The Portland daily press., 1901-01-07
GANG OF EIGHT.
New York Counterfeiters Ar
rested.

(: Washington, January 5.--rhe officials
OF the secret service under Chief wiIkie,
made number Of highly Important ar
rests 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 a large num-
bsr OF silver countsrfeit coins, mostly
quarters and halves, which we're 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.
Chief wiIkie said today that this gang
was probably for at least 80 per cent OF
IL the silver counterfeits which have
been put in circulation in New York dur
ng the la st two years.
The fact that large numbers OF these
small silver counterfeits were being free
" circulated in New YORK. during the last
two years has given Chief Wilkie great
deal of trouble, the coins being Of almost
pure silver, 900 fine and fairly well
made, they readily passed wherever pre-
sented and rendered extremely difficult
the task of locating the makers and the
passsrs. The arrest came about In this
way;
Some time ago two Italians called on
Messrs. Platte and Company or God
street, New York, dealers in sheet silver,
and gold. and purchased thousand
ounces OF sheet silver. One of the men
~ Off the 1nPhQ
to oompars one OF the sheets with coin
which he took from his pocket, probably
with view of determining whether the
sheet was OF the same thickness as the
coin he had In his possession. This cir.
cumstance was made known to the secret
service officials by Mssars. Platte & Co,
and a force was Immediately set to work
upon this new leau. From the fact that
the men took away with them only a
small part OF the purchase, 1t was as
sumed that they would shortly return for
the rest. After time, the two men
again appeared and took away another
small quantity to Ill Mangin street on
the East Side. From there they were
Swallowed to 90 Watt street. on the West
side. A force was pa to work to OBJ
serve every move made by people who fire.
quentsd these houses, with the result that
their lodging plsoes 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 Mangin street
house became suspicious that the men
he ffno Ian, Ia .xk
of-crooked work and ne at once notified
a policeman on that beat of his suspio-
ions who came near rendering ineffective
all the work that had been done. The
poles, not knowing that the authoritie
were Watching the house, went 10 the
door and pounded for admittanoe. He
was not answered, however, and soon
been Watching from the next street COR
ner at once went to the house. notified
the gang OF the suspicious circumstances
and all precipitately fled TO the Watt
street place, carrying with them many Of
their dies, coins and blanks. The secret
service officials, realizing the danger OF
further delay, Immediately forced an en-
trance into both houses, where they found
several of the men, eight in all, at work.
The Mangin street house as well az the
house on Watt street, was fully equipped
with modern machinery for rolling sill
yer, punching blanks. etc. On one of the
places screw press Weighing nve tons
was In operation.
About hundred ounces Of silver and
quite large basketful OF steel dies were
secured. Many of the dies. however, had
been so mutilated as to be beyond use.
1t seemed that as soon as the policeman
had given the alarm the counterfeiters
began to file away this faces OF their dies,
TO prevent them being used as evidence.