The Saint Paul globe., 1896-07-20
hUNRoE. THE ALLEGED COUNTER
FEITER, HAS MANY FAIRY
TALES TO RELATE.
TALKS OF BUSINESS MEN,
WHO. HE SAYS. WERE ENGAGED IN
SPREADING HIS FIFTY-CENT
DOLLARS.
OTHER ARRESTS MAY FOLLOW.
terday and Further Develop
ments Are Expected.

Richard Munroe, the alleged manu-
facturer of bogus silver dollars, spent
a fairly comfortable day at the central
station yesterday. When arrested he
had on his person something like $40
in good and current money besides a
small lot of counterfeit coin. Munroe
seems to be rather queer contradic-
tion Of a smart fellow and a wise fool.
He stated yesterday that he would
make no fight and intended saving
what money he had that was good to
buy cigars and other luXuries with
instead Of handing it over to a lawyer.
His next sentence was that if he had
known how expensive it was to manu-
facture the bogus dollars he would not
have engaged in the work.
Munroe, in course of a conversation,
said he was sorry that Mr.. Hart, who
had been very kind to him, should
have been mixed up in the arrest. Mr..
Hart had every confidence that he was
going to reform and to show that he
did not intend to allow his benefactor
to have to stand for his misdeeds.
Munroe says he intended removing
the entire plant to Minneapolis on
Monday. The removal was not because
the Mill city was any better location
for the work or that he would be as
secure from arrest but simply because
he did not want Mr. Hart to get any
advertising if he should be arrested.
MunrOe says he kept an account of
the amount of bad money turned out
by him and while he did not have the
data with him, thought it would be
in the neighborhood of $500 in all. He
had been at work on the free and un-
limited coinage of bad dollars since
April last and being a new hand at
the business had expended nearly $500
in purchasing the tools and parapher-
MALTA used in turning out the coins
He had an idea when he first started
that he could make about two hundred
of the counterfeits per day and conclud-
ed that he had struck a good thing.
He found, however, that work as hard
as he might, not more than three hun
dred of the dollar pieces could be
turned out in a week. He intimates
there is a great mystery about the met
al with which the coins are made of
and refuses to say where he obtained
1t, endeavOr1ng to convey the impress
sion that the metal was obtained from
a distant point and that the United
States officials would give considera-
bic to ascertain how the stuff from
which the coins are made is prepared.
He says he told Parker some weeks
ago that he had no confidence in him
and would not be surprised if the po-
lice would soon learn Of the business
through him. To Parker's blunders in
getting drunk and showing money
around to various parties who knew he
n not y66i low
the blame of his apprehension. Re,
garding the Partellos, who were hand
ling the stuff in Minneapolis, and put
ting the finishing touches to the coins
Munroe speaks very kindly. He paid
Cor the plating plant which was oper-
Rted by Particle and says if he was
half as smart as Particle there would
have been no chance for his capture
The detectives were in some way in
formed that Munroe had been engag-
ed in the counterfeiting business in
Illinois several years ago. This is
denied by Munroe who states that he
never engaged in the business until
last April. His idea was to turn out
about one thousand of the coins and
then destroy the plant and move to
some other locality. He was prevented
from doing this by the trouble and ex-
pense he was put to in getting the
met and became friendly with In the
prison at saltwater, had beed doing the
plating for the past six weeks Pre-
Vious to this he had done the plating
himself and consequently the output
was small and the returns not at all in
keeping with the money invested The
bogus dollars he says were disposed of
to various persons for fifty cents on Toe
dollar and he always insisted an
cash being paid him wben lne dough" !"
y GeiiS ehe CO -erfeits, were turn
-, over. AS 70 -tne persons whom he
deaIt with, aside from Parker. he did
not say. AT least he has told no one
outside of the detective force. Several
OF the officers were on the chase yester-
oay SO 1t is surmiSed that there are
others besides those now under arrest
who have been passing the bad dollars
Munroe talks very mysteriously about
the business men who have been hand
ling the counterfeits, but simmered
down as to who they are, he tells who
Parker said they were. Parker's rem
utation for truth and veracity NAV be
good, but in the position he now occu-
pies any statement he might make is
likely to be taken with large doses of
salt. The fact that Munroe admits
he has turned out in the neighborhood
of $500 worth of the bad coins in the
last three months and also SAYS that
Parker has handled but very little Of
the stuff, would indicate that there
must be two or three of the gang who
have not been apprehended.
Munroe and Parker will be arraigned
before the United States commissioner
this morning and their case continued
Tor few days to admit Of the secur-
Ing of further evidence, and other pris-
oners.
Detective Werrick states that Parker
did visit the saloon of Oscar West Fri
day night just previous to the arrest
of Munroe. To corroborate his state
ment he has the testimony of Detec-
tive Gallagher who was with him at
the time and assisted in the capture of
Munroe.