The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-09
A NOTED COUNTERFEITER.
JOHN Pollock CAUGHT IN TEXAS
AFTER Il TUO YEARS. CHASE.
Large Quantity of Counterfeit Pa
per Money and Several PhOtOEra-
phic Plates for Making Notes Found
Ills persOn-IiIs Long Career.


WAsHlNGToN, Aug. S.-John Pollock a
notorious counterfeiter, who has served Sc
veral years in the penitentiary, and has been
wanted on new count for the last two
years by the Secret Service Bureau, was ar
rested to-day at pocos, Tex. The capture
was made by Secret Service Agent Byrnes.
the officer who was instrumental In running
down the noted Philadelphia counterfeiters a
Few months ago. Pollock has been living for
some time under the name OF J. c. Mckib-
bon, and he came originally from Ohio At
the time OF his arrest he had been travelling
in Mexico ostensibly as an exhibitor of VI
tasccpe pictures, and as such had a horse and
wagon which contained besides the vita
scope apparatus. collection OF materials
for making counterfeit paper money. On
his person was lot OF spurious notes
Pollock was arrested on april q. 1896, at
Fort Worth, Texas. and convicted OF maxi
ing and passing counterfeit production OF
a s. lcgaltender note. He made the notes
by means of the we'll known pho ographc
process, and the paper was easily distin-
guishabic from the genuine. Pollock was
sentenced TO serve two years in the peni-
Tertiary at Fort Leavenworth Kansas
While in prison he managed to be assigned
to the Photographic gallery, which is main
tained In the prison, and it appeared after
the expiration of his sentence, that he had
improved the opportunity to make some
more counterfeit plates, and that he had
taken the plates with him. He hoatcd some
Of the bad money thus produced very soon
after he left the prison. He was soon re-
arrested and on April 10, 1897 was indicted
for his crime. 1t was found during the trial
that other prisoners at Fort Leavenworth
had been implicated with him in making the
counterfeit plates. In consideration of his
giving evidence against these men. Pollock's
bail was reduced, and he promptly skipped
out. Since his escape he has been travelling
in Mexico. and rarely ventured over the
American side. Several months ago. he was
located by agents of the Secret Service Blu
reau, and an agent was on the point OF ar
resting him when the treaty between this
country and Mexico expired. making it i'm
possible to eXtradlte prisoners. a careful
watch was kept on Pollock, however. and
his arrest to-day closely followed the nego-
tiation OF the new treaty between the
United States and Mexico.
Within a few months. and in fact ever
since he skipped his bail at Fort Leavon-
worth, Pollock has been engaged in counter
feiting. lie is known to have sold quanl-
ty Of the spurious notes. which he produced
to a man at FL Paso, Texas, and who is thus
implicated in Polocks crimes. A large guam
tity of counterfeit paper money was found on
pOllock's person when he was arrested
There were several Photographic plates for
making notes of the kind known to the
Treasury as $50 Hamilton heads $40
Webster heads s. Jackson heads. s.
Garfield heads. s. Thomas heads
and $50 notes OF the Hanover National
Bank of New York. Pollock also had several
negatives Of seals. a quantity Of bond paper
cut In the size OF bank notes. and some ma
terials for retouching Photographic prints
Pollock's legitimate business is that OF a
painter. He has been the means OF getting
several OF his associates into the peniten-
tiary.