The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1891-01-03
COUNTERFEITER CAPTURED.

An Unlawful Scheme to Increase the CT
o| culating Medium Frustrated and On
OF the Operators Arrested His Par
'e ner in Crime Makes His Escape.
On Friday evening of last week Der
uty United States Marshals Harry Devo
> of this city and Sid Erwin of Billing
~ were successful in capturing on tn
q Crow reservation near Gray Cliff ma,
9 who, from every indication, has been en-
gagged with companion in the work O
d running mint, from which silver dol
n lars and halves have been nodded ant
g placed IN circulation in eastern Mon
r tana.
Q The officers were first notified by tele
!. gram from Big Timber on Christmas
: day that their services we're required in
: that neighborhood, and in response tc
t the summons DeVoe and Erwin met al
! that place the following morning. They
were at once informed that they must
proceed to the ranch of Tom Kent, where
the business for which they had been
called would be fully explained to them.
They proceeded to that place by freight
train, where they were met by William
Casham, foreman of Thomas Kent's
sheep camp, and herder named Gus
Marquette, whose camp is about two
miles west of Kent's house. Casham IN
formed the officers that two men had
been occupying Marquette's cabin,
which had not been in use by the latter
during the summer, and that while they
were ostensibly engaged in fishing for a
livelihood, he was convinced, from evi
dence that had come to his notice, that
the parties were engaged in manufacture
ing and Showing the queer" A team
was secured at Kent's ranch and the
deputies, accompanied by Casham and
Marquette, at once started for the sheep
herder's cabin. Upon their arrival no
evidences of the men could be found at
the cabin, and nothing to indicate that
they had occupied it except an ingeni-
ously constructed furnace. This furnace
which had been the first object to at
tract Casham's attention and arouse his
suspicion that the men who formerly oc-
cupied the cabin were not engaged
solely at the occupation of fishing, was
made from the bowl of a railroad stove.
In the bottom of this and directly in
front of the aperture for the shaker
tin can had been inserted and tightly
packed with earth. On top of this was
placed sandstone having small
opening opposite the top Of the can. It
is supposed that the bellows employed
was inserted in the opening left vacant
by the removal of the shaker, thus pro-
ducing blast through the small hole
in the sandstone, on top of which we're
placed the fuel and molds.
After a careful examination of the
furnace and assuring themselves that
nothing further was to be found about
the cabin, the party continued their
search in the timber and dense under
growth which skirts the river for dist
ance OF several miles at that point. AZ
ter beating the brush for a considerable !
time the searchers we're rewarded by the
discovery of bundle of blankets and |
the appearance of a mans head short
distance away. The officers both cov-
cred the man with their revolvers and
demanded that he hold up his hands, a
precaution that was amply justified, as
the man was armed with large calibre
revolver, which he carried in his par
italy unbuttoned vest, where it could
readily be secured for use.
The command of the officers was re-
peated the third time before the man
and then in the most reluct-
ant and sullen manner. He was quickly
secured and search of the surrounding
brush revealed the presence of several
plaster of Paris molds of one dollar and 8
ifty cent silver pieces, twenty pounds of
plaster of Paris, Babbitt metal, lead, a r
pair of bellows, an anvil made of brass s
ar castings fastened into a piece of
bridge timber, a case of eggs, several
lew suits of clothing, seven pairs of
)oots, a lot of canned fruits and meats, -
nd number of boxes for car trucks :,
rom which the Babbitt metal had evil o
ently been removed. These articles, e
ogether with the prisoner, we're brought
0 Livingston and placed in safe
eeping.
The prisoner gave his name as Frank
Ills, and claimed to have been in Mon ~
ana five or six years, and for the past r,
Vo months had been engaged with his
artner in fishing in the vicinity Of Gray
lift. He gave his partners name as -
oels, and described him as tall young - =,
How of fine appearance, stating that "
, had gone below and that he himself
as preparing to pack up and follow AZ AZ
m. He disclaimed being the possessor -
any of the plunder except the blan-
It's, and knew nothing about it except ~, ~
at he had seen it around their camp. -
Ills is man about feet inches in
light, slim built, brown eyes set close - -
gether, dark sandy mustache and dark 90
ir, wart or mole on the right temple,
d is far from prepossessing in his per- -.
nal appearance. His partner is de- LII
'ibed as genteel appearing man and
to have been engaged prin- " ~
ally in circulating the bogus money. 81.
Ellis had his examination on Monday ..
'ore United States Commissioner Red ~.
d, when the above facts were elected,
i William Casham, the prosecuting on'
ness, gave his account of the discov- %
of the alleged fishermen and their SOY
picious actions during the time they snl
upied the sheep herder's cabin. He
t discovered them in August last, Inv
en- his business as superintendent of ne 'lle
sheep camps took him to that local w 1oo
o,,1 ho ~ %ol k1 OH