The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-05
Showing THE QUEER
Two Bold COunterfeiterS Arrested Last
Night.
They YICTIMIZED MANY PERSONS
Scranton Hotel Men Were Easy Prey
for the Snide money Sharps-TheY
Came to Grief at the CoYne House
and Were Pulled in by officer
Glea son-The Money Is Poor lmi-
tation-Are Now in the Cooler

Officer Gleason at II o'clock laat
evening arrested two mon against
whom there seems to be clear case OF
passing counterfeit money.
The men in question are both what
might be termed young in years and are
strangers in the city of Scranton, Evil
IDENTIFY they struck the town early in
the evening, but while here they were
very industrious in showing the queer
and seemed to have had but little diff
Guilty in passing their bad money upon
uususpecting citizens.
At about ten o'clock the pair entered
the Coyne House and called for tho
drinks They rendered IN payment for
the same 50, which was accepted by the
bartender, who handed out the change
without once suspecting that he had
been imposed upon. The bill,
however, fell under the eyes of Proprl-
etor Coyne, VINO Immediately concluded
that it was spurious money. He said
nothing, but when later the two young
men returned and attempted to pass an.
other bill of the same character.
Officer Gleason happened inAnd placed
the fellows under arrest.
TOOK ARREST CooLY
Naturally the pair were somewhat
crestfalen, but bore themselves with
excellent dsmeauor, considering the
kind of business they had been engaged
ia since they came to town. Both pro-
tested that they had done nothing
wrong, but it was evidence Of bad faitn
when they refused to give their names.
They stated, however, that they were
from Wilmington, Delaware. which, o:
course, nobody believed
When taken to the police station and
examined a large qoantity OF silver dol
lars and small change was found In
their pockets. The bills. for the most
part, were presumed to BE- bad Chief
Simpson and Sergeant Deter spent
some time In counting the money and
came to tho conclusion that the
amount WAS about Sl2j The prisoners
did not seem Inclined 90 disclose their
identity and were locked ny IN separate
cells
After taking his prisoners to the sta
ton Officer Gleason went on tour ot
inspection. lie found that iae men had
passed spurious bills, all o.. the demon
luati0u of s., at number u places iu
town. One was left 10 the I0yne house.
Tom Mslvius got oue. Owen Cusick
another. two we're left az the Conway
house. another a. the City Hotel. Nis
gins s. Wahl were saitel and at several
other places the sIuI was accepted just
ss though u was an Al article. Martin
Bird seems 90 have been the only per
son who refused % bo bitten The
men came into hE place aud asked iol
the drinks aud threw down one 90 %,
spurious g. bills % pay Tor the same
| Mr Bird was st one time connected
with a bank in Ireland aEd as soon a.
his fingers touched the money no dis
covered its real character and throw
the b.l, back 90 tho men, They then
paid for what they had ordered 10 good
silver money and left tho piscf.
A TALEATIyE PRISONER
Both Of the men we're unlcr tho To-
! iluguco Of driuk whom arrested The
shorter ot the pair ieigusi s,osp im-
media,oly after being placed 10 the
cell, bat the other was quite laxative
| lie informed TRIBUNE reporter that
! it was nobodys business who he Wa.
or where hs came from he continued
to talk volubly however. saii he Wa.
Of good varcntagg and that " he Wal
/ convicted his relatives would DO non,
the visor. Tho fellow Is evidently
very seli-concsitcd, but seemed 20 re-
slize that he had been caught in \ ba.
| box.
The bills found In the possession o
the men, as we'll as those passed b.
them. we're ola decidedly bad Imitation
| All were oi the B series % regular sill
yer certificates aud the number on cact
Of the Sc bills began with the fgures5G
The arrest OF tho men is important
for that they are experts In passin
counterfeit money there can be ~
! lDuht