The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-13
RICHARD MONROE PLEADS GUILTY
TO HAVING COUNTERFEIT
TOOLS AND MONEY.
He COULD NOT GET WORK,
ALTHOUGH HE SPENT NEARLY TWO
YEARS LOOKING FOR SOME
THING TO Do
STATEMENT OF GROSS EARNINGS,
Judge Loo hren Sentences Him to
Two Years, and FraEamann to
Ninety Days in Jail.

Richard Monroe and John Fraga-
mann, the two men who were arrested
last July on the charge of making and
circulating counterfeit money, were in
dicted by the federal grand jury yes
terday and were arraigned before Judge
Lochren in the United States district
court in the afternoon. Both prisoners
pleaded guilty, and then and there re-
ceived their sentences
John Fragamann was arraigned first.
The indictment charged him with pass
ing a counterfeit silver dollar. Fraga-
mann pleaded guilty.
In moving that sentence be passed
upon the prisoner, United States Dis
trict Attorney Stringer Informed the
court that Fragamann had furnished
the government with the information
that led to the capture Of Monroe and
the discovery of the counterfeiting
plant, and had in fact made a clean
breast Of everything, including his own
completely in the crime. He had al
ready been confined in the Ramsey
county Jail for five months and a half.
Mr. Stringer was of the opinion that
Fragamann, or Parker, as he was
known before his arrest, was entitled
to some consideration from the court,
and he would therefore be so bold as
to suggest that the law would be COM
pletely vindicated if a sentence of sixty
or ninety days in the county Jail were
imposed upon the prisoner
Judge Lochren asked Fragamann If
he had anything to say why sentence
Ch no Ia
Fragamann replied in the negative.
Thereupon, in accordance with the sug-
gestion of the district attorney, Judge
Lochren sentenced Fragamann to nine
ty days in the county Jail.
Richard Monroe was then arraigned.
The first count in the indictment charg-
ed Monroe with counterfeiting f1fty-six
coins; the second count charged him
with having in his possession fifteen
counterfeit coins, and the third charge
alleged that he also possessed six
molds and other counterfeiting para
phernalia.
Monroe listened attentively to the
reading of the Indictment He present.
ed pttiful appearance A man about
forty-five years Of age, his features are
as delicate and senitive as a girls
Luis, OIOlIOS GILL Wn1Sk0rS concealed
the lower portion of his face. His eyes
were sunken and slightly infiamed, his
countenance pale and detected.
Are you guilty or not guilty?' ask
ed the clerk after he had finished read
ing the Indictment
Il ann not guilty ON the first
count" replied Monroe in the gentlest
Of tones, for L did not make any
counterfeit money, but I plead guilty
70 ir1 PC
counterfeit money and the molds were
in my possession"
The district attorney moved for SEN
tence and Judge Lochren asked the
prisoner what he had to say why
sentence should not be pronounced upon
him.
Nothing but this" responded Mon
roe. II think the circumstances in my
case are somewhat extenuating. For
the past two years I have endeavored
to obtain employment in st. Paul and
Minneapolis, but have failed to earn at
any time more than 81 a week. For
seven months I worked off and on for
Fl. H. Hart, the secretary of the state
beard of corrections and charities. My
average compensation was 81 week,
and in all I received from Mr. Hart
$16.35. After Mr.. Harris family moved
away from the city, I could not get
any more work. I finally became dis
couraged and at last, when an opportu-
nifty was offered me, l went into the
counterfeiting business.
II trust" continued the prisoner, who
maintained the same subdued tone
throughout, that your honor will be as
lenient with me as possible. I confess
the counterfeiting plant was in my
possession, but I did not make the
counterfeit money, though / suppose
am equally guilty under the law
'fWho did make it?' inquired the
district attorney.
Particle" answered the prisoner.
District Attorney Stringer informed
was manufactured in st. Paul in the
rear of H. H. Harris house, where
the prisoner had his plant concealed,
but that the coins were electroplated
by Particle in Minneapolis. The dis
trict attorney also called the attention
to the fact that Monroe had already
served time in Saltwater for the crime
of burglary committed in Minneapolis.
He had been a well-behaved prisoner
and was released on parole and finally
discharged from custody.
Judge Lochren-Your Offense, Mon
roe, is very serious and necessarily de-
liberate. The sentence of the court is
that you be confined in the state prison
for the term of two years.
Monroe, without betraylng sign of
emotion, asked the court if it would be
possible for him to serve the sentence
in any other prison than the Saltwater
penitentiary. He explained that he
was suffering from atrophy Of the optic
nerves and had already lost the sight
of one eye, and that the vision of the
other was seriously impaired.
The court and district attorney were
Of the opinion that the court had no
ic0n Low In %IA- rCN I0-. l,,+ L
district attorney said he would look
into the matter.
Monroe said that the aff1iction he
was suffering from originated while
he was serving time in the Saltwater
prison, and was caused by the electric