The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-03
MADE BAD MONEY
0RMANDY, A KANSAS BANKER, IN
TROUBLE ON TIE COAST.
he Made the Spurious Coin in His House
for Them to Put into Circulation
Whole Family is Arrested-Ormandy
Begs Piteousiy when His supply of Nor
phine Is Taken from Him-They Used to
Live at Larned in this State-hansas
Man Asks to be Electrocuted.

Larned, Kan, Aug 1.-The people Of
this city are interested in the arrest OF
a former banker of this city. H Or
mandy. Ormandy was arrested IN
Los Angeles, Cal, charged with coun-
terfeiting. A San Francisco paper gives
the following account of the trouble.
"a few years ago J. II. Ormandy was
connected with the First National bank
Larned, Kan, where he and his family
occupied high position, and where his
business interests were large. Mrs.
Ormandy, her daughter, a well educat-
ed girl of IS, and Clifford Ormandy, the
t4-year-old son. were held in high eS-
steein. and were surrounded with IuXu-
ries and refined associations. Tonight
the entire family occupy cells in the
county Jail. charged with counterfeit
ing and uttering bogus money. Mr..
Ormandy has confessed his crime, but
attempts to shield his family, denying
they had any completely in the matter,
but the officers appear to have ample
evidence that all were concerned in the
nefarious business. The prime cause
Of the mans downfall is morphine. The
family came here about three years ago
and have since lived in a modest little
cottage at 713 South Olive street, and
have kept aloof from neighbors. Mr..
Ormandy was seldom seen out of the
house. his seclusion being explained by
his being an invalid. They made no
pretenses about their circumstances,
poverty being strongly indicated. Miss
Ormandy was employed as domestic
servant in family in the western part
Of the city. Clifford was newsboy
and Mrs. Ormandy sold face powder,
peddling it from door to door.
Last November a number Of instan-
ces of countefeit money being passed
in that neighborhoOd were reported to
the attention of the police, and Detec-
tives Hawley, Moffat and Auble were
detailed in the matter. Yesterday they.l
mad acquired evidence enough to act
on, and. procuring a search warrant
and others for the arrest of each men,
per of the family they went to the house
this morning. Auble went to the door
and rang the bell, which was answered
by Mr.. Ormandy. The detective asked
him point blank If there was any cOun- !
terfeit money in the house. The man
stood daZed for minute, but realizing
the utter hoDlessness Of any evasion |
answered. Yes" and invited the Of /
ficers in. He took them to the front |
room. opened a big trunk there, which |
was found to be full of counterfeit nick /
les. dimes and half-dollars, dies. chemi- |
Gals, retorts and all the para phernalia !
DI a Wei equipped private mint. Inc !
man was at once arrested and the dau- |
ghter was captured at her place of en- |
ployment. The boy and Mrs. Orman- |
dy were arrested as they returned from |
their work, and were all taken to the |
Jail
1.-The evidence goes to show that Or |
mandy occupied himself with making !
the money, which was circulated by |
the others as chance offered. The moth !
er and children refused to make any
statement. The two women are pros |
trated with grief and terror. The boy |
preserves a stolid silence and the faith |
er assumes all the blame and vigor- |
ously protests that he alone is guilty. |
The family's history is sad one. |
While Mr.. Ormandy was in the First !
National bank he suffered an attack Of /
nervous prostration and his physicians |
prescribed doses of morphine. He be- |
came addicted to the habit of eating the !
drug and to that may be ascribed his
downfall. The greatest emotion he
displayed at the Jail was when box |
OF morphine pills were taken from his /.
He begged piteously to be allowed /
enough to get through the night with |
but his pleadings were without avail |
All the money he made was of small de- |
nomination, none being over half a dol !
lar, but it was excellently manufactur- !
ed and was easily passed. The trunk
in which he kept his material was near |
ly full of the spurious coin"