The San Francisco call., 1897-06-09
COUNTERFEITERS
NEATLY CAUGHT 7
Dangerous Gang of Money
Makers Behind the
Bars.
They Have Made aud Circulated
Many Thousands of
Dollars.
James F. Rodgers, Willilm Stark, AL.
fred Williams and Arthur Gil
roy Are Their Names.


tive work that have been performed in
this State was the arrest of the Rodgers
Stark gang of coin counterfeiters by n. R.
Harris Jr. of the United States secret SER
vice and T. B. Gibson of the Police De-
partment. These vIgilant officers, after
working day and night for nearly two
weeks, have landed the following coun-
terieiters and their accomplices in Jail:
James F. Rodgers, William Stark (com-
monty called "Doc'), Alfred Williams
known as "Babe') and Arthur Gilroy.
Kittie Rodgers, a sister of James Rogers,
was also arrested yesterday, but was re-
leased on her own recognzance.
The story OF The manner in which the
criminals were run down savors of q
French detective tale, for the outlaws in
this case are as clever as any with whom
the officers have ever come in contact,
particularly as they are all young people.
For over year large quantities of spuri-
Gus 50 pieces have been appearing in
public, principally at the racetracks and
other places Were there are large gather
! ings and money changes hands rapidly.
The hrst large operations on the race
tracks were made in the latter part of last
year.
simultaneously large lots of these coins
appeared in Sacramento, Los Angeles,
Portland, Fresno and even at Carson
New, at the time of the big fight All this
time the secret service officers and Pink
erton's men were at work endeaVoring TO
locate the counterfeiters. but it was not
| until about Two weeks ago that the true
lead was obtained. n. r. Harris Jr. got a
tip that Doc" Stark who is "a wears old
was one OF the crowd, and he soon located
that worthy in the California State House
on Fourth and Howard streets. Stark is
an expert chemist, machinist and platter
Harris had Stark shadowed and soon
learned that he was operating with young
Rodgers, who lived with his father at
Chelsea street, near Seventh and Harrison
streets. On May, 1893 F. W. Rodgers. the
father, and nearly the whole family were
arrested for counterleiting and % cent
pieces, but they pleaded poverty and the
United States Grand Jury refused to IN
dict them and raised over $50 for their re-
lief and found good positions for all who
were able to work.
The same shadows also found that Babe
Williams, who comes from Portland, Or,
and is about 20 years old, and Arthur
Gilroy, who is % years old, and halls
from Chicago, were also in the gang. Gill
roy has wife and child, the latter three
years old. The whole crowd made pre-
tense OF being 'touts" at the racetracks,
but their real business was getting rid of
bad money.
The publication of the fact that a large
quantity OF lead So pieces had been passed
at the butchers picnic caused the coun-
terfeiIers To become alarmed before the
officers were ready to gather them In, and
/ several left town in great haste. Harris
and Officer Gibson arrested Stark before
] he could get away. The search then be-
| gan for the others-Rodgers, Williams
and Gilroy.
! Facts have since come TO light that show
that even among thieves there is none too
| much honor, for the friends and relatives
of the fugitives began dog-eat-dog game.
Kittie Rodgers, who is only II years old,
endeavored to get Mrs. Gilroy to take the
molds, melting pots, etc, to her room on
/ Market street, evidently for the purpose
OF betraying the little woman to the Off
GERS, but she was too sharp for them.
She refused to become mixed up in the
case. In fact the officers believe that she
was ignorant of her husbands operations
until he fled. Hearing from The Rodgers
| that the officers were after him she fed to
| a room on O'Farrel street, after hiding
her husbands pictures and tearing up
all correspondence, depositing the refuse
/ in the stove.
! Harris and Gibson, however, raided the
vacant room, found the pictures and
| gathered up the scraps OF paper. In the
| latter were pieces of a telegram from Sac
ramenio. Upon pasting it together it
/ res = |COue mere AT once. Arthur.
! She did not go, but sent a personal
| friend to warn her usband, and this per-
son and the officers went on the same
train on the following morning the Off
| GERS following the messenger.
! Late that night the latter went out on
the Yolo bridge, it seems TO meet Gilroy,
| Williams and Rodgers. After hot fight
with Williams and Gilroy they were ar
rested. Several citizens supposed that 1t
was q case OF hold-up in the dark and in
terfered, nearly effecting the counterfeit
ers' escape. Rodgers heard of the arrest
and cunntngly "backed track" to San
Francisco, where he went into hiding in
the house OF a relative named Wright on
| Hunt and Natoma streets whence he could
easily escape should the officers learn OF
his whereabouts.
During the last two days Ki.tie Rodg gers,
while pretending TO be assisting the off,
GERS, was keeping Rodgers informed of all
that she could learn. The officers sus-
pected this and followed her. Rodgers
became scared and left the house yester-
day, sending his relative ahead. He was
for once caught mapping and the officers
soon had the cuffs on his wrists. kittie
was the mex. placed under arrest for as
sisting in hiding the counterfsiters plant.
The discovery of the plant is a story in
itself. 1t seems that young man living
on Golden Gate avenue was In love with
| May Rodgers, one of the sisters, and by
/