Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-08-10
4 BAD gang RUN down
Notorious Counterfsiters in tho
Clutches of Chief Hazen.
BRooKWAY TIE LEADER OF THEM.


He Il - Years Old. and Has = Criminal
Record Covering Period Of Forty Ycars.
Tho Singular Escape Of the Financial
hacker OF the Gang.
JERSEY CITY, Aug. Two sensations
have developed from the arrest in this city
Of the gang Of counterfeiters who have
been run to ground by Chief Hazen, of the
secret service. One Is the escape from the
officers of Dentist O. E. Bradford, who is
supposed to be the financial hacker of the
gang, and whose arrest cost great deal
of trouble. Dr. Bradford was found in
his room Saturday night. but Chief Hazen
did not formally arrest him then. fearing
that his confederates might take alarm
and escape. Detectives Calligan and Burns
were on guard, one in each adjoining
room, but when the chief returned on
Sunday morning he found that the den
fist had escaped from his room.
The fact of the escape has just been
made public, and it may cost Detectives
Calligan and Burns their places. Both
have been suspended from duty by the
treasury department. and an investiga-
ton has been ordered. Bradford's escape
has some features of similarity to the
flight of the three postoffice robbers, Kill
loran, Russell and Allen, from the Lud-
low street jail, and 1t may be brought be-
fore the federal grand jury. Bradford is
from Pennington, Nc, and is reputed to
be wealthy.
The leader Of the gang, Brockway, whose
real name is Spencer, is 70 years old, but
after a career Of forty years of crime
scarcely looks 60. He comes from Con-
necticut, and in his youth studied chem
istry at Yale college.
He began counterfeiting United States
bonds soon after the war broke out, and
was arrested, but escaped punishment.
In 1880 he was sentenced for thirty years
for counterfeiting and forging govern
ment bonds, but his sentence was sus-
pended on condition Of Lis surrendering
his plates and giving the government val
liable information.
In 1888 he was sent to Sing Sing for five
years by Recorder Smythe, of New York,
for forging Morris and Essex railroad
bonds and after serving his sentence he
was discharged on Aug. 4, 1887. Since
then he has been free. In the event of his
conviction now the old thirty year sem
tence will count against him.
United States Commissioner Shields, of
New York, has issued several search war
rants, presumably for houses in that city
supposed to be occupied by other mem
bers of the gang.
local paper says: IA government Sc
cret service detective named Carmine Gus
Del Guerico has been missing from New
ark since Jan. /. According to memo
randa found in his room he had located,
on Jan. 9, a gang of counterfeiters In East
Orange or Roseville. Shortly afterward
he left town to work the case up, and has
not been heard from since. This gang is
believed to be the same one that has just
been corralled. Taken in connection with
the known desperate character of several
of the counterfeiters the question becomes
interesting where is the detective?'
Chief Hazen says, however, that he Is
not aware that any of his men are miss
ing
Yesterday afternoon William Brock
way, Abiel L. Smith, William E. Wagner
and Mrs Libbie Smith were arraigned be-
fore United States Commissioner Roman
and held in default of SIS, 600 bail each for
examination on Aug IA. Brockway pro-
tested his innocence, and claimed that tile
money found in his possession is genuine.
Chief Hazen did not dispute this, but
claimed that the counterfcit notes were
made from the one taken from Brockway.
The $500 plato has been spirited away, but
Chief Hazen is confident of recovering it.