The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-20
THEY'RE ON THE TRAIL
The Authorities Are Gathering Evidence
Against Counterfeitsrs.
YOUNG sPAULDING's TRICK
Marshal McDermott Doing Effective
Work In Ferreting Out Proof
Hadlow's Very interest
ing Story.


ralgned before United States Com mis-
sioner McMurphey this afternoon. He
pleaded not guilty and his examination
WINS set for next Monday at IL o'clock, at
which time District Attorney Leslie will
be In attendance. The prisoner was I'M
able to furnish bonds to the amount of
81 900 aud was sent back to jail.
Spaulding's arrest constitutes another
link in the chain which the federal au-
thorities are attempting to weave around
the large and expert gang OF counterfeit
ers who are known to make this city their
headquarters and the base of their opera
tons. There can be no doubt that there
is big gang of them at work, as the
spurious coin which they are running out
is being scattered all over tho state and
very likely to other parts of the country.
The authorities have. in fact, accumulated
evidence which strongly indicates that
there are two separate counterfeiting OUT
fits at work in Butte, but they are so far
devoting almost their entire attention to
the gang whose presence was first dis
covered and towards the breaking up of
which they have ever since been persist
emily at work.
Marshal McDermott is giving the case
his personal attention and, as II is little
out of his line, no Is displaying a good
ton of II. He has evidence in his posses
sion. the exact nature of which he refuses
to divulge at this time, to show that
Spaulding and Currier and Perkins, who
wero arrested about n month ago, be-
longed to the same gang, but il is not be-
lieved that they were the leading spirits
in II. The principals are still at liberty,
but the coil of evidence that is being
woven around them Is gradually tighten
ing. Spauiding has been under both sus-
picion and surveillance for some time, but
q strong piece of testimony against him
was not discovered until yesterday after
noon, n short time before his arrest. Some
time ago Spaulding rendered a bogus silver
dollar in payment for some drinks ut
the Comique theatre. but the bartender
showed the coin back to him and told him
he ought not to carry such stuff around.
Spauldng effected great surprise, and
when the bartender remarked that he had
better dispose of the counterfeit, as il was
a dangerous thing to carry, the suggestion
seemed to strike him as a good one, and
he went into the closet on the ground
floor and dropped the bogus dollar and
five other ones just like It into stove
pipe hole in the chimney. The limitation
dollars dropped down into the basement
into pile of rubbish where they we're
found by Marshal McDermott yesterday
afternoon. This completed the case
against Spaulding and he was arrested at
once.
The six pieces bear the date OF 1890,
which Is the date on the mould for max
ing bogus dollars that was found in Per-
kins' room, and they are made from the
same metal as that used by Perkins and
Currier, while there Is additional evidence
which will be produced at the proper time
to connect the three prisoners. Additional
evidence has also been found TO show that
Perkins and Currier were members of the
same gang. 1t will be remembered that
the two moulds for making $40 gold pieces
and silver dollars were found in Perkins
room at the time of his arrest while an
other box containing dies, blow pipes and
other tools was found few DAYS ago by
Detective Murphy in house in East Park
street. where 1t. was hidden by Currier n
few hours before he was arrested. These
two boxes have always been connected in
the minds of the officers and this connec-
ton have been satisfactorily established.
The moulds for making the $40 dollar
gold pieces bore the date of 1853 and
among other things IL has been discovered
that there were only four figure dies i'm
the box concealed by Currier which were
a 1, 8, 8 and 3.
Marshal McDermott has been inter-
viewed by number of persons who
claimed to have more or less intimate
knowledge of the operations of the coun-
terfeiters, but as each one of them wanted
to throw Jail the blame onto somebody
else, IL has been extremely difficult to get
at the real facts. William ii. Hadlow,
who has since disappeared, told Mr.. Nc
Dermott story some time during Febru-
airy that roads like an extract from dime
novel. Hadlow stated that at that time
II of the most expert counterfeiters and
desperate characters in the country were
operating i'm Butte aud that their plant
was located in tunnel which was entered
through three heavy iron doors. A sem
sinel was always on guard at each door
and he said that no one who was not one
OF the gang or properly introduced got be-
yond the first door and he would never go
back through IL. Hadlow drew graphic
picture OF the counterfeiters at work in
tho subterrean way, gun close to each
hand and heavily armed guards scat
terod oil along the tunnel. The tools
they were using he said had once belonged
to the notorious Harry Bunnell, who has
been known as the king of counterfeiters.
Hadlow claimed to have the confidence of
the gang, and he told the marshal that IL
he would effectuaily Disguise himself he
would take him into the tunnel and show
him the counterfeiters at work. Nothing
daunted by the blood curdiing story, Me-
Der mott accepted the offer aud secured
a disguise, but when he was all ready to
make the trip Hadlow backed out on some
pretense.
Afterwards Hadlow told something of
what he knew of the counterfeiting in
Butte TO the United States grand jury. and
1T was largely on the strength of mis- testi-
mony that indictments were returned
against Currier aud Perkins. The next
day Hadlow skipped out, evidently fear
ing that he would be arrested himself.
hadlow was pronounced hop flend and
all-around tough character, and he was
following the occupation of gun aud lock-
smith. 9
The marshal does not take much stock
IN the tunnel story. but-he does not be-
lieve that Hadlow told all he knew by any
means. Hadlow stated that he was at
ono time in the United States secret serv-
leo and that he has an uncle now in the
service. No definite evidence has yet
been secured tending to show positively
that there is another gang OF counterfeit
ers in the city, but the authorities believe
that such is the case.
Marshal McDermott stated this even
ing: I'VE can see tracks of a second
gang OF counterfeiters in Butte, but we
have so far been unable 10 secure SUI
rIasr.m r..