Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-05
CAPTURE COUNTERFEITERS
HIGHLY IMPORTANT ARRESTS IN
NEW YORK.
Eight Italians Caught With Their
Paraphernalia-Pat Detective
Work Rewarded.

The officials of the secret service of the
Treasury Department, under the direction
of Chief Wilkie. made a number Of highly
important arrests in New York last night
and this morning For at least two months
the secret service people have been at
work to discover the makers of large
number of all silver counterfeit coins, most
ly quarters and halves, which were being
freely circulated in New York city. The
result has been that Pho Paris and seven
companions, all Italians. were arrested and
are now in Jail awaiting the action OF the
United States commissioner. which will
probably be taken today. The fact that
large numbers Of these silver counterfeits
were being freely circulated in New York
during the last two years has given Chief
Wilkie a great deal of trouble. The coins
being of almost pure silver 800 fine, and
fairly well made, they readily passed wher
ever presented, and rendered extremely diff
ficult the task of locating the makers and
paSSerS.
Suspicion Aroused.
The arrests came about in this way:
Some time ago two Italians called on
Messrs. Platt & Co. Of Gold street, New
York, large dealers in sheet silver and gold,
and purchased a thousand ounces of sheet
silver. One of the men was observed at the
time of the purchase to compare one of the
sheets with coin which he took from his
pocket. probably with view of determin-
ing whether the sheet was of the same
thickness as the coin he had in his possess
sion. This slight but suspicious circum-
stance was made known to the secret serv-
Ice officials by Messrs. Platt & Co, and
force was Immediately set to work upon
this new lead From the fact that the men
took away with them only a small part Of
the purchase. 1t was assumed that they
would shortly return for the rest. After
% fuyn vpoa ~,
away another small quantity to III Mangin
street, on the east side Of New York From
there they were shadowed to 50 Watt
street, on the west side. A force was put
TO work to observe every move made by
people who frequented these houses with
the result that their lodging places were
discovered and the fact established beyond
doubt that at both of these numbers work
was being actively carried on.
Yesterday morning one Of the roomers In
the Mang1n street house became suspicious
that the men on the floor below were doing
some sort Of crooked work, and he at once
nothed policeman on that beat of his
suspicious, which fact came near rendering
1neHective all of the work that had been
done. The policeman, not knowing that the
authorities were watching the house, went
TO the door and pounded for admittance
He was not answered, however, and soon
went away. One Of the gang who had been
watching from the next street corner at
once went to the house. notified the gang
cipitately fled to the Watt street place
carrying with them many of their dies,
| coins and blanks.
The Capture.
The secret service officials, realizing the
danger of further delay, Immediately fore
| ed an entrance into both houses. where
| they found several Of the men, eight in ALL
at work. The Mangin street house. as well
| as the house on Watt street, was fully
| equipped with modern machinery for roll
| Ing silver, punching blanks, etc. In one of
| the places a screw press, weighing five
| tons, was in operation About hundred
ounces of silver and quite a large basket
| full of steel dies were secured. Many of
| the dies. however. had been so mutilated
as to be beyond use. 1t seemed that as
| soon the policeman had given the alarm
i the counterfeiters Immediately began to
| file away the faces of their dies to prevent
| them from being used evidence against
| them. Two Of the men lived at 112 Null
| berry street. New York. and others were
| scattered about the neighborhood.
! Chief Wilkie said that this gang was
| probably responsible for at least so per
| cent of all the silver counterfeits which
| have been put in circulation in New York
| during the last two years.