The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-07-30
The Great Lancaster COunterbidng Conspiracy.
A Narrative of Truth That is Stranger Than
Fiction


Another group of detectives were
therefore sent to Lancaster at once
to watch Jacobs. They soon noted his
intimacy with Kendig about whose
factory there seemed a cloud of mys-
terry. A watch was set upon that
building as minute as on the en-
eravers' room in Philadelphia. Ere
long 1t was found that Bredell, on one
of his trips to Snow Hill, shipped
parcel of apparatus to Lancaster,
where Kendig receipted for II. Pres
emily both Taylor and Bredell came to
Lancaster and made q stay of some
length under assumed names. With
Jacobs and Kendig they spent much
time in an inner room in the Kendig
place-a hireling named Burns, an ex-
policeman. acting as their picket
guard.
hitch occurred at this stage, TO un-
derstand which we must go over for a
little into the camp of the malefactors.
The collector of internal revenue for
the Lancaster district had assigned
his deputy, one Downey. to inspect
the Jacobs and Kendig factories. Sus-
pioion had been aroused by the TACT
that Jacobs, though apparently doing
a larger business than ever, was buy.
ing fewer stamps. Suddenly the col
lector, after visit to Washington,
called Downey off the scent. and bade
him make his examination merely per-
functory. No explanations were given;
but Downey, who was short of money
and had borrowed 800 of Jacobs,
proved his gratitude for the loan by
telling his benefactor of the strange
incident. Jacobs and Kendig took
fright at this, and did the worst thing
possible for themselves by carrying
all their inculpating material off to
an unfrequented spot near the city and
hurying 1t; for two detectives followed
them on bicycles and made careful
note of the hiding place.
The more Jacobs pondered the hint
given him by Downey, the more con-
vinced he became that the secret SER
vice had got wind of his operations.
How to avert this peril was the ques-
ton. The whole gang lay quiet from
September iii January. Then Kendig
suggested that there was a lawyer in
Philadelphia. one Harvey hewitt. who,
having been United States district at
torney under previous administra-
tion, was probably well acquainted
with the personnel and methods of
the Secret Service. Why not retain
him to find out what was afoot, and
hold the detectives in check If need
be?
To return to the watchers in Phila-
delphia. They observed that the geng
had struck up relations with some one
in the Franklin building, where sey.
eral lawyers had their Offices For
some time 1t seemed impossible to
discover whom they visited there. bu.
one day the riddle solved itself. New.
lit, who, with his partner. Ellery Ing.
ham, was chartered in the Franklin
building, Glanced to meet William ].
McManus, one of the watchers, with
whom he had some previous acquaint-
ance. In the course of a shor. con-
versatlcn The lawyer remarked, 81 ynin-
cantly, There r. man in my office
who would give $500 for little in
formation about the Secret Service"
Negotiations thus opened, McManus
was soon in the pay of the gang dol
ing out information carefully shaped
according to instructions of Chief Will
he, to whom he turned over his bribe
mOney as fast as received
The information which Newitt's
client was willing to buy so freely
must have had most reassuring ef-
feet. for the whole gang wore beaming
faces thereafter The engravers went
again into retirement. One day q
camera was carried into their rooms,
and the next a Photographic printing
cape outside of their windows. Stimuli
taneously. the material buried near
Lancaster was dug up and carried
back to Kendlg's shop. where work
was apparently resumed.
Taylor and Bredell went to luncheon
as usual on April IS, 1899. When they
returned two Secret Service men. who
had been lying in wait. entered their
rooms with them. Tile two counter
feitors were quietly warned that they
must make no disturbance. and that
their wisest policy would be to confess
in full and surrender the plates on
which they were then at work. They
yielded gracefully, and the party fin
ished plates of a fine $50 note passed
into the hands of the government.
That evening Chief Wilkie and a
handful Of men ran over to Lancaster
on late train. Going directly to Ken
digs shop, they let themselves in with
a duplicate key. and sat down in an
inner room to wait for morning. About
o'clock Burns came, and was hand
cuffed before he realized what had
happened. Twenty minutes later the
door opened and the proprietor stood
In their presence.
"GOod-morning. Mr.. Kendig," was
his greeting. In chorus.
A,.u.