The times., 1897-05-15
C0UNTERFE|TERs IN TOWN
An Unpretentious Old Woman
Who Passes Bad Coins.
THERE ARE MANY VICTIMS
Extensive Operations ON the Stree
Car Lines-New.Looki Quarters
Should Be Carefully Inspected.
The Woman Was Captured, But
Mr.. Babendrier Set Her Free.

little, unpretentious old woman, per-
haps fifty or fifty-five years OF age, dressed
In plain black dress, got on Mefropol-
itan electric car at the Sixth street depot
Thursday evening and rendered the con-
ductor bright, shining quarter, with d
request for change instead Of tickets she
was accommodated and after riding sew
eral blocks up Ninth street she alighted
and took the next car back to the depot,
again rendering the conductor ne y 90
cent piece and getting two dimes In mango
She repeated TINS operation a nuI:lber of
times, riding until midnight, so that some
of the conductors carried the woman sev-
erai times. In each instance she paid her
fare with coin apparently fresh from
the mint and always asked for change in
stead of tickets.
The railroad men soon sized up the
mysterious female as being what Is known
as ''spotter," and each thought that
she was trying to detect some conductor
in the act OF knocking down" fares
Their mistake was dis covered yester-
day morning, when Night Superintend-
ent William Deneal, in counting over the
cash which the men had turned in with
their reports, found more than twenty
counterfeit quarters. So good was the
imitation that it was with some diff
Guilty that they were detected, and not
one of the victims had suspected tLat
the coins were counterfeit.
The Secret Service office was notified
of the operations Of the "floatcr,'' and
Chief Hazen, upon investigating the mat
ter, directed the superintendent of the
Ninth street line to instruct his men that
in case the woman was seen again to de-
tain and turn her over to an officer Yes
terday afternoon the woman again began
operations. At the Sixth street depot she
again boarded car No 20, going south,
and tendesed Conductor James Horne one
OF the bogus coins. Horne was on the look
out for the woman, and did clever piece
of detective work He gave her twenty
cents in change and then directed the
motOrman to run to the power house with
out stopping
When the woman wanted to get off she
was told that the train was a through
one, and upon reaching the office she was
turned over TO Supt. Z. O--Babendrier, the
man who was robbed Of 81 500 in the Va
toldi lunchroom several weeks ago In
stead OF complying with the order OF
Chief HaZen and turning the woman over
to an officer, Mr.. Babendrer released her
after asking her name and address, which
! she failed to give him
Upon leaving the office of the company
she was seen to board north bound car.
but she did not go alone Conductor Pete
Etcher, of train No. %, who had lost a
dollar through the woman, was off duty
and followed her.
Three cars behind Superintendent Baben-
drier followed in an attempt to oyertake
her. He was fortunate enough to pass
her as she was standing al Seventh and B
streets, waiting for Capital Traction
train. Mr.. Babendrier called to Conductor
Ready to watch the woman. Conductor
Etcher had her spotted at the same time, /
and together the two men traced her to
Seventh and G streets, where she aligh ted
and took the next car back and trans
ferred at the Avenue, and rode as far
as Third street, where she disappeared in
a iunchroom.
Leaving Mr.. Ready to watch, Mr.. Etcher
walked around the block in search of q
policeman. and found Officer Estes, OF
the bicycle squad. When the two returned
" vic s"A'-hooi ohc iHsseHous Iemaie
had left. with Ready follow ing, unsuspected, |
behind her. She went to the B. o. |
depot, where she purchased ticket for |
Baltimore and quickly disappea ring through |
the gates ostensibly boarded train for |
the Monumental city.
1t is believed that the woman has |
confederate in this city, who was stationed |
at the depot Thursday night and supplied |
the woman with the coins as she returned /
from each trip, so that no bad money could |
be found on her If captured, ami in tile |
event of detection the pair could easily |
have left town on any outgoing train
The police do not believe that the woman |
has left town and are making Strenuous
efforts to capture her. Surprise is tx-