Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-13

secret service went 30 work 1t secured a
lsl of engraYers in every city in the couu-
try and made an investigation of what each
was Going. The investigation revealed that
the methods and habits Of Taylor and Bre-
dell had changed ana th&t they appeared to
have plenty of money. careful watch
ness. FOR three months the surveillance
VS. without result, One day Taylor
and Bredell took a train for Lancaster.
They were followed They were seen to
there had never been suspicion. How to
account for the sit was puzzle. Jacobs
was apparently respect able Businessman.
put what was he doing talking win these two
young fellows, about whose conduct there
was suspicion? Ch eff Wkie had Il friend
IN Chicago, Ii wholesale tobacco desIer.
ne wrote asking the friend 20 send him
several boxes of different brands Of cigars.
The chief had learned that these brands
We're made by Jacobs. When the cigars
arrived the discovery was made that the
internal revenue stamps upon them were
spurious. Later it was found that the coun-
terieit stamps had been in for Two
years. The discovery was the first real
clue, and in short time the entire con-
spiracy was plain. and all who took part
in it were in Jail. 1t was found that Jacobs
had been so success 'ul with the revenue
stamps that he-he1l put Taylor and BredelI
to work making counterfeit money. and
they had turned out the most dangerous
money known since the days of Brockway.
associated with Jacobs had been Kendig.
All that Jacobs ever said was: ut was ten
millions or ten years. We took a gam
bler's chance and lost" All the men are
serving time. including a former United
St7tes attorney. who tried TO bribe secret
service operative to let the prisoners
cape
Secured a Conviction.
Just before this arrest the secret service
arrested and secured the conviction of the
johnson brothers Of Detroit, noted counter
Gates which circulated all over the west
for year and half before the counter
feiters were discovered. David Johnson
had been looked upon a model of pro-
priety in all that constitutes an honest, up
right citizen. and the surprise was great
when he was arrested with Charles john
son. his brother But for the criminal
record of Charles johnson the arrest would
never have occurred. The secret service
had worked for months trying to unravei
the Sc In July, 1898, the officers were
NOTED of the release from a Canadian
prison of Charles Johnson. VINO had just
co apleted twelve years for counterfeiting
C1n1 dim notes. Johnson was shadowed
ard was found u -'op with David Johnson.
T On the bad reC~>. of the whole Johnson
lily flashed b ore the secret service.
~ officers swooped down on the house
nd discovered everything but The plates
- Sc were important. Through u strange
c. IN OF CElFdlrS the JUllHS'Hl% dSItcI ~
surrender the plates if their women folks
--cre not prosecuted two women members
o. the family having been arrested az ac-
c0~SprieS An agreement was reached not
to prosecute the women and the plates were
produced. Three generations of JohnsonS
h0d been counterfeiterS and had served
many terms. Each time they had managed
to protect the women, although in the De-
troit c"se ore OF the pl Ites was in hiding
IL nAculi9r drawer in the sewing machine
of Mrs. David Johnson.
The most dangerous counterfeits are made
by native-born Americans, but the Italians
erter the business q great deal, especially
in the counterfeiting of silver coin. OF the
20 -ersonS arrested IN he fiscal year 1903
o. ~rcd with torfeiting 2a3 were ma
tivac of this country and the remainder
f7~@igrers. Italy contributed seventy
&C.,, f9r more than all the other foreign
countries put together. The Italians sell
d. - make counterfeit notes. but their coins
10 generally so poor that their spurious
rore IS ol--ost instantly detected and their
arrests follow.