The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-14
OFFICERS RAID A
STOCKTON MINI
Coiners of Bogus Money
Caught After a Long
Search.
Made and Passed Large Mum.
bers of Spurious Quarters
and Nickels.
An Aged Coupe and Their Son Who
Led Agent Harris Lively
Chase.

STOCKTON, CAL, Dec. 13-One of the
most important captures of counterfeiters
in recent years was effected in this city
last night, when Police Captain Simpson
ana Officer Mike Carroll arrested w. A.
Harms in lodging-house here. The cap
tu-e breaks up gang of counterfeiters
which has had headquarters in San Fran
cisco and Sacramento ana which recently
came to Stockton to work off a supply of
spurious coin. For some time Secret
Service Agent Harris has been on the trail
of three counterfeiters-a elderly man, a
woman and youth-who have been dis
posing of quantities of counterfeit quar-
tiers and nicKels. So cleverly have the
three evaded capture that Harris work
would probably have proved futile had it
not been for their own carelessness, the
vigilance of Sheriff Cunningham and the
prompt action of Chief Kingsoury and his
officers.
Harms, his son Bauny aud the woman
have been operating on this coast for
many months. Their counterfeit quarters
and nickels have been SO well made that
it has been comparatively easy for them
to pass the coins turned out from their
molds. 1t became known to Harris that
bogus coins were beng circulated i'll con-
siderable quantities. He found that the
trio had headquarters on Market street in
San Francisco ana in Sacramento, but be-
fore lie could get certain evidence against
them they disappeared.
Several days ago the landladv of the
lodging house in which the counterfeiters
lodged when thew arrived in this city
-;4l>
quarters and nickels which she had swept
up from beneath the beds of her dodgers.
They were unquestionably counterfeits,
for they were not finished, the edges not
having the facsimile of the mill work on
them completed. Cunningham at once
knew that gang of counterfeiters was at
work here and he telegraphe to Secret
Service Agent Harris to come to Stockton
Immediately. The Government official
was not tardy in coming and secured
room next to that occupied by Harms and
his son.
During the night he heard the chink OF
the coins they were turning out, but he
did not dare to break in upon them and
seize the outfit, as in receut case the
court decided that he made an illegal seiz-
ure by not having search warrant issued
by the proper United States authorities
The next morning such warrant was is
sued by United States Court Commits
sioner Webster. but before an arrest could
be made Harms and his son disappeared
A watch was kept upon their rooms, but
they did not return.
Harris went back to San Francisco
leaving the affair in the hands of the au-
thnrifios bor Tho
and last night w. A. Harms returned He
was at once arrested by Captain Simpson
and officer Carroll and the entire outfit in
his room seized. At first he seemed much
surprised, but finally took his arrest
philosophically and told the officers
where he had been. He said he had been
at Oakdale, and that he walked from that
place to Stockton yesterday, distance of
over thirty miles. Constable Crow at
OakdaIe was instructed to look for young
Harms. and this morning telegram came
Notifying the Sheriff of his arrest.
Harris was notified by wire last night of
the arrest of the elder Harms and arrived
to-day. He was anxious TO have the news
of the capture of the father and son sup
pressed in order to capture the woman
who is supposed to have gone to Sacra-
mento.
The elder Harms is fully So years old.
There is little doubt that he will plead
guilty to the charge of counterfeiting. In
\ his trunk were found spoons and metals
for making the spurious coins. but the
dies and molds were not captured. Harris
believes that the woman not only assisted
in passing the bogus money, but that she
helped in making it. While here Harms
and his son went under the name of Pres
ton.
When Harms was arrested he endeav-
ored on pretext to get out OF the room
in which the officers were. At this iuncture
Sheriff Cunningham came In and asked if
the man had been searched. Simpson and
Carroll started 10 search him. Harms
took handful of n;ckels from his pocket
and tried 10 hide them in the bed beside
which he was standing. The officers de-
tected him and secured a quantity of the
bogus 5cent pieces, which will be used as
evidence against him.