Evening star., 1901-04-11
SkOOG WANTED IN CHICAGO
COUNTERFEITER CAUGHT IN NEW
YORK A FUGITIVE.
He broke Jail in Joliet Several Years
Aggravated In Sweden,

CHICAGO, April 11.-Upon receiving news
of the capture in New York of John Albert
Skoog, who is pronounced by officials of
the United States secret service one of the
most expert counterfeiters, Captain Porter
of the United States secret service, located
in this city, at once made arrangements to
have him returned to Chicago for trial
Judge Koilsaat issued bench warrant
for the prisoner and a copy of the indict-
ment, which was voted for several years
ago. was mailed to the authorities in the
east.
The arrest was considered of so much
Importance that cablegram was sent to
the authorities in Sweden. who have been
waiting to take possession of Skoog as
soon as the United States government got
through with him.
= Skoog was arrested in this city on Janu-
ary 2S 1897, for passing a $50 counterfeit
bill Government officers searched his
house and secured complete outfit for
making the bogus bills Besides they
found eighty-seven $50 bills and over So
GOO worth of the bogus Swedish kroner
notes. Pending a hearing of his case before
the federal grand jury, Skoog was confined
in the county jail at Joliet while the Cook
county Jail was being reconstructed Early
In the morning of March % following he
made his escape, with two other alleged
counterfeiters-James Foley and Jacob
Johnson. The latter two sawed the window
bars of the Jail while Skoog smothered the
sounds by playing an accordian
Skoog is said to have re-engaged in coun-
terfeitfng the same bills since his escape
Caught I'm New York.
One of the biggest raids in the history
of the secret service was made in New York
city last night by Chief Hazen as a result
OF the arrest of a man who gives his name
as John A. Skoog, Swede. who also has
given the name of Jensen. Chief Hazen,
after talking with Skoog, and fol-
low ing cew which he got from papers in
Skoog's pocket, went to building in Grand
avenue, Brooklyn, and arrested Emil Moore,
Swede
plants ever found was discovered in the
house. The lOng-sought plates FOR the
50-kroner notes Of the Bank Of Sweden and
the 1o0-kroner notes of the Bank Of Co
penhagen We're among those found They
We're buried away with other plates for the
making of a f20 note of the Bank of Scot
land, which, it is said, the secret service
of Great Britain has been trying to run
down for years.
Skoog is wanted in Sweden for making
and passing a large number OF counterfeit
T loo-kroner notes., such as are issued by
the Bank Of Sweden. This werlx was done
early in 1898, Skoog having gone to Sweden
at once after his escape from Joliet.
Identified by Chief Haxen.
skoog was Identified at the Hudsea street
hospital by Chief Hazen Tuesday the man
attempted to pass counterfeit 59-kroner
notes on the Bank Of Copenhagen at
banking house on lower Efoa.-way The
notes, although dated 1897. were. crisp and
new They were apparently good. however,
and We're accepted, Skoog being psad Amer
lean money in exchange. few ments
after Skoog left another man el-reTed and
presented some similar notes. Thss looked
suspicious, and Skoog was recalled. He
appeared nervous and started to walk away.
Stay here. or III call policeman" an
official Of the banking house said to him.
At the mention Of the word policeman
Skoog turned and fled down Broadway, fol-
lowed by two policemen and large crowd
Policeman Brady caught up with him in
West street. Skoog in the meantime had
drawn a pistol, and Brady came up to
him he turned the revolver on himself
sending two bullets through his head. He
was taken to the hospital. Shoald he re-
cover, which is thought likely, 1t Is the in
tention to return him to Joliet pententiary
from which place he escaped from SEN
tente for passing counterfeit money.
Chief WiIkie Returns.
Chief Wiikie of the secret service has re-
turned to his office from New York, where
the arrest of John Albert Skoog, who is in
a hospital at deaths door from self-infiicted
wounds, ran to earth the greatest counter
feiter Of recent years Chief Wilkie is es-
pecially satisfied with the discovery Of the
plates from which had recently been print
ed two issues of the Indian head S. silver
certificate. The secret service officials had
been working since last October, when the
first series OF these notes appeared, to
discover the counterfeiter but they had
done little to that end, merely being able
to warn the public against the notes.
->--
EXPERTS ON THE STAND