Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-14
CLEVER POLICE WORK.
Cuban Counterfeiters Caught by New Yorl
Detectives,

Cuban COunterfeifers Caught by New York
Detectives.
NEW YORK. Nov. 4.-The police Of this
city have unearthed conspiracy to food
South America and Cuba with counterfeit
money. Detectives O'Brien and Taylor
this morning produced in court at the
Tombs Thomas ]. Parr, aged thirty, cracker
baker from England, and Manuel Rodriguez of
Havana, aged thirty five. and charged them
with having attempted to procure plate from
which to counterfeit Cuban 5O-peso bills, valued
ere at about SAC each
The prisoners were arrested Friday night and
arraigned before Justice Grady unobserved by
reporters The justice did not want 10 decide
offhand what charge he could entertain against
them, but thought attempting forgery in the
second degree might cover the prisoners
offense. While considering the matter he re-
manded the men until 10 O'Clock this morning
Last Monday as Detectives O'Brien and lay
lor were walking through West street a cignr
dealer with whom they were acquainted asked
them il they knew where there was IAN A No.
l engraver." They answered by asking what
he wanted to enGrave. The cigar dealer did not
know exactly, but, pointing to the receding
forms of Parr and Rodriguez, said that those
men had asked him.
The detectives ''coat-taied" the two men for
hours until they located them as being regis
tered at the Putnam House in 4th avenue
There they learned that they had recently
arrived here from Cuba. Then the de-
tectives reported to the central Office
and Inspector Mclaughlin instructed them
to keep the men in sight. All through the week
the men wandered about town looking at signs,
and especially interested in engravers signs
Finally they went, as if they had been directed
to the shop OF Louis Birnbaum. No. 800 East
26th street
Mr.. Brnbaum Is u maker and repairer Of UNI
brellas and engraves monographs and names on
plates for umbrella handles He is a good en-
graver. Parr did the talking, as Rodriguez
does not speak English.
After satisfying himself that Birnbaum was
alone in his business Parr said they wanted q
fine monogram plate engraved After discuss
ing il at length Parr said abruptly, 81 guess its
all right Say, this Is what we want A plate
that We can print bills from like this. II you
will turn out that for us it's good for $780,"
They wanted to know when Birubaum would
complete the Job. and he said it would be
about three weeks. The men we're dissatisfied
with this and Birnbaum said he would try to
run it off sooner. After the men left Detective
Taylor kept them in sight while o Brien called
on Birnbaum for information.
The latter promptly told everything, and said
he had drawn his visitors out in the interest of
justice. He gave the 50-peso bill to the officer
O'Brien hurried after Taylor. and they were
arrested. Parr. the officer says, made a clean
breast Of the matter. He said that Rodriguez
and he arrived from Havana Saturday, Novem-
Der 5. on the steamer Seneca, leased by the
Ward line. He could talk Spanish. and be-
came acquainted with Rodriguez on the voyage
Before arriving here Rodriguez and parr be-
came SO intimate that the former unfolded his
counterfeiting scheme TO Parr, and the latter
Joined him in it. Parr, while he said he would
not have attempted to initiate Bank of England
or United States treasury notes and pass them,
thought it WAS an easy thing to utter spurious
Cuban notes and circulate them among the
sugar and tobacco planters in the Cuban inte-
rior and in South America. Rodriguez had
much to say to Parr about the wealth.
consequence and influence Of his friends
In CuDa. After his arrest. which
was great surprise to Rodriguez
he cabled Cuba in Spanish to the following
effect: Joseph Gonzales, 81. Raphael. Havana:
Send me $500 by American cable to Putnam
House, 4th avenue.
[Signed] MANUEL RODRIGUEZ