The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-08-25
Gang Of Counterfeiters mat
Ianta Caught Red-Handed.
FIVE BROUGHT TO GRIEF
Manufactured by Wholesale on
Presses Of Job Print
ing Office.

]
headquarters in Atlanta and operat-
ing in printing Office in the very
heart OF the business section of the
city, have been run to cover and four
arrests made by United States In
spector ]. NJ. Wright, assisted by city
officers. The counterfeiters arrested
have made a full confession, and the
story they tell is one of the most SEN
sational in many respects that has
ever come to the notice of the United
States officers.
The men under arrest are: Oscar
L. McMichael, a pressman for the La
Hattie Printing Company, and who re-
sides at No. 80 Gresham street; Clar-
ence W. Rebb, a pressman and job
printer for the LaHatte Printing Com
pany, and who resides at No. ~ Nc
Daniel street; ]. N. Little, roofer,
who lives at South Bend, near Allan
ia; P. S. Coffey, an ex-postmaster, and
an owner of a -four and grist mill in
Upson county.
This gang has flooded the money
market with 100000 of bogus $40
greenback bills, and some Of the mon
ey has been passed in Atlanta
The counterfeit bills were printed at
the dead of night, in the job Office of
the LaHatte Printing Company, and
Mr.. LaHatte knew absolutely nothing
Of the matter until he was notified by
the officers,
Rebb stated that some three months
ago he saw McMichael with two plates
and McMichael told him they were for
making counterfeit money.
During the last county primary, ac-
cording to Rebb's story, the LaHatte
printing Office was kept open nearly
all night, ana after IL o'clock the
plates for the counterfeit money were
put on the presses and several thou
sands of dollars Of the bogus money
printed. This was later repeated three
times, until about $4,000 were run
of.
When Rebb confessed, McMichael
was found in Mr.. LaHatte's Office and
placed under arrest about 6 o'clock
Friday night. He also confessed, and
la:e in the night Little was found at
South Bend and brought to the city.
The three men were taken to the po.
lice barracks about o'clock Saturday
morning and docketed "suspicfon."
Inspector Wright left on the, first
train for Upson county and he return
ed Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock
with Coffey.
The fonr men were brought face to
face and they all made full confes- ,
sion.
Fifth Man Caught.
The fifth man Of the gang was ar
rested in st. Louis Sunday, and he is
William L. Wynne, young man who !
has lived all his life in Atlanta, and
who went to St. Louis last May.
Wynne has made q full confession,
telling the officers that he had made
the plates from which the counterfeit
money was printed and sold them to
two men in Atlanta.
From the confessions Of the pris-
oners it seems that Wynne made the
plates in Atlanta and sold them to
Cotfey and Little for $500. Little AID
Coffey placed them in the tands or
McMichael, who took ReDb into his
confidence. and the counterfeit money
was printed in the LaHatte job Office
at night, n the presence of. Coffey and
Little. -..a..,:z'.
At least $4,000 of the bogus money
vas printed. It was all in $40 notes
of the Buffalo exposition issue. The
counterfeit was not very good. but
Inspector Wright believes most of 1t
could have been passed after it had
been doctored with strong solution