Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-08-25
The COunterfeitinS Operations DisGoV-
cred In Dover and Vicinity.
ITALIANS ARRESTED LAST WEEK
The Suspects Brought to This
City.
UNABLE TO GIVE THE BAIL DEMANDED

From what has been learned, the indi
cations are that the gang has been
operating in this State since the first
OF the year, and it is believed that
from the first Of May until about two
weeks ago the money making plant was
running in full blast
The two mon now in custody,
Michael Costello and Giuseppe Special,
Italians, who were arrested In Dover
yesterday week by the secret detectives,
assisted by Special Detective Walls of
Dover, were brought to this city this
morning by the officers and arraignsd
before Magistrate Lewis Sasse, who rat
in the Federal Building. in the absence
Of United States Com missioner S. Rod
mond Smith, who iH away on HE vRca
tion, the charge against the men being
passing spurious coin in Dover. Police
Officer Carmen Di Mare acted as inter
prefer. at the request Of the magistrate
and the government officers.
The government officers we're not
ready; neither were the prisoners, who
desired to retain an attorney, and the
men were held 10 Sl.U0O bail each for
q hearing at such time as shall be fixed
by the government officials. The men
were unable to give bail and were COM
mitted to the custody OF the United
States marshal. They were taken to
New Castle jail this afternoon by
Deputy Marshal Clark. They will have
hearing about September LIST.
Counterfeit money has been passed
at Dover and Cheswold stores for sew
eral months, but the men were not sus-
pected until Tuesday night week, when
they called at the Dover poatoffice and
bought few postage stamps, Offering
two new 25.cent pieces in payment.
The clerk discovered that the money
wac bogus, and refused to accept it.
The detectives think the postnffice
incident frightened the Italians, and
caused them to conceal other counter.
felt money, If they had more. After
the arrests, the detectives drove to the
prisoners residence. at Dinah's Corner,
seven miles from here, which they
thoroughly searched In room, cor
respondence regarding steel and other
metals was found; and in ths cellar,
an anvil and some charcoal were dis
covered. The cellar contained re,
cently-dug trench, but 1T was empty.
large roll of emery paper was also
found, and in the chimney were two
broken hack saws. Nothing suspicious
was found in the barn and other out.
buildings.
The Italians recently went to E. L.
Jones' machine shop and asked for
Homething, but, owing to their ina
bility to speak English, they could not
make Mr.. Jones understand what they
wanted.
10 obtain good money for bogus the
men had been in the habit OF going to
store and calling for cake OF yeast.
or some other article valued at two or
tnree cents, and offering 10 payment q
25-cent piece. Once they obtained
from NJ. L. Haman dollar bin for four
25-cent pieces, and on another occasion
they bought lumber from O. S. Penne-
will, In payment of which they gave
both good and counterfeit money.
The prisoners evidently thought they
would BIZ caught, as they had contem.
plated removing from this locality
soon. They arrived at Dinah's Corner
laet January, and had frequently
brought truck to Dover.
This officers exhibited number
of quarters, which were very poor coun
terfeits. No bad money was found OF
the men when they were arrested, bu
tho money which is 10 the possession
of the officers WIS obtained from peopl
who allegei that they had received il
from the Italians. Ons of the riece
was passed by one Of the Italians upol
j. j. Seaman, Dover storskeeper' il
the presence of Detective Shartzer jus
before the arrest. It was like tn
others. All of the money which ha
been discovered consists of quarters
ana they appear to contain more hras
than any other metal, and it is pre-
sumed that braas was the chief meta
used for the inside of each piecs, Will
a white metal appears to predominant
on thu exterior. The brass was yer
noticeable when the coins we're cut.
Many people around Dover havs re
caivsd the money. Some did not kno'
it was bad. while others suspented thu
something was wrong and took it whe
it was offered in order to assist til
officers. Some of the coins are date
1897 and some 1898.
When the two Italians were arreste
dangerous looking sfiletto was foun
on one of them, but in addition to tel,
grams and other papers nothing SUI
piGious was found on the person I
either. When questioned. one of ii
men said he received the money fro
his wife, while the other said he oil
tanned 1t at one of the banks.
Costello, who has a wife and sever
children, has been living on Quee
street, in Dover, while the other ma
lived on the farm ut Dinah's Corne
about ssven miles from Dover. Co
tello told the officers that he was
laborer and worked ON the farm. III
other man was generally thought to
interested in the management of Il
farm.
While in Dover the detectives ma,
thorough investigation. They we
informed that some time late in ii
winter or early in the spring son
Italians came to Dover and negotiate
either with Thomas S. Clark or Charl
u. Butler, or one of their agents, eth
for the Lease or purchase of farm
Dinah's Corner. 1t is understood th
tho Italians had intimated that tn
intended to purchase the farm or ia
lease on it. They made the first pa
ment and it is presumed intended
keep up the payments until a fl
weeks ago, when one of them stat
that on account of quarrel amo
themselves they had decided to gi
the farm up.
While it was known that there We
ItalianE living in the bouse on I
farm. people living 10 the vicinity sti
that they never saw the Italians dol
allege that they heard hammering a
other noises about the houss at
hours of the day and night. The
tectives were informed that M
named Taylor titled the farm, and tt
could rot learn that the Italians {
any Of that sort of work. They b
hpau spen tn m mt ebooting In Tho r