The herald., 1894-06-25
COUNTERFE|TERS ARRESTED.
Operators Who Flooded the
City With Bogus Coin.
A Most Important Capture by Police
Detectives.
The Coupterfeltsrs Arc Italians-Tbeir
Complete Outfit Captured-Eheir
Arrest VIII Release an
Innocent Man.


counterfeiters yesterday, an innocent
man, over whose head the doom of a
convict has been hanging, will be re-
leased today.
The capture OF the counterfeiters was
effected yesterday morning at O'Clock
by Detectives Moffstt. Auble, Benson.
Hawley and Goodman, at q little two
story house situated mile northeast OF
the terminus of the Temple-street cable
road. 4t
For the last four months the city has
been flooded with counterfeit nickels.
The detectives have worked night and
day In their efforts to locate the manu-
factursrs OF the spurious coin, but not
until Saturday did success come.
Early last mouth the gang OF bogus
money makers were thought to be 10.
Gated on Busna Vista street near Belle
vue avenue, but before the detectives
could get evidence of convincing char
acter, they had flown. They did not
leave, however, until Detective Good
man arrested one of their friends, Phil
lipi Francisco, on a charge of circulating
counterfeit money, evidently the product
Of the men arrested yesterday. He was
examined before United States Commits
sionsr Van Dyke and held fer trial in
the district court. The evidence was
conclusive as to his passing the mon ey.
though perhaps he did it innocently,
but he was incarcerated in the hopes OF
breaking up the gang Of which he was
thought to be member. 1t now turns
out that he had no connection with the
nefarious money makers, and will prob
ably be released today.
Hearing Of the arrest OF one OF their
acqusintances the gang of counterfeiters
left the Buena Vista street quarters, and
the detectives could not again locate
them until Saturday.
On that day Sheriff Cline received
word from Wilmington that two Italians
had been passing counterfeit money at
that place, but got no further informa-
tion. About 10 80 O'Clock that morning
Detective Auble was telephoned from
Matthew's paint store, at Main and
| Second streets, in response to a request
that he be notified if an Italian should
call for some plaster of paris. A clerk
in the store upon the officers arrival
pointed out the Italian, who purchased
HIS material and went away. He started
direct to the headquarters OF the gang,
northwest OF the end Of the Temple
street cable road, just half a mile west
of Prospect park.
Upon sugar loaf eminence stands a
twe-story board cabin. 1t overlooked
the section for mile around, and it was
a hard matter to reach the place unde-
tected in the daytime.
Detective Auble, however, followed
the Italian within q mile OF the house
l. III
other of the gang come out and meet
the fellow with the plaster of paris.
This was conclusive evidence as to the
location OF their quarters, so the detect
i've rugged up and went out before day
light yesterday morning to capture the
whole outfit.
Detective Auble had in the meantime
secured a warrant OF arrest from United
States District Attorney George Denis,
for be had already gathered sufficient
evidence to arrest the man.
The officers reached the place just at
daylight. Hitching their teams in q
secluded spot they approached the house
from all sides. Moffstt and Auble went
to the rear OF the house, while Goodman,
Benson and Hawley moved up to the
'front.' All were we'll armed to guard
against possible outbreak.
The house was closely surrounded, but
not q sound was heard inside. The
windows were tightly nailed down and
covered with blankets, so that nothing
could be seen inside.
At the suggestion of Auble, the front
door was kicked in and the officers
rushed into the house. Two OF the
counterfeiters were found outstretched
upon the floor asleep. They awoke
~rt.n H. II
in and were 80 taken by
nothing. koffatt saw peculiar
move OF one of the men, and immedi.
ately ordered him to throw his hands
from under the covering. The COM
mand was emphasized by Winchester
rife being placed to his face. /. He
obeyed, as did his companion beside
him, without saying word.
Two of the officers rushed up stairs
and found the other two Italians just
about to arise. They threw up their
hands upon command and we're marched
down. The men were lined up, and
their clothing searched before they were
allowed to put it on. No weapons were
found upon them, and the detectives be-
gan q search for evidence they knew
was there.
Before Ave minutes had elapsed they
had enough evidence t. send the men
to the penitentiary for rs years. They
unearthed half dozen new plaster OF
paris moulds, ladies, bismuth, crushed
glass, silver plating instrumental, chem
icals, coueterfeiting metal, all necessary
chemicals, electric batteries. and many
tools, consisting of planes, files, saws,
etc. Great stacks Ct silver dollars,
newly made, were found all ready for
use. Half-dollars, nickels, quarters,
dimes and So gold pieces were numer-
GUS, and there must have been several
hundred dollars' worth of the Furious
coin. The So pieces were not quite fin
ished.
All the coins were models of work
manship and showed great skill of exc
cution. In fact, they could be detected
by an inexperienced person only by the
light weight. For counterfeits they
were unusually light, and there was not
more than cents worth Of silver to
dollar,
Besides the outfit, two tickets to Will
mington were found upon the men,
showing that they are the men who
passed the spurious coin at that place.
The outfit was one OF the most COM
plete ever captured in the state, and the
arrest reflects great credit upon the po-
lice department.
The men were taken to the city prison,
but will be at once turned over to the
federal authorities. They gave their