The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-10
The Gang Of Criminals Caught at a
Fandango--G George I. Bell Tells
a Thrilling Tale.

Washington, July fo.-George I. Bell,
who has been in the United States Sc
cret service for years. recently told
this story OF how he and a party cap
tured the famous Brooks gang OF coun-
terfeiters in Arizona:
'In 1874 the treasury officials were
much disturbed over the operations OF
band OF counterfeiters who were dis
tributing their product over the entire
southwest. The spurious coins were in
the form OF silver quarters and half
dollars. made in remarkable imitation OF
the genuine article, leading TO the as
sumption that the dies and molds had
either been stolen from some govern
ment mint or that exact impressions
had been made TO obtain the models.
The coin had been scattered through
out Arizona, New Mexico, northern
Texas and g. large portion OF Kansas,
and the counterfeiters had been ply
ing their occupation for twoyears with
out successful interruption on the part
of the government.
THE gang had been trailed down
and located in the Peloncilla noun
rains. This range is a sort of spur OF
the Rockies, and IL begins up In Gra-
ham county, Ariz., and extends south
east across the line into Grant county,
". NJ. To the west are the desert-like
San Simeon plains. and 70 the north
the Peloncillos are separated from the
Gila range by dry mesas and the Gila
river. On the east, in Grant county, ~.
NJ. is the valley of the Playas. This
merges into the plateau OF the Sierra
Madre, which extends east for 15O
miles.
WERE STRONGLY INTRENCHED.
''Thus IL will be seen that the lair OF
the counterfeiters was almost inacces-
sible. We found later that they lived
in a cave way up toward the summit
of lofty peak, and their sentinel had
a powerful spyglass, through which he
could see for miles over valley and
plain, and easily follow the movements
OF any one approaching.
They went out from time 10 time TO
dispose of their spurious coin, and IL
was from descriptions obtained of
them that We learned who they were.
There were only three of them, and the
leader was Robert Brooks, commonly
known as 'Shang or Shanghai
Brooks. He was powerful fellow,
over six fet in height, and resembling
in appearance Wild Bill, the famous
scout OF the northwest.The others were
John and James Styles, small, wiry
fellows, excellent shots and superb
horsemen. The Styles brothers were
from Kansas City. and Brooks had de-
serted from the navy late in the COS,
and we had every mark or identihca-
tion on his BODY.
Although we knew whers the men
were. it was found next TO impossible
to effect their capture. Time and
time again had the secret service Of
ficers attempted TO explore the noun
tain Businesses of the Peloncillos in
search OF the gang, but In vain. Some
OF them could not get across the San
Simeon plains at the west and re-
turned disheartened and worn out.
Others made the trial from the east,
and some OF them returned-and some
did not. If any had ever come upon
the criminals we never knew IL, as
none who had ever encountered them
returned to tell the tale.
REMINDERS OF MISSING ONES.
Several disappeared as completely
as IL the earth had swallowed them.
We afterward found a few skeletons
of human beings and remnants OF
clothing by which we were enabled TO
identify the remains of three OF our
missing. g.men. OF the rest no trace was
ever discovered. 1t was easy to sur
mise what had happened. Once the
officers had entered the dense woods
and underground OF the foothills they
were at the mercy of the unerring ri
flemen.
After months of futile attempts to
round up the gang on the part of 9TH
ers, 1 begged TO be allowed TO try the
case. | was told that 1 could TRY IT.,
aud that 1 would be given carte
blanche for expenses. My assistant
was an old revenue officer who looked
for all the world like a broken down
ranchman. We soon formulated a
plan. We went into the valley. OF the
Playas and took possession of an old
deserted sheep ranch about ten miles
from the foothills OF the Peloncillos.
We fixed up the old house and out
buildings and stocked the ranch with
sheep, cattle and horses. The old
revenue officer brought shs wife along
10 do the cooking and L posed as their
son.
I'VE worked very industriously about
the ranch. IL was In the spring, and
we made an excellent pretense OF put
ting in n garden and crops of small
grain. The country was thinly settled
I'm those days, but the cowboys from
the neighboring ranches came 10 pay
us visits. and we made II such a point
10 entertain our callers TO the limit OF
our means that we soon began to ac-