Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-14
CAN'T MAKE Him TALK
The -Pittsburg Police Run Down a
Very Slick COunterfeiter.
HAS ANY NUMBER OF ALIASES.
His Arrest Expected to Lead to the Cap
ture of an Organized Gang.
ALL THE q. S. DETECTIVES NOTIFIED

Inspector McAleese has man in custody
for passing counterfeit money, who is ap-
parently daisy at the business, and some
important results are expected TO follow this
arrest.
AS he would not give his name, he was
therefore given the name of "John Doe. I"
He wears large number of spurious coins
and numerous aliases. Among the latter
are "Pant," and John W. Clark.
He was caught while trying to pass coun-
terfeit money, and had number of spurious
coins in his possession. The police are only
waiting to hear from the different parts of
the country, and think the arrest may lead
to the capture of some gang of counterfeiters
with whom Doe is working.
On Monday night John Doc entered the
grocery store Of Henry Becker, at 11O7
Penn avenue. He bought cents worth of
candy and threw down half dollar. 1t
had not quite the ring of the sinners turned
out from Uncle Sans mint, and the grocer
donbted its commercial value and refused to
take it, saying the coin was not good.
Had More of the Same Kind.
The man at once affected to be angry, and
declared the coin was perfect why" said
he. 1T Is as good as any money you ever saw.
I've got plenty more of the same kind" he ex-
claimed, throwing whole handful of similar
coins on the counter.
They were all exactly alike, and Mr.. Becker
refused positively to accept the money. The
man then went out. but Mr.. Becker followed
him and ran to Officers Peoples and Conley.
He told the story, and soon after the man was
arrested ON Liberty street. He was taken to the
patrol box at Eleventh and Liberty streets.
several times on the way the man attempted to
get something out of his pocket and when the
box was reached he threw the half dollars on
the street. The officers, however, made search,
coins.
When Central station was reached, the
prisoner was searched and the officials found
SN in greenbacks. 25 1O-cent pieces and 30
nlckels, all Of which was good money.
The man showed he was not an ordinary
crook by refusing to tell anything, not even his
name. He did not even attempt to make any
explanation of how he came to have pos
The finding of so large an amount
OF small change on his person. coupled with the
further fact that he offered a half dollar in
payment for scent purchase, led the officers
to believe he had been successfully passing the
COINS in order to secure good money in ex-
change.
Had to Be Registered as John Doe.
United States Detective McSweeney was
notified of the arrest and at once began an in
Vestlgation of the case. His prisoner however.
was dry subject. and not word could be got
ten from him. As he positively refused to give
any name, John Doe," a well-known legal ap-
pellation, was given him. Shortly after this
christening he said his name was John w.
Clark. but, of course. that was not believed.
In the afternoon the detective had the pris-
oner photographed and his photographs were
sent to all the Government detectives in the
country asking tor information about the fel-
low,
Yesterday afternoon he was given hearing
before United States Commissioner McCand-
less. This hearing had the same result for no
information was obtained and the prisoner was
committed to Jail for a further hearing.