Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-10-07

service operative to find traces OF
counterfeiters as IL is for q fisherman
20 get a bite IN a Wisconsin fish lake.
IL was sometimes as difficult 70 land
the "koniAckeT" as Il is for the fisher
man TO land his bass; but the central
west teemed with "coney men" more
or less known 70 the secret service.
The custom OF intormarriage among
cOVntcrfeiung families had bound a
large number OF the most proficient
criminals in this line into a league ce-
mented not only by a common purpose
and common danger but by ties of
consa nguinity. I have told how Pete
Mccartney married Martha Ann Ack-
Orman. the daughter Of an accom-
plished pair OF counterfeiters. and her
self an expert Ben Boyd had married
AIrs. Mccartney sister, Alairanda.
also proficient In the printing OF bogus
currency. The mother OF the Acker-
nan girls after the death OF her hrst
husband. married another counterfeit
ca. oonn 3. Trout, desperate "coney
man." who at one time was the terror
of the secret service men operating in
the Mississippi valley 10 VII be re-
membered that Nelson Digs married
Gertrude Stadtfeldt, whose father,
mother. U,0,.s.ec-. sister and nephew
were all cOunterfeiters. and who her
self was a valuable assistant to her
husband.
These marriages are mentioned to
set forth the closeness OF the ties
binding the different bands which, IN
eject, were one band. There were
many other such marriages, but refer
ence to these will suffice.
Besides this bond OF intermarriage
there was strong property tie con-
Meeting the counterfeiting principals.
Nelson briggs, whose brother kept a
hotel IN Jersey City which was a rem
devious for "coney men," had sac. 900
in cash, $4,000 acres OF land in Texas
and other property. Ben Boyd had
means IN plenty, as did Mccartney and
several others. They were men OF
good habits in point OF abstemious-
ness, and many OF them lived JekylI
and Hyde lives with such success that
An their respective communities Lney
We're respected members of society
while making and showing the queer"
Many OF them were men OF education.
Boyd had magnificent library and
was student Few OF them, during
the reputable periods Of their careers.
engaged in business that was not hon
orable. among them being farmers.
contractors, professional men and an
editor.
To this rule. however. there were
two or three exceptions. One OF these
was James Kineaiy, who, at the time
OF this narrative, kept the Hub" sa-
loon at 2s4 West Madison street, Chi
cago. with Terrence Mullen as a part
ner. Both Kinealy and Mullen had
for years held close communion with
the counterfeiters OF the central west,
and their saloon. while orderly enough,
was the general Chicago rendezvous of
dozens OF the most desperate and &C
complished counterfeiters in the couns
try. In st. Louis saloon OF similar
character was run by Fred Biebusch.
one Of the most extensive dealers in
bogus currency in the world. OF whose
career and final capture / shall tell
in subsequent narrative.
The same men that freQuented the
Hub" in Chicago were at home in
Biebusch's in ST. Louis. The halfway
station was the saloon in Lincoln, III,
kept by Robert Splane, a headquarters
for the large band OF "koniackers'
that lived in and near Lincoln at that
time. The principal members OF the
Lincoln band were Benjamin T. Sher-
4dan. farm owner; James l. Fox, Sr.
and Jr.. contractors; Joseph de Haven,
farmer; Thomas J. Sharp, editor Of the
Statesman, published in Lincoln; Ma
than l. Curtis. Sbarp's outside man:
Robert Splane. saloon keeper. and
Vine G. Williams, a bartender. All OF
these men were intimately associated
with kinealy and Mullen In Chicago
and Biebusch in ST. Louis, as. well as
with Nelson Drugs, Ben Boyd, Pete
Mccartney and many other somewhat