The San Francisco call., 1899-05-07

% HE boldest, most sldllful and most
extensive counterfeiters this coun-
try has ever known were landed
safely in jail three weeks ago in
4 Lancaster. Pa. They had been
conducting their operations for
nearly I'VE years, during which time they
had defrauded the Government OF neaIly
half a million dollars and were rapluly
eating improved machinery in shape 10
defraud # out of millions annually. 30
difficult Of detection was the proouct OF
their skill that it necessitated the recal
bv rbe Secretary Of the Treasury OF an
issue Of S26. 600 600.
For more than a year the shrewdest de-
+ac+fves OF the Secret Service Department
have been at work on the case no less
than 100 men. women and children hav-
ing been employed on It at one time or
another Months ago sufficient evidence
was secured 10 warrant the arrest or
some Of the guilty parties. But the
United States Government does not mind
being slow II it is sure, and it laboriously
wound its coils closer and closer about
the gang until Ii was ready to strike. The
result has been the greatest coup ever
known in the annals Of the secret ser
vice.
The most surprising thing in connection
with this remarkable case Is the at
tempts at bribery that are shown to have
been made by the counterfeiters not only
to insure their own personal safely, but
to Introduce their false currency even
into the United States Treasury in Wash
ington. The secret service men have dis
covered that even the treasury itself had
been invaded by the agents Of the coun-
terfeiters A fortune was offered very
prominent treasury official If he would
take SO 900 900 worth Of the spurious paper
and give in return the equivalent of
genuine money. He was then to give out
the worthless notes as genuine, and so
manage that the Government itself would
be circulating the bad money for the
couuterfeiters. Had this bold attempt at
bribery been successful the Government
would have lost millions Of dollars and at
the same time established a reputation
that would have not been overcome in
many years.
The counterfeiters' agents also made at
tempts TO brlbe secret service officials in
order 10 get their men into the service so
a to keep tab on the movements of that
office.
in one case the attempt at bribery was
successful. Ex-United States District At
torney hewitt was the man who fell. He
accepted large sums of money and in re-
turn saw some Of the paper admitted
without suspicion to places where it
would 90 the most good. Ihis man also
kept the gang posted on the movements
Of the Government officials, and it was
largely due 10 his efforts that the gang
kept out of Jail for so long. The evidence
against hewitt is overwhelming, and
since his arrest he has broken down and
told a good many things that will make
the conviction Of the gang an easy
matter.
As the case develops evidences of brib-
cry become more numerous. 1t has been
clearly shown that the gang had in mind
one Of the most corrupdng plans that was
ever evolved. They intended to stop at
nothing Every influential official who
could be hribed was to be approached.
Almost incredible sums We're offered. and
the gang was fully able to offer them. see
ing that if their scheme had been sue
cessful they would soon have in clrcula-
ton more money than the United States