The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-23
COURT SHOWED
HIM NO mercy
couNTERFE1TER SENT UP FOR
THREE YEARS.
Cisto Incognolio Failed to Impress
Judge Archibald with His Protesta-
tions of sorrow--He Ranks as One
of the Cleverest Counterfeiters in
the Country-Michael Urban Con-
victed of Making Nickels, and
James Brock Found Guilty Of Max
ing Moulds in Jail


ing Moulds in Jail.
Cisto lncognolio. all Italian counter
feiter whom the secret service officers
say is one OF the most skillful and dam
gerous In the country, plead guilty to
making and passing counterfeit silver
dollars in the United States district
court yesterday afternoon and was SEN
fenced to three years Imprisonment IN
the penitentiary after he had made a
r1elodramatic plea for mercy
rncognolio was represented by Attor-
ney George Llcwcllyn. of Wilkes-Barre,
who offered a plea of guilty on his be-
half. United States Attorney McCarre'l
then called Secret Service Agent Will
liam p Flynn to relate the circum-
stances attendant upon Tncognolio's ar
rest Flynn testified to having arrest
ed the prisoner at Port Griffith on
Aug. 81 last. On his person were found
three counterfeit silver dollars and in
the house was twenty-five pounds of
various metals such as black tin and
antimony. an unused crucble. and var
ious chemicals used in counterfeiting.
Incognolio confessed to him, he said,
that about month before he had made
fifty dollars, Of which the three found
on his person were all that remained.
A Dangerous Man.
This man. said he, sis capable Of
making the best counterfeit dollars |
have ever seen and is dangerous man
to be left at liberty. He is one Of the
cleverest counterfeitefs we have ever
been called upon to deal with. l ar
rested him In New York city three
years ago for the same offense and he
was then sentenced to spend three
years at Sing Sing. sentence which
he has since served
Incognolio's wife and two small chill
dren had in the meantime been brought
inside the railing and when he was
asked if he had anything to say he
arose and pointed melodramat tically at
them.
II promise you before God. Judge"
said he with passionate flourish. that
IL you let me go for the sake of my
poor sick wife and children. [ will ner-
er do a wrong thing again. l pray
that / may be struck dead II | do.
spent three long years in prison and
no want to go back
Then he launched forth in wild
harangue. explaining that the money
found in his pocket had been dropped
there by n malicious enemy of his just
before the secret service officers ar
rived. He admitted that he told Flynn
what the latter had testified he did
hut said he was excited when he did so
and didn't know what he was saying.
! He had made no money since he left
prison. he said.
ITO you know this man. asked At
torney McCarrell. pointing to Charles
\ Stouch. of Wilkes Barre.
II swear that | never saw him before.
Never. never" Said Incosnolio as he
posed theatrically with his right arm
pointed heavenward.
Bought from Him.
Mr.. Stouch took the stand and tes-
tilted that he Is employed as a clerk
in the Pennsylvania Supply company's
store in Wilkes Barre. On Aug. 26 last
Inc6snolio purchased crucible and
some block tin from him and asked
where he could procure antimony. Mr..
Stourh's suspicious were aroused. and
he followed Incoenolio and saw him
Joined by another man. The two then
4 visited another store and purchased
antimony.
Judge Archibald called mcoenolo be-
that his plea was not such one as "A
Judge bound to enforce the law could
listen To.
II am not a hard hearted man, but
Feel ii to be my duty to sentence YOU"
he said. You will pay fine of 800.
the costs of the case and will spend
three years in the Eastern peniten-
tar.."
Two other counterreiting cases We're
disposed of during the afternoon. The
first one tried was thai against Mich
acl Urban. Of Glen Lyons who was
charged with making and circulating
counterfeit nickels. Attorney Charles
T.. Daniels was assigned by court to de-
fend the prisoner
william \. Walsh. secret service
Agent, testified to having traced. after
Urbans arrest certain counterfeit coins
made by the latter. lie offered these
Enclosed in separate envelopes and they
we're accepted as evidence by the court.
John NchoIya. of Glen Lyons, i'm
whose house Urban lived, testified to
having seen the latter making the
nickels He said that Urban used n
railroad nut with hole Just the size
of a nickel. A good coin was placed
inside this and hot lead poured ON.
-AnOIHtE Illthei NtS iutH Iio'tu WI wv
and the whole subjected 10 pressure.
Urban gave him two OF the coins 10
act beer from Charles Steminsky, but
the latter refused to accept them.
Steminsky's Testimony,
Charles Steminsky testified to having
received the two coins from Nicholya
and John Lustis, another saloonkeeper
testified to having received u counter
felt nickel from Urban himself, Mrs
Mary I.uzok who also lived in the
house with Urban said she saw him
making nickels several times, She
had previously stated to the officers
who made the arrest that she had re-
ceived the counterfeit nickels which
had been passed as change, but she
testified yesterday that she said this
because she was afraid of Urban.
Mary Lusok, her S-year-old daughter
swore that she had seen Urban making
nickels and that he had sent her sew
sral times to buy beer with them. Bat
iste Maicoli. a saloonkeeper, testified
that he had received a bad nickel from
DIR. AVnew'S