The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-13
COUNTERFE|TERS CAUGHT.
One of Them Escaped on a
Bicycle, but Was Eventu-
ally Captured.
The Wife OF the Runaway Helped
to Pass the False
Coin.

The secret service agents Of the treasury
had an exciting chase after counterfeiter
yesterday. A man and woman had been
passing imitation SIS pieces for over week
and try as hard as he could Agent Harris
found it impossible to run them to earth.
The counterfeits were very poor and in
stead of being nodded were stamped out
of brass sheet with die and then plated.
There was no milling on the limitations
and the wonder is that so many people
accepted them.
The last victim was Mrs. Nellie Herman,
who keeps clearinghouse at $685. Market
street. Last Wednesday John Baddeley
and his wife Laura hired room from Mrs
Herman. Baddeley paid three days rent
in advance and received change for So
piece. A few hours later Mrs. Baddeley
got change for another So piece, as her
husband was out. Before o'clock next
morning the couple disappeared and when
the landlady came to examine her money
she found it bogus. She had Baddeley ar
rested and taken to the Southern police
station, but for some unaccountable reason
he was allowed to go without being
charged.
Mrs. Herman next applied to Secret
Service Agent Harris, and he at once put
his sons, Dudley and Roland on the case.
Baddeley had left his washing at the lodg-
ing-house, and was to return for it, so the
HAIRLESS took up their station there to wait
for him. About o'clock, while looking
out of the window, Mrs. Herman ex-
claimed, There he goes on bicycle!"
The two detectives went down the stairs
three at time and jumped on the first car
that came along. Baddeley turned up
Golden Gate avenue, and the Harrises left
the car and chased him on foot. The
counterfeit saw them running, and, sus-
pecting something, put on squirt. He
was rapidly leaving them behind when
tached to couple of horses in front of a
store. They wasted no time, but jumped
in and again gave chase, while the owner
OF the team shouted behind them.
Baddeley was soon overtaken and ar
rested. When the owner of the wagon I'M
derstood that it was a counterfeiter they
had been chasing he said he was glad the
officers had taken his vehicle. Baddeley
was taken to the County Jail and to-mor-
row he will be turned over to the United
States Marshal.
When her husband did not return Mrs.
Baddeley went to look for him. As soon
as she put in an appearance at $685. Mar
ket street she also was placed under arrest.
She refused to talk about the matter when
locked up in the City Prison, but said she
was married to Baddeley eight months ago
in Oakland. Her maiden name was Laura
Clark. Baddeley is an engraver and printer
by profession and used to work with Han
cock Bros. the printers and engravers in
the Nucleus building.
He answers the description of a man
who hired room from Mrs. Brown at 316
Third street and received So so in change
for bogus So piece. He played the same
game on Mrs. Allen of 414 Fourth street
and Mrs. McCord of 423 Suffer street.
While he was working one end of the town
his wife is supposed to have been operat-
ing in the other. They must have passed
great numbers of the counterfeits as they
are both well dressed, and Baddeley asserts
that the bicycle he was riding is his own.
At. the jail last night he said the whole
matter was a mistake and that he intended
making the Harris boys suffer for his
arrest He denies having passed the coun-
terfeits, but the secret service agents say
they have clear case against him and his
wife.
Baddeley's father and mother are most
respectable couple and very well to do.
They called to see their son last night and
when informed of his arrest the old lady
tainted. Baddeley and his wife will have
their preliminary examination to-day be-
fore United States Commissioner Heacock.