El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-09
Ell PAso DAILY HERALD. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY g. 1870,

did SO | saw the form of a man dOdS-
ing along between the trees that skirt.
ed the hillside along the road. My sus-
picionS were aroused at his strange &C
tons, and I kept my weather eye in his
direction until l got safely out upon the
highway, where / lost sight of him. A
brisk drive soon landed me back at the
office of my friend, who greatly praised
my obituary.
Il did his local work several days
longer. and when his assistant had
fully recovered from his illness l re-
signed and returned to Pottsville in
much better spirits than when I had
left it a month before.
1.-The next day 1 took up my routine
assignment, and at the morning session
of the police court what was my aston
ishment to see In the prisoners dock
the very same young man whom 1 had
met among the mountains
81 at once became deeply interested
in his case. He was charged with pass
ing counterfeit coin, the same charge on
which he was arrested several months
before. His honor concluded, in view
of the serious charge and the fact that
1t was for the second offense, to hold
him for further investigation.
During the previous six months
Pottsville had been flooded with bogus
money. and the authorities had offered
a reward for the makers and showers
of the queer. Young Barron had been
twice accused of passing the money.
but each time he told such a plausible
story that the officials were loath to be-
lieve him responsible for the whole
matter. The situation was becoming
alarming. Detectives had been en-
ployed, but they were as much at sea
as the local officers. AS last resort q
reward Of 81 900 was offered for the ar
rest and conviction of the offenders.
When no results came of the work that
was being done toward clearing up the
matter and the bogus stuff continued to
circulate, it was considered advisable
to raise the reward. which was accord
ingly increased to $1,000.
This was the status of affairs on my
return from my vacation.
81 began to do n little detective work
on my own account. The sum of 81 500
was a snug one, and l began to make
deductions. with the prisoner, Barron.
as a starting point
81 looked back over the trail that 1
location of the Barron home in Wash
ington county, the situation of the old
hut in the bowl shaped depression
among the lofty mountains. the one
room in the hut with a rear door. What
was behind the portals Of that rear
door?
''Then my Imagination came into
play. and I thought what an excelleht
place for a counterfeiter's den could be
under the mountain. with the hut as q
shield.
"Well. to make a long story short, l
todd the mayor of my suspicious, and
asked for a detail of four men from the
force, to go down into Washington
county and investigate. He only
laughed at me, until made things so
plain that he was carried away with
enthusiasm over the plausibility of the
whole thing and ordered four police
men in citizens clothes to accompany
me to the spot and make a thorough
investigation.
1--WE arrived at our rendezvous one
evening. having each one gone individ-
ually, so as not to arouse any suspicion
as to our object, and left after nightfan
for the Barron home.
I've reached a point about a mile
from the narrow lane. at daybreak.
tied up our rigs and started on foot for
the hut. We were not long in reaching
the place, and a vigorous rapping
brought the sharp featured woman to
the door. She was rendered speeches.
with fright at the sight Of five stran-
gers at the door. She was invited to
come outside and keep quiet. Our next
point was the door at the rear. We
cautiously pushed this open, and the
sight that we encountered was one that
I will never forget.
six men and two or three boys were
busily engaged about a sweltering fur
mace. with a full set of molds, each at
his particular work. On the floor was q
large quantity of both gold and silver
coins. of dollars and eagles. half eagles !
and double eagles.
I'VE captured the gang without a !
struggle and also took charge Of the |
outfit. which. by the way, was one of |
the most complete that ever was seen
outside the United States mint. At the |
subsequent trial the entire gang, in
young Barron. we're given !
strong terms in the penitentiary. I re-
ceived the 81, 800 reward. which made |
very good use of."-Newspaperdom.
----