The San Francisco call., 1897-06-10
THE LEADER IS
UNDER ARREST
F. w. Rodgers, the King
pin Counterfeiter,
Caught.
Three of This Interesting Fam.
lily of "Coiners" Are in
the Tolls.
The Examination of Doc Stark Causes
Lively Tilt Between Lawyer
and Officer.

F. W. Rodgers, said to be the leader of
the Stark Rodgers gang of counterfeiters,
has been arrested by Secret Service Agent
\. R. Harris Jr. and Police Oficer T. B.
Gibson on a charge of counterfeiting S.
gold pieces. This makes the sixth arrest,
and from all appearances the officers have
captured the whole of the dangerous crew.
TIE prisoners are F. w. Rodgers, his son,
James F. Rodgers, and his daughter,
Kittie (the latter is out on her own recog-
infancy. William (aias "Doc'') Stark.
Alfred (alias "Babe'0 Williams and
Arthur Gilroy. The Rodgers live at
Chelsea street. and it was at their home
that the most of the counterfeiting plant
and materials were found.
Dave Stark, although a very young
man, is the fellow who did the plating
and finishing aite T the counte rfeits were
cast in the base metals. 1t is believed
that the gang made and put into circuIa-
tion over $4,000 and large amount of
this was un Loaded at the race tracks Will
liams and GilrOy did much of the latter
work.
The most interesting characters in the
crowd are the Rodgers. As stated in
yesterdays CALL several of the family
were arrested in May, 1898, for counterfeit
ing and % cent pieces.
The evidence of their guilt was conc lu-
slVe, but when taken before the Unit ed
States Grand Jury the plea OF extreme
poverty was made, ana that august body
had tn e wool neatly pulled over its eyes,
and not only did the Grand Jury refuse to
ludict, but 1t went to the unprecede n ted
extreme of raising large purse and find
ing employ for the mem bars OF the
family. While before the jury young
Rodgers was asked how it was that he be-
came a counterfeiter of small coins and
where he got his knowledge OF that un-
lawful occupation. He answered that his
first knowledge of how to make counter
feIts was from story that he read in the
San Francisco Examiner, which gave
minute account OF how to make the
molds, the base metals commonly used
and the proportions of each, and now 10
plate and put the finishing touches upon
the spurious COINS.
By following the Examiners directions
and making plant like the illustrations
given in that paper he turned out to be
full-fedged and successful counterfe Iter
This confession probably had much to do
with the acquittal of the Rodgers family.
This narrow escape from the State
prison did not prove a sufficient lesson to
the family, or as seen the laiher, son and
one daughter are again in trouble for
similar Cffense. The other daughter
May Rodgers, also wandered from the
straight and narrow path. For L whiie
she was employed IN a drugstore as a sort
oi advertisement for patent medicine or
something OF the sort. She lett this occu-
patton last January and hired out as a
domestic in the family of J. b. Queen of
436 Buchanan street.
As an evidence of her crookedness she
hired out under an assumed name the
name OF a girl she knew who lived at
North Beach. The family missed many
articles Of valT1a and doy ba III
left, taking with her Mrs. Queens gold
bracelet containing six diamonds, gloves
ana some money. A part OF the stuff was
recovered in a pawnshop by Detective An
thony, who had hard work to locate the
thief owing 10 the confusion of names
However she was arrested en- January Is
for grand larceny.
The other sister, Kittie, is II years of
age. but she is very shrewd in her way.
She acted as a go- between for her father,
brother and their friends, and led the off,
cars s-veral merry chases in endeavoring
to throw them off the track. There are
still three other children, but they are all
of a tender age.
DOC" Stark had his preliminary hear
ing yesterday before United States Circuit
Court Commissioner Heacock ana was
held in $4,000 bonds 10 appear before the
United States Grand Jury. The first wit.
ness for the prosecution was John Boyle
VINO Hau dSSlSteQ ". II. haTriS Jr., tno
deputy secret service agent, in locating
the gang. He testified that he was ap-
preached by Stark, who offered to furnish
plenty OF good looking bogus 50 pieces if
Boyle would pass the same. Boyle played
into Harris hands and in tho succeeding
three or four days secured from Stark half
a dozen or more of the same kind of
money. Stark told Boyle about having
passed large quantity at the butchers
picnic.
While the examination of this witness
was in progress a lively little scene took
place in the courtroom. n. r. Harris Sr.,
sat beside Prosecuting Attorney Bert
Schlessinger. Suddenly Attorney Hawk-
ins, one of the two representing Stark,
excitedly exclaimed that Mr.. Harris was
making use OF q code of signals to ch
the witnesses. Mr.. Harris was on two
feet IN a second and answered, If you say
that, sir, you tell deliberate falsehood."
The prisoners other attorney, 7. J,
Lennon, said something to the effect that
the secret service agent must have the st.
Vitus' dance if he was not making signs
to the witness. For these remarks Stark 8
attorneys were severely reprimanded by
Commissioner Heacock.