The San Francisco call., 1896-12-13
A NEW SCHEME
TO RAISE MONEY
Robert Long Plays the
Role of a Government
Detective.
He Accuses a Saloon. Keeper of
Passing Counterfeit
Nckels.
Offers to Square the Case on Payment
of 5000 and Is Arrested on
Two Charges.

Robert Long was, until recently, in the
will have cause to bitterly regret that ne
did not continue to make an honest living
at it.
He is man about 3S years of age, with
dark mustache and short side whiskers.
He was poorly dressed, but has pleasant
and confiding way of talking.
Yesterday morning ne called at the
Elite saloon, Gil Mission street, and Or
dered q glass of rum and gum from w. ].
Carpmill, one of the proprie!ors OF the
saloon, who was behind the bar. There
was another customer in the saloon, and
as soon as he left Long handed Carpmill
piece of paper. on which was written in
pencil: I'VE caught your nickel man,
Johnson, as he was skipping on the Oak
land boat. What time can you give me
an interview" The note was written on
a piece of paper bearing at its head the
designation, "Ofice OF Assistant Treas
ureT, U. S.
Carpmill was aston ed and asked Long
what he meant. Long whispered some
thing to him across the bar, but as Carp
mill could not catch what he said he
stepped from behind the bar and came
close up to Long. Then Long handed
him another note, written in pencil on
paper headed, Brooklyn Hotel" This
n ote read: 1--WE caught your nickel man
as he was skipping on the Oakland boat
this morning. You know what that
means with the evidence l have against
YOU"
CarpmilI was alarmed and insisted upon
an explanation. Long said he was gov
ernment detective and was after men who
were passing counterfeit nickles. He had
L E. ~,a1, hot -fns% \ \
been passed in the Elite Saloon, and he
wanted possession of all the nickels that
were in the till. Carpmill denied passing
any counterfeits and said if any had come
from his saloon they had been given in by
customers.
Long insisted upon getting all the
nickels and Carpmlil, believing that he
was detective, emptied the till and gave
him twelve or thirteen, all new ones.
Long put the coins in an envelope. which
he sealed and marked as an EXHIBIT. He
then told Carpmill that he would return
and arrest him.
Just as he was leaving the saloon Long
turned and said to Carpmill, who had fol-
lowed him: Il don't want to be too hard
on you. Now il you will pay me $500 |
will destroy thessnickels and say nothing
more about it. / have done the same
thing in other cases, so you can think
over my proposal and 1ec me know when I
return to arrest you" Then he walked
away.
When Carpmill's partner, J. w. Thomp-
son. came to the saloon Carpmill told him
of Longs visit and what he had done and
offered to do. Thompson was as much
surprised as Carpmill, and asked him,
did you make the detective show his
star 2"
II never thought Of it," replied Carp
mill.
"That's the first thing 1 would have
done," said Thompson. 81 believe he is
fraud"
Long returned while the two were in
the saloon and Thompson immed iately
asked him to show his star. Long replied
that he was in the secret service and did
not need a star. Thompson denounced
him as q swlndler and told Carpmill to
keep an eye upon him till he went for o
policeman.
As soon as Thompson left Long ran out
OF the saloon and Carpmill pursued him.
He overlook him on Second street and
held him till Policeman J. f. Murphy ap-
peared. Long was taken to police head
quarters and thoroughly searched. About
81 in silver were found in his pocket and
four new nickels, which CarpmilI ident:-
fed as part of the lot he gave Long in the
morning.
Long was taken to the City Prison and
charges of impersonating an officer and
obtaining money by false pretenses were
booked against him.
Long did not deny being in the saloon,
but denied representing himself as de-
tective and getting the nickels. He said
he has vile and family, but refused to
indicate that he either lived in San Rafael
or Para inna