The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-26
HOW HE STARTED
BEGINNING OF AN OKLAHOMA
CoUNTERFEITRR'S CAREER.

Much Circumlocution the Method o
Making Spurious Coin-NOw the Atten
tive Juror Turns Up as a Counterieitea
Himself and Probably Got His Pointer
at That Time-CommunicationF From al
Onieer of Greer County.
Guthrie, O. T, April 25:-The history
of a crime has just come TO light at Ok
aahoma City which shows on what tri-
ies human affairs turn
In Yesterdays Eagle an account OF
the arrest of Farmer Owens was given
He was arrested for counterfeiting
Electrician John Wand now has some
thing to say.
Two years ago District Attorney Nc
Mechan prosecuted a band of counter
feiters from the Pott country Their
coin was made by some process wherein
electricity was used Owens was a
member Of the jury in the case. Mr.
8cMechan subpoenaed Mr.. Wand as an
expert witness TO show how the spur
ious coin was made. Mr. Wand ex-
planned lueidly to the jury the process
and illustrated the process by using
the counterfeiting utensils as the
counterfeiters used them.
There is undoubtedly where Owens
obtained his idea Of counterfeiting
and the first spurious money he made
he took to Mr.. Wand and after making
a purchase he offered the bad money in
payment TO test it. Mr. Wand took
the money and Owens thinking the
money good enough to deceive an ex-
pert passed IT at other places with no
fear of being detected.
Deputy Marshal Ryan went out TO
the farm where Owens lived, and search
ed the premises thoroughly for evidence
of his work. He was most successful,
for in dug out on the farm he found
a young addition to a mint, whichcOn-
sisted Of five pairs of plaster moulds
for halves and dollars, small dynamo,
a large quantity of raw material and
fully 200 Of the spurious dollars in va
rious stages of completion. The work
on the moulds showed that the fellow
was an expert in the business, and if he
had had time to perfect his coin 1t
would have been hard TO detect. Mar
shall Ryan deserves credit for nipping
Owens in the bud, for he would have
proven a dangerous and successful
counterfeiter if he had not been arrest
ed when he was.
The grand jury will convene Monday
and his case will soon be taken up.
I The government has two charges
against Owens, manufacturing and pas
sing spurious coin. Owens will be ia
ken to the federal jail as soon as the
grand jury is through with him.
CONDITIONS IN GREER
The Oklahoma City Journal has the
following letter from James Brown, ex-
county clerk of Greer county to 5. II.
Miller, county clerk of Oklahoma county
Dear Sir-I have the honor of ac-
knowledging the receipt of your letter
Of the 18th inst. We are thankful
for the sympathy and interest you ex-
press in our complicated and danger
Gus state of affairs.
So far everything has been remark
ably quiet and peaceable with two ex-
ceptions; one a shooting ARRAY in
which one man was shot through the
arm, breaking the bone below the
shoulder joint, and in the arrest of
the assailant he shot another man
through the thigh, inflicting a bad
flesh wound. When arrested he stated
that he didn't know any one in Greer
had any authority to arrest a man
We have him here in Jail The other
was burglar1zing store in Mangum,
one night last week by unknown par
ties; the first thing of the kind in the
history of the town.
We fear the worst Is not upon US,
unless omething can be done for US
soon Though I believe We have as
large a per cent Of law abiding citi-
gems as can be found in any other part
of the United States of the same size.
We are grateful for the fair manner
IN which your county officials propose
dealing with US. 1 promise you that
favors you can bestow upon US will be
highly appreciated by our best cit
liens. Though we are in hopes con-
gress or the department will soon give
us permanent organization.
I enclose you herewith a clipping
giving our county official directory
under the Texas law, in which you
will see we have four county commits
sioners, who, with the county judge as
chairman, constitutes the full board.
The county Judge is also ex-officio
county superintendent of schools. We
have one assessor for the whole coun-
~, and the county clerk is ex-officio
register of deeds.
1 shall be glad to hear from you at
anytime. Very Respectfully,
JAMES BROWN,
EX-County Clerk. |
Official Directory of Greer county
Walters. district attorney; w. u. Bal
lard. county judge; James Brown,
county and district clerk and recorder;
s. H Title, sheriff; Joseph Sweet. trea-
surer; +. T. Russell, assessor; w. a. |
Dckey, surveyor; Cvacant) J. +. |
Mathews. county attorney; John Rose, |
hide inspector.
Commissioners-First precinct. Geo. |
Briggs. second, J. II. Reedy; third, ]. |
]. Edwards: Fourth, W. B. Cook
Justices of the Peace and constables: |
First precinct. W. T. Dodson; John Ov- |
erton; second precinct. ]. a. Haynes, /
Perry Evans: third, both vacant Fourth |
". w. Hutchens. W. Mccoy; Fifth |
3. F. Hudspeth, William Henry; sixth, |
Pierce Kimban. A. c. Patton; Ninth, |
T. :. Taggard, J. NJ. Carthel; Eighth, |
G d Goodner, J. r. Hatley.
District court convenes the sixth |
Monday after the first Mondey in Feb
ruary and August
County court convenes the first Mon |
day in January and July ana the fourth
Monday in April and October
Commissioners court convenes the sec
ond Monday in February, May, August
and November.
SCENE IN COURT.
In this weeks Kingfisher Free Press
Jacob Admire has a sensation. The
Kingdsher Free Press avs that one day
last week Judge McAtee arose and ad-
dressed the bar and citizens from the
bench. It seems that il is charged that
Judge MCAtee borrowed money from
J. c. Post, president of the Bank OF
hingfsher. with the declaration that /
be was in possession Of certain tracts OF
land. The money was advanced and an