The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-06-09
MADE BAD MONEY
IN A CEMETERY
Discovery of a counterfeiter's
Den Leads to Arrest Of
a Suspect.
is AN OLD OFFENDER
After Some Spurious Coins Had Been
Passed in Yankten, Officials In
vestigated and Clues Led to
the Finding of the Den.

Sioux Falls, g. D., June 6.-The dis
cOvery by the United States authorities
in this city of counterfeiter's den, in
what is known as the old Rowland
cemetery, situated near Sioux Falls, ex-
plains the mystery surrounding re-
cent movements Of strange nature In
the vicinity of the old home of the
dead.
AS the result of raid on the den,
the federal authorities succeeded in
capturing the man who it is alleged is
the maker of great amount OF cOun-
terfeit money which has recently been
placed in circulation at Yankton and
other places in che southeastern portion
of the state.
The only occupant of the den at the
time of the raid by the federal officers
was Levi Clark, an ex-convict. Clark
has already served two terms in the
Sioux Falls penitentiary on The same
charge on which he has now been ar
rested for the third time. Ever since it
was discovered that spurious coins We're
being circulated at Yankton and else
where Clark has been watched by the
federal authorities.
Since being released from the peni-
tentiary, after having served his last
term, he has been hanging around
Sioux Falls, ard was at once suspected
OF being at least the maker of the coun-
terfeit coin which had found it's way
and counterfeit money is a mania with
Clark.
He is an eccentric character whose
speciality is the making of mods and
the manufacture of counterfeit money.
He takes great pride in the expert man
ner in which he fashions the molds and
has ont hesitated to talk even With Of
ficers of the law as to his expertness il
this regard.
The counterfeiter's den was located
in the shelter of clumps of plum bushes
in the old cemetery and was quite We'll
concealed. None of the manufactured
spurious coins We're found in the den.
but the authorities captured COM
plete outfit of dies, mclds and other inn
plements and material used in the
manufacture of counterfeit coins.
The capture of the dies and molds
indicates that Clark was confederate
of man giving his name as A. G.
Sharp, who was recently arrested at
Yankton on the charge of passing
counterfeit money in that city. When
taken before a United States commits
sioner for his preliminary examination,
Sharp waived his hearing and was held
for appearance at the next term of fed
eral court.
The coins which led to his detection
and arrest were counterfeit half doll
lars, made of pewter and given a silver
finish by being dipped in quicksilver.
They, While fresh from the quicksilve-,
are good counterfeits, and during
rush of business would be readily taken
by the average business man.
The spurious coins We're passed upon
more than Il score of Yankton business
houses before the fraud was detected
and Sharp was located and arrested.
When searched good money to the
amount of $7.65 and Two counterfeit
half dollars We're found in his posses
sion.
N}.a nd 6S. r,t,, in, f1,a
counterfeiter's den in the cemetery near
Sioux Falls exactly fits The coins
passed by Sharp at Yankton, which
points to the fact that Clark was en-
gagged simply to manufacture the spun
ious coin While Sharp, and perhaps
other confederates, took care of the
matter of getting the counterfeit money
into eirculat ton.