The record-union., 1896-12-14

STOCKTON, Dec. 13.-The police of
this city have succeeded in capturing
w. A. Karns and his son, Barney karns,
two members of one of the most dan
gerous gangs of counterfeiters that have
ever operated in the West. For years
the gang has been flooding the State
with remarkably clever counterfeits of
quarters and nickels, operating from
their headquarters in San Francisco and
Sacramento.
The elder Karns has made a confess
sion, in which he duplicates a woman,
whose name is not given, and for whom
the police are now looking. A trunk
taken from Karns' room was found to
contain a quantity of metal, together
with a complete counterfeiters' outfit,
the dies being of exceptionally fine
Workmanship.
karns, his son Barney, and the
woman have been operating on this
coast for many months. Their counter
felt quarters and nickels have been so
well made that it has been compara-
lively easy for them to pass the coins
turned out from their molds. 1t be-
came known to Secret Service Agent
Harris that bogus coins were being cir
culated in considerable quantities. He
found that the trio had headquarters on
Market street in San Francisco and in
Sacramento, but before he could get
certain evidence against them they dis
appeared.
Several days ago the landlady of the
lodglng-house in which the counterfeit
ers lodged when they arrived in this
city came to Sheriff Cunningham with
some quarters and nickels which she
had swept UP from beneath the beds Of
her dodgers. They We're unquestionably
counterfeits, for they were not finished.
the edges not having the fac smile of
the mill work on them completed. Cum
hngham at once knew that a gang of
rounterfe1terS was at work here and he
lelegraphed to Secret Service Agent
Harris to come to Stockton immediately.
The Government official was not tardv
III coming, and secured room next to
mat occupied by Harms and his son.
Durlng the night he heard the chinl,
OF the coins they were turning out. but
he did not dare to break in upon them
and seize the outfit as in recent cas-
the court decided that he made an IL
~ iCL lldFlilS d search
warrant issued by the proper limited
states authorities. The next morning
such warrant was issued by United
states Court Commissioner Webster.
put 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
authorities here. The room was
watched and last night w A Karns re-
turned. 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 philosophicalIv
and told the officers where he had been.
ne sald ne mad been at Oakdale and
that he walked from that nlace to
stockton yesterday, a distance of over
thirty miles. Constable Crow at Oak
Gale was instructed to look for yorne
karns and this morning a telegram
came notifying the Sheriff of his arrest
Harris was notified by wire last night
of the arrest of the elder Karns and ar
rived to-day. He was anxious to have
the news of the capture of the father
and son suppressed in order to capture
the woman, who is supposed to have
gone to Sacramento.
The elder karns is fully - wears old
There is little doubt that he will plead
guilty to the charge of counterfeitine
In his trunk We're found spoons and
metals for making the spurious coins.
but the dies and molds were not cap
tured. Harris believes that the woman
not only assisted in passing the bogus
money but that she helped in making it.
While here Karns and his son went
under the name of Preston.