Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-11-11
CLEVER COUNTERFBTERS.
The Long Career of the John
son Family Ended
M&S ~ ia asxss.. !
d. LdSl.
-
ARE A NOTORIOUS GANG
Finally Corralled BY Chief Wilkie
and His Secret Service
Minions.

~
An Unprecedented Career of Crime-n
Began by Countorreiting $40 Bills, but
Finally Confined Itsolf to Twos-NI,,sie
Notes That Almost Defieu Detection and
Caused Originals to be Withdrawn.
In breaking up the johnson gang of
counterfeiters at Detroit. John Il. Will
kic. chief Of the Treasury Departments
Secret Service, has interrupted one of
the most remarkable criminal careers
known to detectives. He has exposed
the history of a family in which every
member-father, mother, sons and
daughters-has been a sue cessful coun-
terfeiter or confederate of counterfeit
ers. The family has operated for moro
than 30 years, and for eight years past
the work of some of It's members has
given the government more concern
than that OF all the other counterfeiters
in America.
The news dispatches have told of the
arrest of Charles, Edward and David
johnson at Detroit, on the charge OF
counterfeiting. Back of that is the
story Of this remarkable family Of
counterfeiters. The Joi1nsons are no
table in several ways. AS engravers
they have exhibited skill that has de-
fed bankers, and deceived govern
ment officials in charge of sub
treasures. They have executed
many of the dangerous counterfeit
bills issued in America They
have been arrested frequently, and
one member now over 60 years old,
has spent nearly half his life in pI ison.
The Johnsons have been notable for
their protection of each other e spe-
cially have the men shielded the wo-
men of the family, making confessions
and giving up their engraved plates to
secure immunity for their confederat es.
John johnson and his remarkab1 lie
family of counterfeiters first became
known to the secret service in 1864
The whole family was arrested in In
dianapolis in connection with the coun-
terfeit of the 20-dollar legal-tender
note. Thomas Ira Johnson, the eldest
son, then gave a striking example Of
the peculiar chivalry for which the
family has been noted. In order to Sc
cure the freedom OF his father, mother
and two sisters, he not only gave up the
plates from which the counterfeit was
printed, but he confessed that he had
engraved the plates and owned them
jointly with Pete Mccartney, an old
time criminal celebrity. Both these
men are now dead. Mccartney ending
his career in prison
The johnson family next became
prominent in 1870, when the govern
ment detectives captured from them
in Detroit the plates for a counterfeit
for $40 greenback- These plates had
also been engraved by the eldest son.
Undismayed by their frequent reverses,
the Johnsons Immediately began en-
craving plates for other counterfeits
The first which attracted the atten-
ton of the secret service officers was a
beautiful imitation Of the SIS legal-ten-
der note bearing the head Of President
Jackson. The engraving was the work
OF Thomas Ira and Charles Johnson.
When the two sons were captured their
father, John Johnson, Loyalty came to
their rescue. In order to tighten their
punishment. he surrendered the plates
for this counterfeit at Toronto, Canada.
Charles Johnson, next to his brother
Thomas Ira, is the most sk1llful and
dangerous member of the family. He
Is one of the finest steel eng1avers In
America, which is shown by the excel
lence of the counterfcits irsu ed from
his place. He is supposed 10 have
learned the art Of engraving from Joe
Racine, notorious Canadian counter
feiter
Charles Johnson's masterpie ce ap
peared in February, 1883, at Detr Dit. I
was a counterfeit of the five-doII lr sill
yer certificate bearing the head Of Gen
eral Grant. 1t is supposed that Jo : Ra
cine helped his pupil in engravfnlD til
plates, and 1t is thought that Tho W.,
Ira Johnson may have done some W OH
on the plate for the back of the mote
Charles johnson was arrested at Per
Huron four months after this dsmgei
GUS counterfeit made its appearance
but he escaped from tne officer and fed
to Canada. He began to shove counter
feits OF Canadian bilLs, was captured @
month later and given II years SEN
tence. which expired last January.
The cleverness OF these counterfeit
ers has been exhibit ed in many ways
Their bogus bills have been so treated
as to have the appe france of long use
In order to divert suspicion upon them
The Johnsons are supposed to hav,
"aged" their bills by peculiar treatmen
with glycerine.
An officer went T. the house of Ed
ward Johnson and ound Window notes
to the amount of $; 100. TIL oidcer IN
mediately arrested Charles and Edward
johnson, Mrs. David Johnson and Mrs
Baylis, sister OF the Johnsons.
In order to- SAVE the two women from
punishment. they offered to surrendc
the plates for tn G Window note IL III
government woul let HRS. Johnson an
Mrs. Baylis go ff ee. Mrs. johnson ha
had no criminal record, but Mrs. Fay