a short time, and under the powerful
Holy Ghost preaching of Vancil, eX-
perienced, SO it was reported, a CONVEX
sion of faith. almost as miraculous as
that of st. Paul.
Holmes Immediately went to preach
ing, and in short time afterward he
and Nancl became fast friends as min
listers of Christ, and also in making
counterfeit money. In other words,
Vancl engaged himself to Holmes as
an agent to shove the spurious coin at
the rate of 40 per cent on the dollar,
and has done a thriving business at that
and preaching for the past eighteen
months, Holmes, in the meantime.
holding out the inducement that they
could both, in short time, become
millionaires.
About one year ago Holmes came to
Highbank schoolhouse, stopping with
his friend Vancil. Soon after this he
left the NJ. E. church south, and united
with the Disciples of Christ, and though
not ordained, he did considera BILE
w
He returned to Stone Fort, in Saline
county, and but little was heard from
him until two months ago. he wrote
Vancil he had been burned out, and had
lost ALL which now is known to be
meant as ''all his models, labels ETC."
for counterfeiting He at once came
back to Vancil's and went to preaching.
The neighbors and church-people,
made him donations of books, clothes,
etc, etc, and much good money. Late
ly he rented a room from Mr.. Abner p.
Adkins, an old settler, and one of the
| most reliable and worthy men in all
| Egypt.
Rev. DIR. A. J. Fishback, of this city,
who has had charge of the entire case,
| becoming suspicious of both Holmes
| and Nancil, counciled with Mr.. Adkins
| in regard to detecting the counterfeit
| ers. The plan laid was to elect Holmes
superintendent of the Highbank Sun
| day-schOOl, and make Vancil deacon,
thereby keeping the two worthless at
work here, without suspicion, until the
| net was ready to haul in around them.
| Mr.. Adkins closely followed the in
struction given him by DIR. Fishbacl>,
and it was not long until the preachers
were caught in the act, positive proof
being had that they were counterfeit
ing.
| DR. Fishback wrote to the United
| States secret service in Chicago, stating
the case and asking that an officer be
sent down to take them in. Rev. R. A.
| Wheatley is also contributing his share
toward the case in carrying out the cor
| tod
States secret service detective, arrived
and, with Fishback's assistance, traced
the men to Stone Fort, arrested Holmes
| Saturday. Vancil knowing nothing of
it. Tuesday night there arrived here
United States Attorney j. A. Con-
nelly, United States Deputy Mar
shall T. E. Bacon and United States
Secret Detective Thos I. Porter,
who with DIR. Fishback at the helm,
went to Vancils home, three miles from
town, and arrested him at | o'clock this
morning. At $50 he was bound over to
the United States district court at
Springfield by United States Commits
| sioner Reid, and at 7:3O left for Spring
field.
So well had the plan of DIR Fishback
been laid and carried out that the en-
tire operation consumed but six hours
To say that the people of Egypt are
"all torn up is but a mild expression
AS it is known that three more of the
gang are still here, every one asks
WHO is the next?'-Cor. ST. Louis
Chronicle.
Financial Relief in the Argentine Republic
WASHINGTON, May 29.-The bureau
of American republics has received ;
communication stating that the gov
ernment of the Argentine Republic ha
issued a decree which, it is believed
will place the financial situation in tina
country on firmer basis. The Stand
ard newspaper of Buenos Ayres says
''Buenos Ayres has begun to breath
more freely and we are now on fai
way to the reconstruction of the re