Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-24
CONTEMPLATING IN CUBA
The Capture of a Number of Engraved
Plates.
No Money FOund-Accused Will Be
Tried in Cuba-War Depart
ment Gratifed.

The counterfeiter is the latest feature
in Cuban development. About six weeks
ago it came to the notice of Major Tasker
II. Bliss, Collestor of customs for Cuba,
that Louis MILAN, then residing in Havana,
had in his possession plates for the print
ing of counterfeit United States notes Of
the five. ten and twenty-dollar denomina-
tons. While the Information was very
mcager, Major Bliss Immediately assigned
the special agents of his bureau to the
work, which progressed so well that De
cember Il, as was related by The Star at
the time, MILAN was located in a roof room
at No II Inquisidor street, Havana
Accompanied by Major Pitcher, super
visor of police for Havana, Special Agent
Metcalf found MILAN abed and asleep in
the room on the street mentioned. He was
Immediately seized and handcuffed with
out resistance, and placed under arrest
The officers made a search of the room
for the plates and counterfeit money and
We're rewarded by finding eight copper and
steel plates in different stages of compile
tlon They also captured complete Iith-
ographing and printing outfit and eleven
plates, polished. which had not been oper-
ated upon, also a camera with powerful
tense and various other articles belonging
to Il counterfeiter's outfit
While a thorough search was made by
the othcerS of the premises in which MILAN
found. Major Bliss Is inclined to believe
that no oney had yet been printed. ow
ing to the unfinished condition of the
plates.
MILAN Finally Confesses.
MILAN strenuously denied all criminal in
tent in the matter, but finally confessed
that he was preparing to make counter
lett dis He had, in fact. made a few i'm
presslons on one of the presses to see IL
MS work was such as would pass muster
Inc plates. however, were not completed
at the time of his capture. The officers
ihe ecu up the plates and negatives and
'iIe pdhh-hote paper. and they are now in
possession of Customs Officer Bliss
All the plates are United States not.s
ne 1"enty-dollar notes have the vienette
or Hamilton the ten-dollar notes tbe ~
nette of Webster and the ffye-doIIar ,nto
the ViSnette of Jackson ''o
III PlatGs ana negatives are deposited
WIN WIN MAJ; Ladd. treasurer of the island of
cuba, and the other effects in evidence !, "a
in one Of the store rooms NJ tha rI,c. a.e
mouse The plates have been marked for
identification. Aeu 1or
Trial of MILAN.
MILAN Will be tried in Cuba. When his
triai is completed the plates found in b;s
possession will be forwarded to the secret
service DIVISION of the Treasury Depart
he"'- "A photograph of MILAN has been
MILAN has been indicted according to On.
ban methods, and will be tried in the unner
court Of the island. The plates have been
Inspected by the court of the first instance
ana III needed, will be presented to the
higher court. No representative of the
Treasury Department of the United States
Will need to be present at the trial.
MILAN claims to be a Chilean by birth. ia
slNtE years of age, and is evidently per
son or intelligence and ability 1t is be-
heVed in Havana that he has served a term
or Imprisonment in Cuba for forgery. He
talks English very well, seems to be famii-
iar with New York. and it is suspected that
ne has a criminal record there
he War Department is very much graft
hed that the project of flooding the Island
OF Cuba with counterfeit notes has been
promptly nipped in the bud Owing to the
ignorance of the people of Cuba concerning
our currency. it will readily be seen that
counterfeiting, if successfully carried on
for any period of time. would result disas-
trously to the people of the island They
take our money readily. and only few of
the natives are able to distinguish good
from bad money